It was the hottest day of the year. Hotter, if such a thing is possible, than broccoli soup, the Atacama Desert and the surface of the sun. Grandad decreed that it was the perfect day for an adventure and began packing the picnic basket with all sorts of useful things: water, biscuits, a telescope, camera, sun protection, fruit, sandwiches, toys and lots, lots more. How are a boy and his grandad to know what they're going to need? Grandad was the navigator and the boy was the lookout.
| Sun by Sam Usher | |
|
| |
| Category: For Sharing | |
| |
Reviewer: Sue Magee
 | |
| Summary: On the hottest day of a year what's better to do than a boy and his grandad going off to have an adventure? | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 40 | Date: June 2017 |
| Publisher: Templar Publishing | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1783707959 | |
|
Share on: | |
|
| |
The sun beat down and whilst grandad had a rest they decided that they were looking for somewhere picturesque for their picnic. Expectations were still high at that stage... The sun was still beating down and on Grandad's next rest stop it was decided that they would look for somewhere in the shade. More miles were walked (and the landscape features something which looks suspiciously like a cactus) before Grandad lowers his expectations even further. Somewhere with a cool breeze would apparently be perfect. (Palm trees now decorate the landscape, which is vaguely reminiscent of a beach, but not the sort you lounge around on.)
Then perfection appears in the form of a cave in a rocky outcrop and our brave explorers ventured in - to find that someone else had got there first. Well, actually there were quite a few of them: it was the tender from a pirate ship, complete with the jolly roger. Obviously the thing to do was to help the pirate crew to gather their provisions and everyone headed out to the pirate ship, which proved to be the perfect picnic spot. Back home later that day Grandad and the boy agreed that if you keep looking, you never know what you might find.
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.
Please share on: 
Facebook, 
Twitter and
Instagram
You can read more book reviews or buy Sun by Sam Usher at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Sun by Sam Usher at Amazon.com.
Comments
Like to comment on this review?
Just send us an email and we'll put the best up on the site.