Items related to Sun
It's the hottest day of the year, hotter than broccoli soup, hotter than the Atacama Desert, hotter than the surface of the sun. It's just the right kind of day for a boy and his grandad to go for a picnic. But as the sun beats down, Grandad keeps having to stop for a rest, and by the time they find the perfect picnic spot, some pirates have beaten them to it. Good job they have enough food to share.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review:
This has all the characteristics of a classic. (Little London)
It's the hottest day of the year, the perfect day for a boy and his grandad to set off on an adventure - and the perfect day to share a picnic with some unexpected new friends. The boy and his grandad gather together everything they need for their expedition and then they set out. Trouble is, grandad keeps needing to have a rest as they look for the perfect spot... and when they get there, someone was there first. A wonderful sense of anticipation builds up through the book, often through just a few well-chosen words and the illustrations capture the sense of looking forward to perfection. (Parents in Touch)
Sun is Sam Usher's third picture book taking weather as its theme, with a fourth to follow. As in the previous two offerings, Snow and Rain, a young boy and his grandfather head outdoors to see what adventures they can find, despite the adverse climatic conditions. Properly equipped, our pair of protagonists embark on a journey that elides into pure imagination, with palm trees, cactuses and pirate caves. In its energy and vivacity, the artwork calls to mind Quentin Blake. Usher has a wonderful feel for the use of space and the delicate feathering of watercolour washes, which enhances his enchanting paen to the values of anticipation, curiosity and fantasy. (Financial Times)
Sam Usher's picture book Sun, a follow-up to both Rain and Snow, contains the beating heat of scorching summer days. As a boy and his grandfather search for shade to have a picnic, the park transforms into a desert, blue skies turn red, toys come alive and a cool spot is a cave full of pirates with a sumptuous galleon. Cheerful and cartoony details (and the illustrator's self portrait) are hidden in this well-observed celebration of a fond inter-generational bond involving shared make-believe. (Sunday Times)
From the Author:
On one level it's a lovely story of an adventure which turns out absurdly well when it looked as though it was going to degenerate into something which the pair would wish they'd never started. But look again and you see a delightful tale of friendship across the generations and how persistence and openness to new ideas can pay off.
It's a lovely story but it's Sam Usher's illustrations which really bring the tale to life. There's the sort of quirkiness which means that you find something new every time you read the book. I've just spotted some birds indulging in a cooling drink from cartons. Using a straw. Then there's the way that Grandad is obviously feeling an ache in his back, not that he's going to mention it to the boy, obviously. The pirate captain has a wooden leg, but I think that's obligatory. It's the sort of story which kids will return to again and again, particularly on a sunny day when they feel in need of an adventure.
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy of the book to the Bookbag.
We've been delighted by quite a few other books by Sam Usher.
It's the hottest day of the year, the perfect day for a boy and his grandad to set off on an adventure - and the perfect day to share a picnic with some unexpected new friends. The boy and his grandad gather together everything they need for their expedition and then they set out. Trouble is, grandad keeps needing to have a rest as they look for the perfect spot... and when they get there, someone was there first. A wonderful sense of anticipation builds up through the book, often through just a few well-chosen words and the illustrations capture the sense of looking forward to perfection. (Parents in Touch)
Author and illustrator Sam Usher's much-loved seasonal books just got hotter in Sun, the third adventure in this warm, original and inspirational series for pre-schoolers.
Here we find a boy and his grandad setting off on a scorching journey that will take them on a trail of discovery through heat and unscheduled halts to an unexpected destination.
Sun is a wonderfully warm, wise and whimsical tale celebrating summer sunshine, the power of the imagination and the special bond between the older and younger generations. Usher's quirky and charmingly atmospheric story is complemented by a palette of gorgeous watercolour illustrations which add extra character and texture to a funny, enchanting and life-affirming adventure.
Fun, sun and pirates in the great outdoors!
In perfect time for our long-awaited heatwave is this third book in Sam Usher's weather series - and it's just as enchanting as his previous two titles: Snow and Rain.
Again we meet Boy and his grandfather, this time preparing a delicious picnic to take out on a sunny day.
It's so hot ('hotter than broccoli soup, hotter than the Atacama Desert'), and Grandad is desperate for some shade or a gentle breeze before they enjoy the snacks.
But after a long journey, someone has beaten them to the perfect spot - a pirate crew!
Usher's sun-drenched landscapes shimmer with detail and the expressive faces in the illustrations evoke such a tender relationship between the old man and the young boy that you'll be packing up the cucumber sandwiches and ginger beer before you finish the book. Lovely.
Sun is Sam Usher's third picture book taking weather as its theme, with a fourth to follow. As in the previous two offerings, Snow and Rain, a young boy and his grandfather head outdoors to see what adventures they can find, despite the adverse climatic conditions. Properly equipped, our pair of protagonists embark on a journey that elides into pure imagination, with palm trees, cactuses and pirate caves. In its energy and vivacity, the artwork calls to mind Quentin Blake. Usher has a wonderful feel for the use of space and the delicate feathering of watercolour washes, which enhances his enchanting paen to the values of anticipation, curiosity and fantasy. (Financial Times)
The sun has been shining for several days now - hooray! Summer is hopefully here to stay and Sun is the perfect picture book to enjoy in this beautiful weather! Its sparkly, predominantly yellow cover invites you in whether you're also basking in the sunshine or looking to add sunshine to your life on a gloomier day.
