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Keith Stoeckeler lives with his wife and two children in Connecticut. He experienced a moment of inspiration while reading a bedtime story to his daughter years ago, which led him to believe he could create a children's book. The idea of incorporating his love for cheeseburgers lingered in his mind for some time, and he was motivated to pursue the creation and completion of the book to provide a lasting gift for his children.
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite
Keith Stoeckeler’s picture book, The Sparkly Bun, is a clever way to teach young readers not only about being creative and using their imagination but also about building their self-esteem and being comfortable with who they are. The story is told in simple language so young readers can follow along. There is lots of dialogue which helps move the story forward. The illustrations by Lana Lee are creative and add some zest to the plot development. The author takes a common theme amongst young girls, that of fashion, and makes it into a powerful statement of what’s important in life, and how being creative and imaginative can make one really stand out.
Do you like wearing the same outfit every day? Does it look like what others are wearing? Or are their outfits much cooler than yours? In The Sparkly Bun by Keith Stoeckeler, Emme has a difficult lesson to learn. She wants to wear her sparkly bun outfit every day because it makes her stand out. But then she sees her friends wearing other cool outfits and she wants to wear the same buns they’re wearing. When she asks her parents for new outfits, like her friends have, they point out that she really doesn’t need any more outfits. “It’s important to be yourself and not worry about what others are doing. … It’s what’s inside that counts, not what we wear.” So Emme gets creative with her wardrobe, making herself look and feel unique. “Being one-of-a-kind is important.”
