The Sun Thief

Squirrel and Bird

by Alice Hemming, Nicola Slater (Illustrator)

From New York Times bestselling author of The Leaf Thief comes the funny summery companion picture book that teaches kids about how the summer days lengthen and shorten again, adapting to change, and the seasons.

Squirrel and Bird are back, and this time it's summer! But squirrel is a few weeks ago, the sun was still out at bedtime. Now he's brushing his teeth in the dark! There must be... A SUN THIEF!

With vibrant art and captivating characters, the magic of summer's changes are captured beautifully on each page as readers tag along on Squirrel's forest adventure. Is there truly a sun thief on the loose, or is something else going on? A perfect exploration of change―both seasonal, and the anxiety that change sometimes causes. Bonus material explaining about the changing of the length of days. Poised to be a new classic.

Pick up The Sun Thief if you are looking

A classic read for ages 4 and upBooks for the beginning and end of summer, ideal for your classroom, homeschool curriculum, and more!Seasonal and educational stories about the changing seasons

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Summer, Childrens, Nature, Humor, Kids

32 pages, Hardcover

Published April 28, 2026

About the author

Alice Hemming is the author of over fifty books for children, including the bestselling Dark Unicorns series (Scholastic), and picture book, The Leaf Thief with illustrator Nicola Slater (Scholastic 2020), which has sold across the world and been translated into nineteen languages. Alice lives in Hertfordshire, UK with her husband and two children, and works in a writing shed at the top of her garden.

Reviews

[Lorellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect story for Tot's who don't like summer bedtime being before sunset.

[Srujan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Children's Picture Book 8 of 2026

This whole series is turning out to be so much fun! Kids giggle through the book and learn a few things while at it. Squirrel is really really worried about the days getting shorter and it getting darker earlier every day. It is convinced that the Sun Thief is responsible for this. But with Bird's gentle assurance, Squirrel gets a grasp on concepts of summer turning to winter. It could be an excellent chance to discuss equinoxes and solstices with kids.

Filed under:
* Seasons and Nature
* Equinox and Solstice stories

[Nadina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was adorable and funny. I just love Squirrel's chaos and Bird's patience with him. Wonderful illustrations too. Just a great book and great series.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich liebe das kleine Eichhörnchen einfach. Wie es ständig zu seinem besten Freund geht, um sich die Welt erklären zu lassen!
Die Illustrationen sind einfach nur traumhaft schön, die Informationen am Ende, wer denn nun die Sonne geklaut hat sind perfekt zum Vorlesen.
Einfach nur eine wunderschöne Reihe, die man auch als Erwachsener einfach nur lieben muss.

*Leseexemplar vom Verlag via NetGalley erhalten*

[Celeste Zuccherina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Απο τα καλύτερα παιδικά βιβλία. Εξαιρετική ιδέα, κείμενο, εικονογράφιση και ποιότητα έκδοσης. Δε μου έχει ξανατύχει να ζητάει το παιδί επανάληψη ανάγνωσης. Έφτασα τις 8 απανωτές αναγνώσεις. Πιάστηκε το στόμα μου!

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

5

[Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Is everything all right, Squirrel?"
"No, it's not! Last night it was light when I was brushing my teeth, but tonight it was dark. Someone has taken the sun! A sun thief!"

This is the perfect blend of entertainment and education: Kids will laugh as Squirrel panics and jumps to conclusions every evening, and then they'll learn how the sun sets and rises at different times throughout the year (but not why, unless you read the information at the end of the story). They'll also learn the term nocturnal (and diurnal, at the back of the book).

Apparently, this actually the fourth book in the Squirrel and Bird series. The first, The Leaf Thief, must teach kids about changing seasons, and fall is the perfect time for that, so I'll have to pick that one up soon!

[Sirah · Rating 4 out of 5]

One day, Squirrel goes inside at the usual time, but when he comes back outside, the sun is gone. Clearly, this is the work of a thief! Bird helps him understand what solstices and seasonal cycles are, and they even meet some nocturnal animals that help Squirrel understand whose fault the sudden darkness really is.

Well, I would have described the changing daylight hours differently: the presentation struck me as having too few words: "At the beginning of summer, it gets LIGHTER a little bit earlier each evening, but at the end of the summer it gets DARKER a little bit earlier instead." What is this even trying to say? Considering this is the crux of the explanation, I was hoping this would be a little clearer. But I think kids will get it if they think for a little bit, and the rest of the book is a lot of fun. I really like the characters and I'd like to read more in this series.

[Christie Kaaland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friends Squirrel and Bird love the summer solstice, when the sun stays up as late as can be and rises before they wake. But after a time, one day Squirrel suddenly notices that the sun is gone when he is brushing teeth. Hey! The sun never sets before tooth-brushing time. Why, there must certainly be a sun thief stealing the sun. Bird calmly explains that, no, there's not a sun thief, the sun just sets earlier as summer goes by. But the next night, Squirrel hears a sound and believes the sun thief has indeed crashed into his tree, Bird states that it's only Bat, who is supposed to be out at night (after all, he's nocturnal).
Bright, colorful, digital, cartoonish illustrations complement the silly text and end papers explain important scientific explanations of several concepts for younger readers.

