How the Sun Got to Coco's House

The light of the winter sun travels around the world to Coco's house in this classic tale. Beginning in the icy polar North it journeys across the sea where it reaches a fisherman's boat. As the sun swiftly moves west it briefly catches the eye of a passing whale and moves on to cast shadows in frozen forests. The sun meets migrating birds in flight and passengers in planes, mid journey. As the sun crosses a city it marks the dawning of a new day for its inhabitants. Animals too are woken by the warmth of the sun's rays. Over a barren desert the sun meets the rain and forms a beautiful rainbow. In a small mountain village the warmth of the sun melts the ice and in the biggest cities it warms the windows of office towers. Finally, the sun makes its way to Coco's street where it turns off the street lights, welcomes the paperboy and bursts through her window. The sun follows Coco around her home as she prepares to go out in the winter snow and stays all day with her as she plays with her friends outside. This a beautifully simple story, told skilfully by author and illustrator Bob Graham. The personification of the sun engages the reader and pulls them into the narrative. Where will the sun travel next and whose lives will it touch? Language is used cleverly to describe the sun's movements; it creeps, skids and tumbles. From day break to day's end this book charts the course of the sun over multiple countries illuminating brief moments in time. This book is a charming look at the earth's rotation around the sun and at first glance would be best suited to KS1 classrooms but after greater investigation could be equally enjoyed for its linguistic qualities by children in KS2. Picture book / Ages 5+ / Reviewed by Emily Beale, school librarian.

Suggested Reading Age 5+