GOOD GOLDEN SUN

A paean to that huge globe in the sky.

“Good golden sun, / where have you been? / We’ve been waiting in the dark, / eager for your glow again.” Relying on gentle soft rhymes, an unseen narrator poses a series of questions to the sun. “Do you think about the scary things that sometimes lie in wait?” “Won’t you lend me some milk or meat? / Won’t you help to pull the plow?” Wenzel’s signature art, constructed out of cut paper, watercolor, acrylic, colored pencil, and crayon and digitally rendered, fits his text perfectly. The pop of the golden sun on each page serves as a distinct reminder about what lies in store. Though this isn’t an informational science tale, Wenzel’s art nevertheless highlights how energy from the sun passes from creature to creature. It might begin with a bee taking sustenance from flowers (which, notably, grow thanks to the energy of the sun). That bee then creates honey, which is eaten by a bear. After biting the bear, a mosquito is devoured by a bird, who in turn drops an egg, which is eaten by a mouse. The path of the sun’s energy—conveyed through a golden glow bathing one animal or another—never truly ceases. Readers will delight in tracing the sun’s path and all that it’s sure to contain.

Contains a glow entirely of its own making. Catch it!