Sunrise Summer, a family vacation with gorgeous art and confidence

Sunrise Summer is an illustrated book that is such a welcome treat. From the artwork to its story and concise words; it’s a book that entertains and educates in such a way that some people might consider contrary to the way things are in certain circles. And that is a great thing indeed.

The first thing that readers will notice about Sunrise Summer is its art. There are drawn pictures that look like they’re placed on top of watercolor paintings. There are also some elements that appear to be mixed media because they’re sharper and more vivid but in keeping with the theme and overall vision. Some illustrations are landscape and show rural Alaska in all its beauty, while others are smaller shots of everyday life for the people there that are waiting for fishing season.

This is also a true story. It’s the story about Robbi Behr’s family and what they do during the summer. Sunrise Summer is written from the perspective of an early teenage girl. She’s excited about packing for the trip and is packing things for their trip like onions, potatoes, doorknobs, batteries, and spark plugs for a Ford 150. Granted, you probably don’t pack spark plugs for your trip, but the Behr family goes to Coffee Point, Alaska.

It’s in a rural area of Alaska where there aren’t any stores. There are lots of beaches where they can flip the jellyfish with sticks and throw rocks. The main attraction of the area is the fish though, lots and lots of salmon. The previous year our teenage main character was too young to help fish, but this year is different. Instead of playing in the area, she’s going to help the fishing crew put poles in the sand, hook up ropes, get water and wait for the salmon to make their appearance.

This can be a game of waiting where they paint buildings that need maintenance, play cards and listen to the news for the salmon updates. When they hear that the salmon are on the way they have to get up early so that they can be certain to tie the knots and pull in the ropes when they start to get caught in the nets.

When the nets fill up they remove them by hand and put them in a large container. She then gets on the ATV, drives them to the market where they are weighed and put on a truck. As a teenager, she loves the independence that she’s afforded during this time. Nobody is telling her that she can’t, it’s a matter of doing the work, because it needs to get done, and it’ll be surprisingly fun. It’s just what you do.

Readers of any age will absolutely love the independence and confidence that she exudes in the book. Much like kids are smarter than we think they are, they can do more if they are given the chance and don’t have a choice. Every kid certainly would not relish this opportunity or even want to spend time in a remote area. This is where the book is truly different.

When I was reading the book I half expected the main character to liberate the salmon, sparing them the trip to the market and unfurling a “Save the fish” banner. That does not happen. Summer Sunrise is a book set in the real world and gives children an age-appropriate story about fish production in Alaska. The final four pages provide more information on the family, life in Coffee Point, and salmon fishing.    

It is also visually gorgeous, with illustrations that provide depth and have a very playful nature. The text is to the point, yet provides lots of details about the rewarding work that they do each summer. Summer Sunrise also gives kids confidence and genuinely provides a look at something that they’re unlikely to experience. Educators, families, nature fans, or those readers who simply want to experience a great illustrated book will do themselves a favor by finding Summer Sunrise.

Summer Sunrise is by Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr and available on Imprint, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing.

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