Good Golden Sun: A Conversation with Brendan Wenzel

It isn’t that Brendan Wenzel is simply a good children’s book illustrator. I mean, that’s not the kind of thing folks would even bother to contest. Whether it’s his Caldecott Honor winner They All Saw a Cat, the more recent Two Together, or his board books or what have you, the man’s got talent. To hear that there is a new Brendan Wenzel book out, uh, (checks watch) today, is a significant thing. Particularly when it incorporates science in its storytelling. Sun science, no less.

To explain a bit more, here is the publisher description of Good Golden Sun:

From sunbeam, to flower, to insect, to animal, to plant, to soil, and the earth itself…the sun makes, moves, and transforms life all around us. Celebrate the mysteries of light from sunup to sundown as it weaves its way through creation inspiring change, hope, wonder, and curiosity.  

Using a bold, young collage-style art perfect for fans of Eric Carle, Brendan Wenzel’s mastery of visual storytelling is on full display in this ebullient exploration of the life-giving power of our nearest star.

Today, I talk a bit with Brendan about this latest project:

---

Betsy Bird: Brendan! Such a delight getting to talk to you about Good Golden Sun today! The book feels like a new direction in your picture book output, so let’s begin at the beginning. Where did the idea for this book first come from?

Brendan Wenzel: Hi Betsy, thank you so much for having me! Always a pleasure to chat about books, nature, and, in this case, the star of the show—the sun! Honestly, I think everything I’ve ever written (and probably ever will) ties back to the natural world and how we all connect within it. I spend a lot of time thinking about how wildly different life forms—birds, bugs, humans—are all kind of experiencing similar relationships to the world around them.

The sun felt like the perfect centerpiece for that idea. It’s literally always there, hanging out in the background, quietly fueling our lives. We owe it everything, but we barely think about it! So, I thought, why not explore how everything under the sun—from a mouse to a mosquito—experiences and projects onto, this big, glowing constant in the sky? It felt like a fun starting point with the potential for some interesting layers.

BB: Well, and the text of the book struck me as particularly interesting. You’ve created this lovely, lilting, lullaby of a story, full of soft rhymes. Though you’ve done board books before, this text strikes me as a little younger than your usual picture book fare. Did you find writing on a younger level a particular challenge in any way?

Brendan: Thank you for the kind words! You know, it’s funny—I’ve never really thought of this book as being for a younger audience. I absolutely see your point, the language is a bit sparser, but I suppose the fact that it delves into some of the trickier aspects of energy cycling through the environment, never made me considerate something that was specifically for younger readers. That being said, I think those moments in the book aren’t looked at as scary and I love the idea that your first impression was that it was for that age group.

That said, writing those parts—like predation and nutrients cycling back into the earth—definitely posed a challenge. I wanted to treat those moments with respect and honesty while also softening them enough to fit the tone of the book. The sun’s distance was ideal for exploring a 30,000 foot view- or I guess a 91 million mile view – and I tried to bring that perspective to those trickier parts of the story. Hopefully, they feel balanced.

BB: They did to me, anyway. And visually, as the reader watches, the gold of the sun moves from living creature to living creature. Much of the fun of the book is watching how that gold infuses each creature’s body. Was this motif an idea you had from the start when you thought up the book, or did it come to you naturally as part of the process of creating the art?

Brendan: The transfer of the golden energy was absolutely key to making the book work. We spent a lot of time making sure those moments felt natural and visually clear—enough to communicate the flow of energy and connection without overshadowing the broader story.

Regarding when in the process that came into play, I’m always developing multiple dummies at once, and sometimes I’ll realize that two completely separate ideas actually belong together. That’s exactly what happened here. The idea of energy moving between creatures and the concept of exploring our relationship with the sun started as two different projects. Neither one worked quite the way I wanted, but when I paired them, everything just clicked.

Huge credit goes to my editor, Andrea, and my art director, Dave, who worked closely with me to ensure the visuals effectively communicated the movement of energy in a way that felt natural and cohesive.

BB: So while the book struck me, as I mentioned, as quite young, it also doesn’t deny the whole “nature red in tooth and claw” aspect of the food chain. Still, it’s done gently. You alluded to this a bit before but how did you balance out this reality with picture book necessity?

Brendan: Ah, yes— it felt strange showing foxes having a great time after eating the mouse from a previous spread. Getting the balance right was a bit tough. There’s an inherent discomfort in showing a moment of predation followed by – or fueling- a playful moment. It’s a reality of life, but it’s not easy.

I think that discomfort is okay, though. Actually, I hope it’s okay. Those moments in the book are meant to feel a little complicated—maybe even a little uneasy—but also part of the bigger picture. The sun, after all, has that broader perspective. It’s been part of this cycle playing out for, well, forever. My hope is that readers can chew on those tougher moments but find comfort in the balance of the larger story.

BB: This also marks the very first time (unless I am very much mistaken) that poop has made its appearance in a Brendan Wenzel book. It is, of course, a process that informs life as much as anything else. Was this element, like others in the book, subject to change from the first draft, or did you perfectly envision the final product from the start?

Brendan: You’re absolutely right—this is a poop debut! And, honestly, I’m thrilled. Big thanks to my editor Andrea and the team at Little Brown for letting me include that spread. 

Look, anyone who’s spent time in a garden knows the importance of a good fertilizer. It’s foundational! I couldn’t leave it out—it’s an essential part of the life cycle. Plus, kids tend to truly appreciate poop, and if it gets them talking about ecosystems, I’m all for it.

BB: Okay. Here’s a question I’ve always longed to ask: Is there any animal you haven’t done yet that you would like to?

Brendan: Oh, absolutely. Dolphins. Hands down. They’re these unbelievably complex, fascinating creatures, and honestly, I think we underestimate them to a ridiculous degree. Susan Casey’s book Voices in the Ocean absolutely blew my mind.

I think the reason dolphins haven’t made it into one of my books yet is that they deserve an entire book of their own. Capturing their complexity in just one spread feels impossible! But someday, I’d love to dive into their world more fully.

BB: Beautiful. Though I would also like to see you do a secretary bird at some poiint. Finally, what are you working on next?

Brendan: Great question! I’ve got a few book dummies I’m noodling on right now. They’re more less ready to share, but I’m dragging my feet settling on which project feels like it lines up with where I’m at. Books have this way of becoming part of your life—they stick with you for ages while you think about them, talk about them, and share them. So, I want to be sure the next ones I send out into the world feel important and exciting to me.

As usual, I’m thinking a lot about species loss and how hard it is to wrap our heads around the scale of environmental changes. I might explore larger timelines and how understanding the past can help us appreciate what’s been lost. Wow, that feels like a pretty intense answer for a chat about a sweet little book about the sun!

On a lighter note, I also have some fun new board books coming out soon. They’ll be packed with animals I adore- many of them lesser known and threatened-  so stay tuned for those!

---

Marvelous! Big thanks to Brendan for answering all my questions today, and of course to Victoria Stapleton and the team at Little, Brown and Co. for helping to put all this together. Good Golden Sun is on store shelves right this very dang minute, so what are you waiting for? Go get ’em!

Filed under: Interviews