Saving the sun

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.)

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 too hot." 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) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.