Rivers of Sunlight

Starred review from December 12, 2016
Bang continues her Sunlight series with a poetic, in-depth exploration of the sun’s role in the water cycle. Once again, the sun speaks directly to readers, explaining that our planet’s water is in a constant state of movement and change: “I keep water moving, cycling from sea to air to land and back again. I keep the cycle in balance.” The vibrant blues, greens, and blues of Chisholm’s folk-art-style artwork underscore the connections between sun, water, and life, while clarifying evaporation, currents, and other topics. Bang’s lyrical writing draws into sharp focus the importance of protecting and cherishing water. An extensive afterword provides a wealth of additional detail. Ages 4–8.

Starred review from October 15, 2016
The way that the warmth of our sun creates the ebb and flow of water among Earth, its atmosphere, its oceans, and land is the subject of this latest edition to Chisholm and Bang's gorgeous series. "I am your sun," begins the narrative, conversationally. Bang's brightly hued, edge-to-edge illustrations immerse the audience in the story she and Chisholm tell. The collaborators offer a kind of thrill about the workings of the water cycle from evaporation to rain, the "flying river" of water in layers of atmosphere, and the amazing current (the "great Ocean Conveyer Belt") that flows below and near the surface of the oceans and affects every continent. A young person with brown skin and black hair appears throughout, representing both individual readers and humankind on our planet. The pairing of uncomplicated text and lavish illustration feels expansive, conveying amazement and awe through clear, yet poetic, visual explanations. The lack of a definition for "photosynthesized" seems to be the only outlier in the impressively accessible scientific presentation. Final pages mention water's power to carve land and rock, human uses of dams and aqueducts, and the challenges of drought and flood in a warming world. The sun concludes its narrative with a promise to keep Earth's water flowing and a request to readers to "use water sparingly and keep it clean." A handsome invitation to earth science. (notes) (Nonfiction. 4-10)

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Starred review from November 1, 2016

Gr 1-3-A celebration of the grandeur and power of the sun, a source of energy that provides humans with warmth and light. Told from the point of view of the sun ("I lift water from the salty sea by warming the ocean's surface waters."), this selection explores how water recycles itself. In the process of following the water cycle, kids also learn about evaporation, aquifers, the Gulf Stream, and the ocean conveyor belt. The language is descriptive and dazzling; for instance, water molecules "jiggle, jiggle, jiggle until they pop into the air, leaving their salt behind. Evaporation!" The illustrations, rendered in the familiar blue, yellow, and green of other titles in this series, beautifully illuminate the processes covered, while also rewarding careful scrutiny. This work could easily be used as a mentor text to study how words and visuals work together. It ends with a gentle plea for readers to care for the earth's waters. VERDICT An outstanding choice for introducing young children to the water cycle. This is a book to return to many times.-Myra Zarnowski, City University of New York

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from November 15, 2016
Grades K-3 *Starred Review* Throughout the Sunlight series of science picture books, beginning with My Light (2004), Bang and Chisholm show a healthy respect for kids' interest in the world around them and the depth of information they're capable of absorbing. Their latest volume explains how the sun's energy moves water around planet Earth: through the atmosphere as water vapor; on land as rain and melting snow that flow into rivers, lakes, and aquifers; and beneath the sea, where differences in heat and salinity create the continuous ocean conveyor belt, delivering nutrients to sea creatures and regulating Earth's temperature. The amount of water on Earth remains the same, but with seven billion people now using it, the balance is shifting and the planet is warming. When adults read this book to children, it's fair to say that both will learn something new. The sun narrates the book as an amiable, knowledgeable observer, placing facts in perspective and asking kids to do their part. Bang, who literally wrote the book on art composition in Picture This (1991), offers large illustrations that support the text beautifully by representing scientific principles in meaningful ways within richly colored, decorative, and childlike scenes. An enlightening book on a vital topic.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)