Sundust
Written by Zeke Peña
Illustrated by Zeke Peña
Published by Kokila
Where the rock wall ends, the desert beyond begins.
Following a blazing trail of sundust, two curious siblings hop the wall into a place that’s endless and free. Here, prickly old nopal trees beg to be climbed, empty turtle shells invite a closer look, enormous rocks model how to sit still and listen, and a colibrí offers an unexpected ride. In the desert, where life revolves around the Sun, brother and sister explore, imagine, and wonder, What if Sun’s power was inside me? until their mom’s whistle calls them back home again.
With spare, lyrical text, Pura Belpré Honor and Ezra Jack Keats Honor recipient Zeke Peña has created a fantastical tale that suspends moments in time with his radiant art and celebrates the bonds between the sun, the desert, and its people.
Look for the Spanish version, Polvo Solar.
Primary ISBN: 9780593700112
Publication Date: August 2025
Available As: Hardcover, eBook
Picture Book, Age 04 or older
Community Represented: Mexican/Mexican American
Themes: Accolades & Awards, Accolades & Awards: Starred Review, Accolades & Awards: Youth Media Awards, Animals, Cultural Empowerment, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Storytelling, Family Relationship: Siblings, Multilingual: Spanish Featured Words, Outdoor Exploration, Own Voices/Lived Experience, STEM
Setting: United States (El Paso TX)
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Unknown Arrival
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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Source: Kokila