I'm torn between a three- and a four-star rating for Starfish. For what it is, it's a solid four-star book. It's an excellent non-fiction book for young children (pre-school) because the text is minimal but effective in teaching kids about these animals. I also think the book would be a good read aloud book for kids who are just learning to read, or for ESL students. In addition, the pictures are lovely and do a nice job of illustrating what the text is explaining.Now, why three stars? My niece and nephew liked the book, but I wouldn't say they loved it. I think that they would have enjoyed it more if the text had been even more informative and expansive--I'm thinking something along the lines of Desert Giant, which held their attention and fed their brains to full. There just wasn't enough meat here--certainly nothing that completely captivated them.