We Carry the Sun
by Tae Keller
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Pub Date Jun 17 2025 | Archive Date May 31 2025
W. W. Norton & Company | Norton Young Readers
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Description
Newbery Medalist Tae Keller’s debut picture book is a resplendent account of humankind’s relationship with our most precious resource: the sun.
From the first human settlements to today’s modern metropolises, we have always relied on the sun for light, energy, and sustenance. We Carry the Sun traces the history of solar power from ancient south-facing villages to the Industrial Age and modern innovators; and from solar-powered steam engines to silicon solar panels.
Lyrical and informed, Newbery Medal winner Tae Keller’s debut picture book is also a timely call to action that asks young readers to imagine a brighter, cleaner future. Illuminated by Rachel Wada’s radiant, eye-catching illustrations, We Carry the Sun is a tribute to pioneering thinkers, a celebration of humankind’s relationships with the natural world, and a shimmering ode to the resource that sustains us.
About the Author:
Tae Keller is the Newbery Medal–winning and New York Times best-selling author of When You Trap a Tiger, Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone, and The Science of Breakable Things. She lives in Seattle, Washington.
Rachel Wada is a freelance illustrator and designer. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Available Editions
EDITION | Hardcover |
ISBN | 9781324031123 |
PRICE | $18.99 (USD) |
PAGES | 48 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews

A picture book that reads as a series of informational biographies, or a collection of inventions that have led to our use of solar technology, this would not be ideal for a read-aloud from cover to cover. But it would absolutely work as a reference text to accompany a unit on solar energy, engineering, or inventions. Since each inventor or event is a bit of a separate story, students and teachers can jump in at the point they are studying, and put the book aside until more information is needed.
If writing a biography, this would also be a great resource for various inventors over the years who have tried ways to harness the sun's energy. This is also a call to action to work to preserve our world's resources.
Tae Keller is a fantastic author who writes a beautiful story, and it would be worth a read or even a read-aloud for older students. I recommend this book for schools.

We Carry the Sun written by Tae Keller, illustrated by Rachel Wada is a beautifully illustrated work with soft pastel color compositions with auras and beams of light emanating from its subjects. The writing is informative and lyrical, concise and at times poetic. Readers will learn how human ingenuity has attempted to harness the sun’s energy throughout history. It shows how humans have hurt the earth with their use of fossil fuels, yet inventors continue to experiment finding new inventions to capture the sun. The message is hopeful for future generations. A necessary edition for the school library and environmentally conscious collections.
Thank you Norton Young Readers and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this ebook.
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General Fiction (Adult), Nonfiction (Adult), Teens & YA