A 2026 CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL HOT OFF THE PRESS SELECTION

Stitch together a dream with astronaut Karen Nyberg as she shares her quilt with the world, the stars, and beyond.  

What would you do with an impossible dream?

Dr. Karen Nyberg yearned to reach the stars, and when they were finally within grasp, she wanted to share the extraordinary sight with the world. Seeing that the Earth from a distance was like a quilted masterpiece of people and places, she put her skills with needle and thread to use—in space!

When Nyberg lived on the International Space Station, she and NASA invited crafters from around the world to join a project to stitch together a global community quilt. Thousands of people from more than 30 countries stitched quilt squares that were combined to make 28 king-size quilts displayed at the 40th International Quilt Festival in Houston.

With dreamy illustrations from Alida Massari that perfectly capture Nyberg’s starry quilt and fun facts about space on every page, A Quilt of Stars is an accurate retelling of Karen Nyberg’s true story. This book is an inspiration to those in love with STEM and art, teaching children that anyone with a goal, a community, and a dash of persistence can stitch together a dream.

Dr. Karen Nyberg is an astronaut, engineer, artist, and mother who, through nearly 30 years of experience in human spaceflight, has developed a deep appreciation for the value of cooperation across diverse ideologies and values to care for our home planet and its inhabitants. Ann McCallum Staats is a former teacher and the award-winning author of over a dozen books. Her latest books include Fantastic Flora: The World’s Biggest, Baddest, and Smelliest Plants (Candlewick/MIT Kids Press) along with two books in the Women of Power series: High Flyers and Thrill Seekers (Chicago Review Press). Alida Massari is an Italian artist specializing in illustration for children including picture books and other children’s publishing. Massari was born in Rome, where she qualified in art at high school and then went on to complete a specialization in illustration at the European Institute of Design. She finds inspiration for her work from the architectural details of the ancient buildings, from folk traditions and ancient art, describing her work as “modern but with ancient atmosphere.”