Someone Is Eating the Sun

by Ruth A. Sonneborn, Eric Gurney (Illustrator)

The barnyard animals run to warn one another of impending disaster: somene is eating the sun.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

Reviews

[Jessica (Books: A true story) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to my kids for the solar eclipse. It was mine as a kid. The pictures are great. Too bad it's out of print. It's darling.

[Christy Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this book many times. It was read to me and last summer I read it to my cousins during a storm. I have always loved this book and come August 21st of this year I'll get to see what this book is about. The Eclipse happens 21st so I thought it would be cool to read this now. I wasn't even alive when last one happened. Which was about time this book was published. DO NOT LOOK AT AN ECLIPSE WITH BARE EYES OR SUN. It can blind you.

Hen, Roaster, Duck, Pig and Goat are minding their business trying keep cool on hot day when all of a sudden the sun starts disappearing. It looks like someone is eating it because of the small bits that are vanishing.

They think that the world is going to end because of this and panic. They don't want the world to disappear because they love it.

Finally Turtle tells them to stop panicking and enjoy the eclipse that happens once in very long while. Which 1979 to 2017 is a long time.

I loved the illustrations in this book and how easily it flowed. Great book for sure.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a kid. I looked for it during the eclipse of 2017. I am preparing my book collection for the eclipse of 2024!

While I love this book, I would have my students figure out what is really wrong in the book (looking at the sun w/o wearing glasses)!

I think I could have the students update the book by making glasses for the animals to wear. I could make a similar copy of the pages and have them draw glasses.

On the page where you read, “ “Why don’t you keep quiet and watch the eclipse?” said a voice nearby.”

Before turning the page I would ask the class, “what animal do you think asked that question?” This would be a great time to reflect on characteristics of animals in literature. It would be interesting to see if they can predict which animal would be considered informative, wise, etc.

On the page where the sun is totally blocked out, I would ask the students,”How long does the sun appear to be totally blocked out?”

This is a great book and look forward to using it in my classroom!

[Karen Crow · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Mom read this to my brothers and me when we were very young. It not only taught us about eclipses but inspired a love of science in all of us; it was my inspiration to go see a full eclipse. I went looking for our copy to read for my library Story Times during the Great American Eclipse but could not find it. While doing a deep clean of our garage, my husband found it! Now the question is: "Which of us siblings will get to keep the copy?"

[Julie R · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kindergarten teacher read this book to our class on the day of the last total solar eclipse (Feb. 1979), and it has remained one of my favorites. Time to see if I can find my copy.

[Rhapsody · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think my father liked this one even more than I did, when he read it to me when I was a kid. A group of animals begins to panic at the onset of an eclipse. Although I don't remember it too clearly--it was rather repetitive as I recall, one animal telling the next until it's a group of them dashing about--the idea tickles me even more now than it did back then. Very cute book.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter's favorite book as a child! I know it by heart from repeated bedtime readings! I loved it too! Beautiful illustrations and the story is fun and educational re: total eclipse of the sun. My favorite part is when the Turtle expains to the frightened animals about the eclipse.