Solstice
Around the World on the Longest, Shortest Day
Format:Hardback
Publisher:What on Earth Publishing Ltd
Published:2nd May '24
Should be back in stock very soon
The rising and setting of the Sun is one of the few truly common experiences in our diverse world. This book places that shared experience at the heart of its global story.
Every year, during the June solstice, the Earth tilts towards the Sun, creating either the longest or shortest day of the year. Across the world, people celebrate this day in different ways, from bonfires and banquets to firework festivals and ancient rituals. In this book, you will celebrate the solstice alongside 14 fictional characters from 14 real places around the world. You will be transported to Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, South Africa, Ecuador, Indonesia, Nigeria, Nepal, Morocco, China, Turkey, America, the United Kingdom and Norway. Each account is both a personal story and an informative narrative, full of cultural insight, geographical information and words from each native language. Meanwhile, specially commissioned artwork, by illustrators from each place, bring familiarity and warmth to every page.
The solstice is both a symbol of global unity and a celebration of cultural diversity. Here, this unique event takes centre stage in a fascinating account of children’s lives around the world.
"Children get to learn how people from all over the world celebrate this magical day, through the wonder of short stories and beautiful illustrations."
-- Rebecca Evans from Old Hall Bookshop * May Booksellers Circle *"Wonderfully informative."
* The Sun *"It would be difficult to be sufficiently effusive in [our] praise for this gem of a junior non-fiction title… An essential leisure non-fiction title… to quench the thirst of all hungry young fact-finders!"
* School Reading List *"This is the perfect, children-friendly way to discover a truly magical day."
-- Pam Norfolk * Book-marked *"Solstice is a joy to read. Taken on a trip around the world, the reader is invited to share the daily lives of each child and discover, not only what happens on the solstice, but also something of the similarities and differences of those living in different locations."
* Through the Bookshelf *"Gives us an insight into the lives of all the different people across the globe who are touched by the sun’s rays. Each entry is vibrantly illustrated by an artist connected to that region."
-- Alice Ellerby * Juno Magazine *"The book presents each discrete study through a child’s-eye view, providing a fictional story that is rich with cultural and scientific detail, from languages spoken by the different children, to traditions observed by their culture, to facts about the sun’s movement around the world."
-- Sara Keating * Irish Times *"It is a shining example of how we can all come together but it is also a wonderful steppingstone into a world of information and discovery... A fascinating and beautiful book."
* Armadillo Magazine *Shortlisted for Children’s Travel Book of the Year at the 2025 Edward Stanfords Travel Writing Awards
- Short-listed for Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards - Children's Travel Book of the Year 2025 (UK)
ISBN: 9781913750770
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 546g
64 pages