Saving the Sun

by Emma Pearl, Sara Ugolotti (Illustrator)

Overview

After an especially sweltering day, the ocean sparkles and twinkles so invitingly that instead of slipping beneath the horizon, the sun plunges into the ocean itself.

When the sun sinks and loses its fire, Luna and Poppa’s yearly vacation on Summer Island suddenly goes dark. Luna knows the sun needs their help—the sky looks all wrong, and it’s neither day nor night! But it’s a big job to do all on their own.

To bring back daylight, they must think of creative solutions, seeking help from the local dolphins, monkeys, birds, and more. With the power of teamwork and imagination, can they find a way to return the sun to its rightful place, and set it ablaze once more?

This imaginative tale will enchant readers as Luna, Poppa, and their new friends of the sea, beach, and air rise to the challenge of fixing the sky once more and—literally—save the day.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781645679882
Publisher:	Page Street Publishing
Publication date:	09/19/2023
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.70(w) x 8.75(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Emma Pearl was excited to continue Luna and Poppa’s adventures from Mending the Moon (Page Street Kids) and thought it only logical the pair would save the sun next. Emma has traveled to over fifty different countries, including many beautiful tropical islands like the one in this story. Her love of storytelling began at a young age, spurred on by her relationship with her great uncle, renowned children’s author Roald Dahl. She now lives in New Zealand with her family and their one-eyed cat, Penelope.

Sara Ugolotti is a freelance illustrator of many children’s books, including Mending the Moon (Page Street Kids). When she’s not working, she also enjoys photography, travel, and cooking. Sara lives in Reggio Emilia, Italy, with her partner and their French bulldog, Murphy.

Editorial Reviews

08/21/2023

The creators concoct an imaginative origin story for sunsets in this mystical picture book. The sun always shines on Summer Island, which Poppa and Luna visit each year, until one day the orb extinguishes itself by dipping into the ocean, which “sparkled and twinkled so invitingly.” Discovering that “the sky looked all wrong,” Luna and Poppa, both depicted with pale skin, attempt to make a rescue, relying on creativity and nature’s abundance to lift the darkened sphere back into place. As night falls, they think they’ve solved everything, but the next morning dawns with no daylight, and so the resourceful pair once again rally companionable wildlife to lend a hand. Ugolotti’s digital artwork applies coral and purple hues in soft spongy layers, forming an ideal partnership with Pearl’s kindly vision of the natural world. Ages 4–8. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"Pearl cleverly employs a combination of childhood logic [...] and mythical magic to give this story the lush feel of a folkloric tale perfectly suited for little ones."

—BCCB, starred review

"Poetic text is more than matched by glowing illustrations [...] A whimsical tale of imagination, human inventiveness, and interspecies cooperation."

—Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2023-06-08
The team behind Mending the Moon (2022) follows it up with another sweet, moving fantasy in which Poppa and Luna must avert natural disaster.

Every year, Poppa and Luna, both tan-skinned, visit the child’s favorite place, Summer Island, but this time, “the sun was toohot.” Instead of vanishing below the horizon, the fevered disc splashes into the cool sea. Seeing the sky look “all wrong,” Luna wakes Poppa: They must help! She has an idea: tie palm fronds together to make a long rope. As the rapidly cooling sun bobs on the waves, dolphins appear, carrying the rope out to the sun. A whale offers to tow the sun over the horizon so that it can be in place to return next morning. As night deepens, Luna thinks the stars might be falling: It’s fireflies, and she dreams “of dolphins and shooting stars.” Next morning the sun rises—but lightless. Helped by monkeys, Luna makes a tall bonfire; birds carry flaming sticks to light the edges; and the wind spreads the fire over the sun. The sun “would never go swimming again,” and, grateful that order has been restored, it offers a beautiful sunset each evening. Earning praise from Poppa, Luna feels “glad as a butterfly.” The poetic text is more than matched by glowing illustrations. They are particularly strong in shades and tints of the main color, creating an almost shadowless sense of depth and animation. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A whimsical tale of imagination, human inventiveness, and interspecies cooperation. (Picture book. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews