Reviews
There are so many incredible books available at the moment that it is impossible to read them all, no matter how hard I try! Here are my thoughts about some of the books I have read and how I think they could be used in school as well as Q and A sessions with authors and illustrators.
Good Golden Sun
Leading the reader through a day, ‘Good Golden Sun’ follows the Sun’s journey from its first rays at dawn to its final glimmer over the horizon as it goes down.
Illustration and text work in perfect harmony. The gentle rhyming text reflects the thoughts of the creatures which the sun’s light touches as they pose the sort of questions which curious young children might ask… Where have you been? Do you get lonely? Are you happy? … making the book perfect for sparking conversations and encouraging enquiring minds to contemplate and speculate. Alongside this, there is much to enjoy and discover in the pictures which tell their own story. Light from the sun touches a bud, which opens into a flower which attracts a bee which alights on a hive and so on. A golden path makes connections between each thing which has absorbed the sun’s glowing rays, showing the many ways the ‘good golden sun’ benefits life on earth. Children could create food chains and food webs using the examples given here. developing their understanding of the significance of the sun’s essential role.
The illustrations glow with colour, making the book a visual treat and one to linger over. The ending offers a wonderful possibility for piquing children’s imagination and creativity by encouraging them to think of all the questions which they might ask the moon. There is much to enjoy here!
Good Golden Sun
Brendan Wenzel
Scallywag Press ISBN: 978-1836300304