The drawings are deftly unfussy, with an easy command of the watercolors. Their deliberate pacing recalls Mitsumasa Anno, and in their grand compass they are like a big, Whitmanesque hug...It's great to be able to count on something; readers can count on both the sun and Graham.
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
In the soft wash of hues that form the backdrop to most of the scenes, Graham (
Vanilla Ice Cream) captures the moment of daybreak with gray-blue and rosy pink ceding to bright yellow across the sky. Seeing the same instant from widely dispersed viewpoints will elicit a sense of both familiarity and discovery for readers.
--Publishers Weekly
...its viewpoint fits naturally with kids' tendency to put themselves at the center of the universe.
--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
As always...[Graham] excels at capturing small moments of humanity...
--The Horn Book
Graham's beautifully illustrated tale conveys with exquisite simplicity that the world is shared, its sunlight a gift for everyone.
--The Washington Post
In this joyous celebration of the world, the sun travels to a special child.
--Booklist Online
Students will be pulled into the story and will go back to look at the pictures again and again. The sun illuminates the little things in life that we may otherwise miss. Young students will find new ideas in the illustrations each time they read this story.
--School Library Connection
In his usual charismatic style of writing and illustrating, Bob Graham has spun a highly creative, thought-provoking story about the rising sun. Bravo!
--Books to Borrow...Books to Buy (column from Kendal A. Rautzhan)