Usha and the Stolen Sun by Bree Galbraith and illustrated by Josée Bisaillon is one of those children’s books that looks like it’s going to have an utterly brilliant message. And what’s even better is that this is a message that really applies to current events. As horrible as it is that we have to deal with someone who thinks building a wall is a brilliant idea, it’s wonderful to see that we’re still working to teach children what’s right as opposed to what is awful and wrong.
Usha lives in a town where the sun hasn’t shone for as long as anyone can remember. Only her grandfather remembers its brilliance and tells Usha stories about the time before other people took the sun away, building a wall to keep it all to themselves. So Usha decides to do something and sets off in search of the sun. When at last Usha reaches the wall, she tries to kick it down, climb it, yell her way through it—but the bricks don’t budge. It’s only after remembering her grandfather’s words and hearing voices on the other side of the wall that Usha changes her plan. She sings, shares her grandfather’s stories, and piques the curiosity of the people on the other side until they are inspired to remove the bricks, one by one to better hear what Usha has to say. Together, they bring the wall down. Inspired by the idea of civil discourse, this book offers a timely message of communication and compassion.
What are your thoughts on this book? Does it sound like something you’d be interested in requesting? Let me know in the comments!
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