Sun by Sam Usher (Templar Publishing)

Sam Usher's gorgeous weather-based books continue and as it's "Flaming" June what better day, and what better way to celebrate the summer than with "Sun"...
Somehow we missed "Rain" and "Snow" but we feel like we're extremely fortunate to catch up with Sam Usher's third book in the series, "Sun"

With possibly one of the most warmth-inducing and cuddlesome starts to any book, a young boy wakes up as the summer sunshine blazes in through the window of his bedroom, on one of the hottest days of the year.

"It's the perfect day for a picnic!" says the Boy's Grandad - and thus begins preparation for a grand expedition and a quest to find the most perfect picnic spot.

As the two set out, the urban landscape gently subsides - and the book slides us gently into the mind and the imagination of a child with an awesome adventure unfolding visually as the story progresses.

Love this opening. Wouldn't you love to wake up on a perfect sunny day full of potential like this?

There's some fantastic interplay between the boy and his Grandad, and gentle repetition to wrap you up in a rhythmic and poetic journey alongside the two main characters.

We wish we had sun-scapes like this. Glorious illustrations

The story winds down to a rather unexpected but adventurous end - which we're obviously not going to spoil for you! Suffice to say that just like Sam's other books, there's always a rather neat plot twist to keep you on your toes - and always a moment where you can share the delight of a child's way of meshing together the real and the imagined.

Charlotte's best bit: The end and that picnic spot (which we would have LOVED to join in with! Uproarious fun!)

Daddy's favourite bit: A simple story, beautifully conveyed despite a fairly minimal word count. Pleasing repetition but some truly jaw dropping illustrations that absolutely bathe you in warmth. A great "Grandad" book too!

(Kindly supplied for review)

"Sun" by Sam Usher is out today, published by Templar.