Usha and the Stolen Sun

Galbraith's tale, inspired by a Rumi quote ("Raise your words, not your voice./ It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder"), calls for civil discourse over brash action. South Asian Usha (a name that translates to "dawn" in Sanskrit) and her grandfather live in a town in which a tall brick wall, built when her grandpa was a boy by "the people who made the rules," blocks out the sun. Bisaillon's collage-like illustrations, full of movement and expression, are the star here. In them, Usha, wide-eyed and clad in sunshine yellow, exudes courage as she ventures out to bring back the sun, traveling for days through a stark landscape and "a forest of fog" until she reaches the wall. After a number of frantic attempts to bring the wall down--pushing, kicking, climbing, and shouting--Usha takes a quieter approach, telling stories to children on the other side, who come together to help topple the bricks. Though the book seems to suggest courteous behavior as the way to face truly dire circumstances, the message that civil communication can conquer barriers is worthy. Ages 5-8. (Mar.)

K-Gr 2—Smart, brave, and confident young Usha was born in a town where children have never seen the sun. She knows only how the sun looks and feels from her grandfather's childhood stories from before the wall was built. Usha is perplexed as to why her grandfather and other people could not knock down the wall. Determined to bring the sun back to her town, Usha travels through the deep jungle until she reaches the wall. At first, she tries to knock it down by yelling, screaming, and kicking it. Then, she remembers that her grandfather already tried this, to no avail. She resolves to inspire the people on the other side of the wall with her songs and stories. One by one, people start to move the bricks to get closer to Usha in order to hear her better. Finally, when the wall is completely down, the people realize that there are more similarities among them than differences and they can enjoy the world together. Bold illustrations showing a village create depth of meaning. The book offers a great opportunity to start a discussion about how to resolve conflicts, face bullies, and change the world. VERDICT This is a mindful read-aloud story with several teachable moments. It highlights the power of words and stories to connect the world.—Noureen Qadir-Jafar, Syosset Library, NY