Five toads hop, four brook trout swim, three elk graze, two loons call, and one beaver gnaws on a paper birch tree, all under one North Star. Through bog and marsh, along river and lake, across prairie and into the woods, children learn what lives where by counting the creatures on foot or in flight, swimming or perching in exquisite woodcut and watercolor illustrations created by Beckie Prange and Betsy Bowen in an artistic collaboration. For those looking for more about the pictured wildlife, Phyllis Root includes fascinating facts and information on the state’s ecosystems and the plants and animals that make their homes there.

Phyllis Root is the author of more than forty books, most of them picture books. She received a McKnight Fellowship for Lucia and the Light; Aunt Nancy and Old Man Trouble won a Minnesota Picture Book award; Big Momma Makes the World won a Boston Globe–Horn Book Award; and Plant a Pocket of Prairie (Minnesota, 2014) won a John Burroughs Riverby Award. She lives in Minneapolis.

Beckie Prange is a biologist and printmaker who has illustrated two previous books, the Caldecott Honor winner Song of the Water Boatman and Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature's Survivors. She lives in Ely, Minnesota.

Betsy Bowen has written and illustrated many children’s books, including Antler, Bear, Canoe: A Northwoods Alphabet Year; Helen Hoover’s Great Wolf and the Good Woodsman (Minnesota, 2005); and Phyllis Root's Big Belching Bog (Minnesota, 2010) and Plant a Pocket of Prairie. She lives in Grand Marais, Minnesota.

"A bright, populous countdown for nature lovers, Midwestern or otherwise."—Kirkus Reviews

"Beautiful...one of the most elegant and appealing of the year."—Pioneer Press

"An excellent choice for both young and middle-grade classroom libraries."—Foreword

"A beautiful addition to the library of any child from the North."—Mpls. St. Paul Magazine

"Minnesota librarians should purchase multiple copies of this lovely interactive book. Others should follow suit."—School Library Journal

"One North Star is ever so much more than a ‘counting’ book. Its wood carvings and rich color illustrations pulled me into this wonderful poetic recounting that explores Minnesota’s North Star country. Each page, rich in details, is a beauty to feast upon."—Books for the Curious Child

"A striking and awe-inspiring picture book that poetically counts the wonders of Minnesota’s natural beauty and wildlife."—The Picture Book Review

"The University of Minnesota Press, publisher, has given children and adults another engaging, beautiful book to learn from and enjoy."—ReaderKidZ

"There’s a lot of great natural history here for any curious child."—Anne E. G. Nydam

"Big, bold, and colorful."—St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Bowen collaborates with Beckie Prange to beautify this counting book with exquisite woodcut and watercolor illustrations bringing to life passages."—Cabin Living Magazine

"Though two artists share illustration duties ... the result is eye-catching and seamless."—Lake Superior Magazine