THE BOY WHO WOKE THE SUN

A boy must journey across unknown lands while avoiding menacing butterflies.

Eleven-year-old Elliot Wood is having a rough start to the summer. His family members are engrossed in phones and work, and the news is filled with the pandemic, climate disasters, and other worrisome things, but he takes comfort in the ocean and observing marine life. One night, Elliot wakes up, trapped within his nightmare and lost at sea on an island of plastic garbage he’d read about. After being chased by a giant masked man, he discovers he’s been transported to Lappanthia, a world shrouded in darkness. Lappanthia is plagued by butterflies whose “sole purpose is to make you feel so sad, you wish you’d never been born.” Elliot learns the only way home is a 10-day journey through wild terrain. Along with new friends—a talking octopus and an old woman named Granny Yilba—Elliot must face his fears and evade the evil butterflies to return home. Although the subject matter is heavy, this well-paced fantasy is full of lighter moments that are enhanced by the black-and-white illustrations. It explores emotional pain while guiding readers to think about who they are and what brings them happiness. Themes of pollution, kids as changemakers, friendship, family, and self-discovery recur throughout, with everything working together cohesively and offering readers new perspectives to ponder. Elliot is shown with dark hair and lightly shaded skin.

Moving and serious yet leavened with humor.