The Story: On the hottest day of the year a boy and his grandfather decide to go on an adventure. They pack provisions and set off to find the perfect picnic spot. It gets hotter and hotter so they try and find a shady spot with a cool breeze. Eventually they find the perfect picnic place but somebody has got there first!
The sunshine sizzles off every page in Sun which celebrates the relationship between a boy and his grandfather and their enjoyment of a day out together. They delight in each others' company and Sam Usher has effortlessly managed to show the fact that despite their age differences, while grandpa stops several time for a rest the boy enthusiastically navigates, the two can both enjoy their day of adventure. A wonderful surprise awaits them when they find a cave full of pirates to picnic with and we love the double spread which shows Grandpa and the boy joining the pirates on their ship.
Written in the first person the text is easy to read and features simple repetition. The cover mirrors the covers from Sam Usher's Snow and Rain stories which show the boy yearning to go outside, all of the picture books are celebrations of the simple pleasures that can be gained from being outside during different weather. Sam's illustrations are beautiful and I love the full spreads showing grandpa and the boy walking for miles, the colour of the sky changes as the day gets hotter, my favourite shows a burning red sky. My daughter loves the spread showing the provisions, there are lots of snacks, useful items like a torch and compass as well as soft toys dressed as pirates which provide a hint of the adventure to come and add to the fantasy - did the boy and grandpa really meet pirates or have they both got really great imaginations?
We hope that this wonderful story will inspire children and their grandfathers to have their own adventures!
Sam Usher's picture book Sun, a follow-up to both Rain and Snow, contains the beating heat of scorching summer days. As a boy and his grandfather search for shade to have a picnic, the park transforms into a desert, blue skies turn red, toys come alive and a cool spot is a cave full of pirates with a sumptuous galleon. Cheerful and cartoony details (and the illustrator's self portrait) are hidden in this well-observed celebration of a fond inter-generational bond involving shared make-believe. (Sunday Times)
This is the third in
a series from the
celebrated illustrator
Sam Usher - if
you like this, try its
predecessors, Snow and
Rain (I wonder if he'll
bother doing Hail?). It begins with a
boy's weather check. "When I woke up
it was sunny. It was the hottest day of
the year," says the bright little fellow,
which leads to a plan. The day is "hotter
than broccoli soup" and the "Atacama
Desert", he observes (it's in South
America). Grandad - who looks like a
distinguished Radio 4 presenter
in crumpled linen, with bald
pate and half-moon specs -
is on childcare duty and
cheerily declares it the
perfect day for an
"adventure".
They gather
the "necessary
provisions".
Children,
who in my
experience like lists almost as
much as newspaper editors, will
enjoy running through these
essentials: juice, torch, water, hat,
sandwich, grapes, compass, sun
tan lotion, pirate and monkey
toy friends etc - all drawn
with Usher's cheerful pen.
Roles are allocated - the boy
gets the "lookout", Grandad bags
"navigator" - and they leave the
house (probably Grandad's, to
judge from its grand front door;
let's hope he doesn't lose it to
social-care fees) in search of
the perfect picnic spot,
which allows Usher a
glorious spread of
bright blue sky as
the sun beats down.
Factoring in plenty of rests for Grandad,
they gambol on until they come to a
cave. Oh good, we think, this has all
been a bit nice; when are they going to
die of thirst or get eaten by badgers?
Drama limps in, in the form of a
gang of rather wet pirates, who got
to the perfect spot first. Rather than
fighting the rambling pair to the death,
they invite them for a picnic on their
pirate ship (drawn with exquisite
detail, nevertheless).
My four-year-old son definitely
doesn't want his pirates to have read
Debrett's - and switched off right away.
As with so many picture books
for this age, the artwork is superb, but
the story - no baddies, no jeopardy,
no suspense - makes a drizzly
It's the hottest day of the summer
holidays, perfect for a boy and his
grandad to set off on an adventure. But
Grandad keeps having to stop for a rest,
and by the time they find a picnic spot,
some pirates have beaten them to it. A
tale about seeing the world with someone
you love - and sharing your
picnic with pirates!
Sam graduated from the University of West England and his debut picture book Can You See Sassoon? was shortlisted for the Waterstones Prize and the Red House Children's Book Award. He is particularly admired for his technical drawing skill and prowess with watercolour. Also a talented pianist, when he's not holding a pen and wobbling at paper you'll find him perfecting a fiendishly difficult piece of Chopin. Sun is the third title in Sam's bestselling seasonal series about a boy and his grandfather.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherTemplar Publishing
- Publication date2017
- ISBN 10 1783706538
- ISBN 13 9781783706532
- BindingHardcover
- Number of pages40
- IllustratorUsher Sam
- Rating
(No Available Copies)
Search Books: Create a WantIf you know the book but cannot find it on AbeBooks, we can automatically search for it on your behalf as new inventory is added. If it is added to AbeBooks by one of our member booksellers, we will notify you!
Create a Want