Sun in My Tummy

Submitted by CDCastro on
Author
Laura Alary
Illustrated by
Andrea Blinick
Toronto, ON: Pajama Press, April, 2022
32 pp., hardcover, $22.95
ISBN
9781772782417
Grades
Preschool-grade 1
Ages
Ages 4-6
Review by
Teresa Iaizzo
Excerpt

Inside everything,

if you look

deep enough,

you will find

the sun.

Warm-hearted.

Generous.

Giving.

One morning a little girl wakes up and finds her mother making breakfast in the kitchen. In an effort to make her daughter understand how the sun creates the food we eat, which, in turn, gives us energy for the day, her mother begins explaining the process of photosynthesis.

As her mother explains, it all begins with the sun. Whether it’s the oats that make up the girl’s oatmeal, or the blueberries that sweeten it, or the milk that makes it taste so delicious, everything in her bowl is connected to the earth through an exceptional process that combines the sun, some air, and water. And voila, the little girl now has the sun in her tummy which will keep her going for the rest of the day.

Simply told, Sun in My Tummy is a work of narrative nonfiction that is a great introduction to the chemistry behind our food and how everything in nature is interconnected. Little ones who are new to the concept will come to understand the entire process of photosynthesis through simple, clear language and vibrant, colourful images. Through Blinick’s mixed-media illustrations, she is able to conceptualize a pretty complex topic and turn it into something that is easily understood by even the youngest of readers. Overall, Sun in My Tummy is a highly informative and enjoyable read.

Highly Recommended
Reviewer

Teresa Iaizzo is a librarian with the Toronto Public Library in Toronto, Ontario.