Sun In My Tummy by Laura Alary, illustrated by Andrea Blinick. Pajama Press, 2022. 9781772782417
Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4
Format: Hardcover picture book
What did you like about the book? The unnamed main character wakes up excited to get some sun in their tummy. At first I was expecting a storyline similar to “there was an old lady who swallowed a fly”; instead, the book has a beautiful narrative about photosynthesis. Readers are first introduced to how oats are made, then how the blueberries are grown, and lastly, to the milk that goes into the bowl. Each step along the way we meet another part of the yummy bowl of oatmeal. The illustrations are brightly colored pencil-like drawings of how oats grow, how blueberries grow, and even how birds and bees help pollinate flowers. This is a great way to talk about the cycles of food and how we end up with some of the yummy dishes that become part of our family routines.
Anything you didn’t like about it? No, this was a great book that put an accessible spin on a science topic that might be difficult for younger readers to understand.
To whom would you recommend this book? This is a perfect book for children ages 3 and older who are fully into asking the why questions.
Who should buy this book? Early learning centers, elementary schools and public libraries
Where would you shelve it? Picture books
Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Yes
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Rose Metayer, Boston Latin School, Boston MA
Date of review: February 16, 2022
Youth Services Book Review 
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