Good Golden Sun

Filled with all the light and warmth of the sun, Brendan Wenzel’s picture book leads readers through a day, tracking the sun from the first rays of dawn until it disappears over the horizon at day’s end. We experience it through different living creatures, each of whom rely on the sun, the text, in gentle, perfectly paced verse, posing their questions: ‘Good golden sun, where have you been? We’ve been waiting in the dark, eager for your glow again.’ Each turn of the page brings changing colours and growing light, of course, but there’s a story to follow too, as the sun’s glow lights a flower, then the bee collecting its nectar, the bear who eats the bees’ honeycomb, the mosquito who bites the bear, the bird who eats the mosquito and so on, until finally a small child and their cat watch the sun go down, ‘Good golden sun, what bright colours you have saved for the moment in the evening, just before you slip away!’ Illuminating in every way, this beautiful picture book demonstrates the connection between all living creatures and our reliance on the good golden sun, which, despite all the questions asked, retains its mystery throughout, silent above the busy world. Brendan Wenzel’s illustrations, reminiscent of Eric Carle’s, mix collage, watercolour and digital art to extraordinary effect, each spread a visual treat. Recommended for readers of all ages.