I have partnered with author Emma Pearl and The Children’s Book Review for a special interview with Emma about her newest book, Saving the Sun. Be sure to check out the book giveaway at the end of the interview for your chance to win a copy of Saving the Sun and Mending the Moon.

Saving the Sun
Written by Emma Pearl
Illustrated by Sara Ugolotti

Ages 4+ | 32 Pages
Publisher: Pages Street Kids | ISBN-13: 9781645679882

Publisher’s Book Summary: After an especially sweltering day, the ocean sparkles and twinkles so invitingly that instead of slipping beneath the horizon, the sun plunges into the ocean itself.

When the sun sinks and loses its fire, Luna and Poppa’s yearly vacation on Summer Island suddenly goes dark. Luna knows the sun needs their help―the sky looks all wrong, and it’s neither day nor night! But it’s a big job to do all on their own.

To bring back daylight, they must think of creative solutions, seeking help from the local dolphins, monkeys, birds, and more. With the power of teamwork and imagination, can they find a way to return the sun to its rightful place, and set it ablaze once more?

This imaginative tale will enchant readers as Luna, Poppa, and their new friends of the sea, beach, and air rise to the challenge of fixing the sky once more and―literally―save the day.

Amazon
Bookshop
Barnes and Noble

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

Page Street Publishing Co. publishes nearly one hundred and fifty original titles a year and is distributed by Macmillan everywhere except Canada, where Manda does the sales and PGC handles the distribution. Each year we try to help local environmental causes and donate a small portion of our profits to local charity groups, including The Trustees. We use only sustainable paper vendors and print with environmentally friendly, soy-based ink. Page Street Publishing Co. was founded in 2012 and is located just outside of Boston.

For more information, visit pagestreetpublishing.com/kids
https://www.instagram.com/pagestreetkids/
https://twitter.com/pagestreetkids

AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH EMMA PEARL:

Tynea: What inspired you to write Saving the Sun?

Emma: The inspiration came from a silly question I began to ponder while brainstorming ideas several years ago – what if the moon fell out of the sky? From there, four stories about Luna and Poppa tumbled out of me, and the first one became Mending the Moon. I had the title Saving the Sun for the second story from the start, although the story is unrecognizable from the first draft. I loved the little world I’d created – a smart, kind, fearless little girl and her special relationship with her grandfather and with the natural world around them, dusted with a generous helping of magic. I wanted Luna to be able to solve a problem that at first seemed far too enormous to overcome by breaking it into small steps and finding help and guidance from nature. I guess it’s not too much of a stretch to see the drowning sun as a metaphor for the current state of the planet and Luna’s struggles as a reflection of my own sense of powerlessness in the face of global climate and environmental meltdown. It was empowering to help Luna succeed and give her catastrophes a happy ending. If only it were that simple in real life!

Tynea: How has nature been influential in your life?

Emma: I grew up in the English countryside, riding horses through woodland, playing in the fields, climbing trees and swimming in rivers, so I guess I’ve always felt a strong connection to nature. In my 20s, I did a lot of traveling and backpacking around the world. My favorite experiences were the ones where I was immersed in the diversity and splendor of the natural world – canoeing down the Zambezi, camping in the spectacular Okavango Delta, watching rainbows in the spray of Victoria Falls, safaris in the Serengeti, boat trips through the remarkable scenery of Halong Bay in Vietnam or Lake Atitlán in Guatemala, diving to see beautiful coral reefs all over the world, and soaking up the sun on stunning tropical islands like the one in the book. Those experiences have all touched my heart and shaped my life in some way.

Tynea: What do you like most about spending time in nature?

Emma: Nature never fails to fill me with wonder – there are so many plants, creatures and landscapes that take my breath away with their beauty, but also their ingenuity. From extraordinary symbiotic relationships to the fascinating world of bees to the sheer scale and beauty of the underwater world, we have so much to learn from nature. And while nature inspires wonder, it’s also incredibly calming and grounding (scientifically proven!), which in itself is a kind of magic.

Tynea: You have a very famous great uncle. Tell us about him and how he inspired you.

Emma: Yes, indeed! Roald Dahl was a big part of my childhood. He taught me to swim, showed me how to find magic in the ordinary things most people take for granted, and how it’s possible as a grown-up to hold onto that childish sense of wonder at the magic that exists all around us. And of course, my love of reading, writing, and stories was in all likelihood inspired, at least at some level, by his wonderful stories. He was in every sense larger than life – a cross between the BFG and Willy Wonka!

Tynea: What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading Saving the Sun?

Emma: I hope that readers of all ages will feel a sense of joy and wonder at the magic of nature, and maybe feel inspired to follow Luna’s example – not to feel helpless and overwhelmed at the scale of the problems that need fixing, but to just do whatever is within your power, however small it may be. On a more personal level, I think it’s a story that parents and grandparents will enjoy reading with their children, and it’s a joy to me to hear when people simply love the story – and the beautiful illustrations of course.

Tynea: Do Luna and Poppa have more upcoming adventures planned?

Emma: I wrote four Luna and Poppa stories to begin with, and a fifth one earlier this year. In fact, I just recently had an idea for another one too! Sadly, I don’t think any of the others are likely to be published, as Page Street Kids are not acquiring any more picture books. However, I’m thinking about posting one of these extra stories on my website… stay tuned! (And who knows, there may be a queue of other publishers keen to take them on, lol!)