03/12/2018
In this gently mysterious companion to Mae and the Moon, Gigot introduces Seb, a child in a village “so far north that the sun did not shine in winter and the days were cold, dreary, and dark as night.” Gigot’s story quickly takes a fantastical turn. Seb—who wears Viking-style horns—and his beachcombing companion, a walrus, go in search of the sun. They first consult town residents for supplies: miners for rope, an elderly lady for yarn, Old Bruce Brewster for fishing line, and Mr. and Mrs. Muktuk for a bucket. In dreamlike sequences rendered in stormy blues and grays accented by the Northern Lights, the pair rows a boat into the bay. They toss out their bucket, which eventually fills with a dusty, golden light. Back home, they pour the light into bottles and share the lanternlike results with the people of the village. Gigot integrates Native American coastal art motifs, suggesting that this evocative and visually sumptuous story is set in Northern Canada or Alaska. Ages 4–7. Agent: Wendi Gu, Janklow & Nesbit. (Mar.)
"Otherworldly but with luminous pictures of a remote community." —Kirkus Reviews
"Beautifully depicted scenes full of murky shadow and softly glowing lanterns give Seb’s home a stark and otherworldly quality, while his sense of adventure, penchant for crust-free sandwiches, and friendly walks along the beach and pier are sure to warm the heart." —Pallas Gates McCorquodale, Foreword Reviews STARRED REVIEW
"A superbly crafted children's picture book by author/illustrator Jami Gigot for youngsters ages 5 to 7, Seb and the Sun is original and consistently entertaining, making it an unreservedly recommended addition to family, elementary school, and community library picture book collections." —Midwest Book Review
"For many young American readers, it provides new perspective, and a quiet lesson about the sweetness of a hero who shares his treasure when he gains it. The end pages, like Seb himself, are full of sunshine." —Edie Ching, Booklist STARRED REVIEW
"Seb and the Sun is the kind of book that could easily become a lifelong favourite." —Nathan Whitlock, Quill & Quire
"Gigot integrates Native American coastal art motifs, suggesting that this evocative and visually sumptuous story is set in Northern Canada or Alaska." —Publishers Weekly
"How this considerate boy catches the sunlight is a mystery to readers, Gigot leaves to our imagination the moment in which the bucket lands. But what matters is that Seb cared enough about his community to do so." —Julie Danielson, BookPage
01/01/2018
PreS-Gr 1—Seb is a young boy who loves the sun, but, he lives in the far north country, where it is dark, cold, and dreary for much of the year. Nonetheless, Seb and his companion, Walrus, enjoy their days combing the beach for treasures, especially for empty bottles washed ashore. The dark blue hues and interesting perspectives of the illustrations manage to make this forbidding environment appear quite sweet and inviting. Fed up with the cold, Seb and Walrus set out to find the sun, a theme reminiscent of traditional literature. He brings bottles of sunlight back to the town and warms everyone's heart. Gigot's illustrations capture the personality of this tiny mining and fishing community, especially when it is aglow with the warmth of the sun. VERDICT A beautifully calming story perfect for bedtime reading.—Susan Small, Salve Regina University Library, Newport, RI
2017-11-22
Seb's coastal village lies so far north the sun doesn't shine during winter, making even daytime beach treasure hunts with his walrus companion "cold, dreary, and dark as night." Wearing his distinctive, Viking-horned winter hat, Seb sets out to find some sun for his small but diverse community. Little, pale Seb greets local friends: "old Bruce Brewster," a darker-skinned, bearded fisherman; a bespectacled white knitter named Mrs. Vandermuss; a mixed group of miners sipping soup and coffee; and Mr. and Mrs. Muktuk, cued as Pacific Northwest Native Americans who wear furred parkas and carve totem poles. These neighbors provide pockets of warmth, light, and encouragement. Similarly, Gigot's artwork, while overcast, provides engrossing details in street and window vignettes, with patches of lemony yellows and arctic whites contributing buoying moments of firelight, lamplight, and snow. The text, set in a candlelight yellow, glows on inky backgrounds. Readers might squint at what seem at first to be gloomy, digitally painted pencil illustrations, but they will soon feel lifted in noting people of varying skin tones, occupations, and ages, all engaged in productive work. Seb feels his work is to find sunlight for his neighbors, even if it means rowing all the way out to sea. Some might find the ending contrived, but it's hard not to feel warmed by a luminous resolution so full of love.Otherworldly but with luminous pictures of a remote community. (Picture book. 4-6)
