Praise for Sunny Days
2021 CBC Books “the best Canadian picture books of 2021” selection
2022 CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens Selection
2021 CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens Fall Selection
2021 CBC Books "16 books for kids and young adults to read this fall" selection
2022 SCBWI Recommended Reading List feature
★ STARRED REVIEW "These charming couplets about fun in the sun will have their appeal to lap sitters...With its padded cover, rounded corners, and thick pages, this eye-catching yet simple look at sunshine will suit all collections that serve toddlers."—School Library Journal Starred Review
"Simple rhyming couplets create a playful, upbeat tone...A vivid color palette bursting with highly saturated hues pairs well with collage to create richly layered scenes that will capture young readers' interest."—Kirkus Reviews
"Kerbel's brief rhyming couplets—one per spread—capture the feeling of the sun throughout the day and from spring through the heat of summer....Sato's bright, peaceful collages...add texture, pattern, and the feeling of three dimensions to the visual mix."—Publishers Weekly
“The text carries the reader from morning until bedtime, adding a reflection of the reader's own summer days. A durable design, bright colors, and rhyming text make this a good pick for the youngest of readers.”—YA Books Central
“The seasons and the connection with nature, as well as the children’s activities, spill over the double-page spreads and will delight readers. Three-dimensionality and abundant use of fabric bring these colourful, child-centered illustrations to life. Sunny Days is a cheerful book chockful of sunshine and joy.”—Canadian Children’s Booknews
“This book for three to five year olds shows all that is wonderful about summer and embracing the weather...So beautiful and so much detail.”—Book Time
“The gorgeous mixed media illustrations pair well with the text, which both show the joys of childhood, family time, and summer.”—Green Teacher
“The rhymes may seem simple but there is a richness in Deborah Kerbel's take on what children experience in the sun...The quality of Miki Sato's artwork infuses Sunny Days with more than just warmth and light; it also gives a sense of place and pursuit.”—CanLit for Little Canadians
“Readers who love sweet rhyming books or those who enjoy Snow Days will likely adore Sunny Days.”—Fab Book Reviews
“[A] beautiful children’s book!”—Jill’s Book Blog
“Aimed at preschoolers, Sunny Days looks at fun activities for spring and summer including planting seeds, reading outdoors, swimming, eating popsicles and being outdoors as the sun sets. Miki Sato’s colourful illustrations will capture a child’s attention.”—Simcoe.com
“The collage art style is absolutely phenomenal. The artist, Miki Sato, is quickly becoming one of my favorite artists! Every page is so beautiful!... I am literally in awe of this gorgeous art! The text is simple, but enchanting….The text flows along naturally, and is a delight to read out loud!”—Luminous Libro
★ 06/01/2021
Toddler-PreS—In a sequel to Snow Days, these charming couplets about fun in the sun will have their appeal to lap sitters. From morning to night, spring into summer, the sun wakes children, warms the seeds they've planted, dries their mud pies, sends them in search of ice cream, and sets in rosy splendor in time for bed. What will really engage the audience are the exquisite full-bleed collages in which the appearance of thickness of papers, weave of fabrics, and occasional stitchery cast slight shadows for a muted 3D effect. A multiracial array of children is shown in uncluttered, happy scenes filled with charming attention to detail. Five age-appropriate and engaging activities that feature the sun's powers are appended. VERDICT With its padded cover, rounded corners, and thick pages, this eye-catching yet simple look at sunshine will suit all collections that serve toddlers.—Jan Aldrich Solow, formerly Fairfax County Public Sch., VA
2021-06-02
Young children delight in sun-filled activities throughout spring and summer.
From its bright, wondrous wake-up call to its gentle, gradual goodbye, the sun is a friendly constant, providing warmth, light, and opportunities to explore the outside world. Children are depicted taking part in familiar activities such as reading in an outdoor patch of sunlight, planting seeds, making mud pies, and swimming at the beach. These experiences take place in an urban landscape, grassy yard, farm, and beach with lighthouse in the background. Similar to the text in its companion book, Snow Days (2020), simple rhyming couplets create a playful, upbeat tone: "Ocean sun: flash and glimmer / Kick and paddle, little swimmer." A vivid color palette bursting with highly saturated hues pairs well with collage to create richly layered scenes that will capture young readers’ interest. The changing position of the sun and use of embroidery for its rays evoke various moods and signal different times of day in each spread. The use of mixed media allows various textures to jump off the page, giving the book an almost 3-D feel. The multiracial cast of children featured have a diverse mix of skin tones and hair colors.
Radiates joy and the carefree fun of days in the sun. (suggested activities) (Picture book. 2-5)
