Laura Alary (Here) blends poetry and science to deliver a yummy explanation of the energy required to make a child's oatmeal breakfast. Photosynthesis helps grow the plants, pollinators assist the fruit, and a grass-munching cow produces the milk: "Inside everything, if you look deep enough, you will find the sun." Alary's sweet text is accompanied by Andrea Blinick's cheerful gouache, colored pencil, collage and chalk pastel art, which uses strong swooping lines to illustrate the interconnectedness of all the parts involved.
Alary and Blinick (Outside, You Notice) provide a delightful introduction to the biology in everyday experiences. This bright, inviting picture book warms the audience's tummies and hearts with its nibble-size bites of big science concepts. The author's note on photosynthesis is a bonus for budding biologists, but Sun in My Tummy will charm all, regardless of possible future ambitions. --Jen Forbus, freelancer