Sun by Sam Usher

Sun by Sam Usher

Review Copy from Templar Publishing

Story: The third of four books in the, "Seasons with Granddad" series finds our narrator and his grandfather planning a picnic on the hottest day of the summer. Acting as the lookout while Granddad navigates, the two gather their provisions and head out. Despite the sun beating down, they make their way to a cave where they find pirates. Helping the pirates gather their provisions, they all share a picnic at the end of their adventure. Back home and cooled off, Granddad says, "If you keep looking you never know what you might find."

Pictures: With his pen and ink drawings, Usher's illustrations are reminiscent of the work of Quentin Blake. His characters express curiosity and excitement as they explore dramatic terrains. My favorite part of Sun comes at the very end when the adventure has ended and you see the narrator and his grandfather at the kitchen table, the elements of their "adventure" surrounding them and you realize that they never left home.

Why Buy? Why Read?: As a series, Usher's books are out of the ordinary. It's rare that a grandparent shows up in a book and especially nice that the fact that the character is a grandparent has nothing to do with the plot itself. Sun is exciting, taking the reader along on the journey with the boy and his granddad. The pleasure of realizing that the adventure was all in their imaginations adds to the delights of the story and illustrations.

Seasons with Granddad