Sundust

Written & illustrated by Zeke Peña

Two siblings explore a magical desert, pondering the Sun's power within them.

3.7/5 Goodreads · 511 ratings

48 pages· 460 words· Est. 4 min read-aloud

$19.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

In a vast desert where the Sun rules, two siblings embark on a whimsical adventure beyond a rock wall. They climb nopal trees, examine turtle shells, and ride with a colibrí, all while imagining the Sun's power within them. As they explore this endless, free world, they ponder the mysteries of the desert until their mother's call brings them back to reality. This enchanting tale captures the magic of the desert and the bond between nature and imagination, inviting readers to wonder about the power of the Sun and the world it shapes.

From the publisher

CALDECOTT HONOR BOOK - In his striking author-illustrator debut, the award-winning illustrator of My Papi Has a Motorcycle offers an immersive and fantastical desert adventure, where the sun reigns over the vast landscape and shapes all that it touches. “A hypnotic joy.” –Kirkus Reviews, starred review Where the rock wall ends, the desert beyond begins. Following a blazing trail of sundust, two curious siblings hop the wall into a place that’s endless and free. Here, prickly old nopal trees beg to be climbed, empty turtle shells invite a closer look, enormous rocks model how to sit still and listen, and a colibrí offers an unexpected ride. In the desert, where life revolves around the Sun, brother and sister explore, imagine, and wonder, What if Sun’s power was inside me? until their mom’s whistle calls them back home again. With spare, lyrical text, Pura Belpré Honor and Ezra Jack Keats Honor recipient Zeke Peña has created a fantastical tale that suspends moments in time with his radiant art and celebrates the bonds between the sun, the desert, and its people.