[TheRetiredSchoolLibrarian |Mrs. Ferraris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Squirrel is enjoying a summer evening with his friend Bird, who excuses himself to go to bed. Squirrel is confused about bedtime while it is still light outside and becomes concerned that someone has stolen the sun when it does not rise as early as it used to. With Bird's help, he learns that summer days are the longest of the year and begin to grow shorter after the summer solstice.

Comments: This would make a fun and humorous mentor text for units on changing seasons and the sun. It could also be used to introduce or reinforce concepts related to the summer solstice and changing daylight hours.

This is one from The Leaf Thief series.

Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗

[Olga · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is funny, cute, and educational. I enjoyed reading it with my 5-year old son. The squirrel and the bird are good buddies. The bird helps his friend squirrel understand why at bedtime the sun is shining on some days, but completely gone on other days. There are many educational moments throughout the book that provoked a conversation and a discussion; such as about bats and nocturnal animals. I feel like this book will be one that we come back to at bedtime several times throughout the year; sometimes when the sun is still out, and other times when it is long gone.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book! Everything is of the highest quality, including the cover, the pages, the illustrations, the writing, and more. It's very visually appealing, but beyond that the images support the text, which is fantastic. This is the first book I've read in this series, and am so grateful to have won a finished hardback copy in a Goodreads Giveaway. Will now have to buy the other three books (and counting!). Highly recommend to kids and adults alike who are looking for a cute, educational, and funny picture book to enjoy!

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Squirrel is deeply concerned when the evenings get dark in the summer. He is convinced someone stole the sun and it will never be light again. Series readers will understand how he responds to many aspects of life, but this can be read as a stand alone also. Bird explains the rotation cycle and why the days get shorter as move toward Fall but Squirrel still is unsure. He sets out to locate the thief which brings hilarity to the situation. Finally, he realizes that Bird is correct and learns to see the fun in the darkness.

[Ellon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars (I liked it)

This was cute! I love squirrel's antics of always thinking there is a thief around and I love how calm and patient Bird is. Then the fact that the books in this series tell real science related to the seasons. Great concept! I think I still have a few of them to read. I know I've read The Leaf Thief because it's part of the 2nd grade curriculum in library (it's used as an example of a mystery, which is fun).

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hemming continues with the silly and lovable Squirrel and his best friend Bird discuss the change in daylight as summer ends. Squirrel first thinks it is crazy to go to bed during daylight. Then Squirrel tries to figure out who stole the sun and worries in the morning when it is still dark. Bird is able to convince Squirrel that all is well as the sun always returns. Backmatter about seasonal changes in sunlight around the globe. Absolutely adorable illustrations and fun to read out loud to students.

[Libby Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids have enjoyed all the squirrel and bird books but this one may be my favorite. Part is sentimental- I gifted it to my 6 year old on his birthday. But part is that it’s a topic that is more subtle than the others featured in the series. Squirrel notices it’s getting darker as summer turns to fall and bird must reassure him all is well. I think observations surrounding the solstices are something kids need more awareness of. So I like this for an autumnal solstice read aloud.

This series is such a fun way to encounter scientific facts about nature in a silly, narrative way.

[Chazzity ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! It was so cute and such a fun way to explain day lights savings and changing seasons 🥹. Squirrel was my favorite character and I enjoyed his little bath time outfit! Excited to see he has Leaf Thief, Flower Thief, and Snow Thief 🥹 I look forward to including this into my Storytime if I can! Definitely on the longer side but so worth it and it’s good to challenge my library kids anyway! Mightest we’ll do it with something fun anddd that will be super entertaining for my grown ups!

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fourth book in this series, after The Leaf Thief (my favorite), The Snow Thief, and Don't Touch That Flower. Squirrel is worried that the sun is up too long in the evening, and then a few weeks later, at the end of summer, when the sun sets earlier, Squirrel worries again.

A cute back and forth between Squirrel and Bird with a sweet early morning picnic ending (and maybe a bit of rain).

Themes: squirrels/animals, summer, nature, humor
Ages: preK-2nd grade
Pub year: 2026

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another gently humorous story about nervous Squirrel and smart Bird. This time Squirrel is totally confused by the longer daylight hours in the summer and then totally freaked out by the decreasing daylight hours at the end of summer. Squirrel is convinced that there is a Sun Thief. Could the thief be an owl or a bat? A lively picture book that will be fun to share! Also don't miss the additional information at the back that explains how the tilt of the Earth's axis effects the sunlight.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute story to help little ones understand the changes in light through Spring to Fall, making bedtime transitions more understandable as these changes occur. Additionally, my toddler LOVES this book and asks for it over and over and over again and also reads it aloud to me and her dad.

I'm grateful to have received a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.

[Leah Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so funny. It introduces the concept of daylight savings to elementary students in a fun and engaging way. This is a good way to introduce students to an easy early science lesson. At the end of the book, it explains the REAL reason the sun sets/rises the way it does during different times of the year.

[Cristina de Oliveira Martins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this! The squirrel is my favourite, so funny, always annoying the bird, and completely stealing the show.

The illustrations are fantastic and really bring the story to life. I also loved that there’s a little scientific explanation at the end, which explains the science behind the story in a simple and engaging way.

A fun, charming, and beautifully illustrated book.

[Brittany-Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Squirrel is back with his wonderfully dramatic imagination and hilarious paranoia! Once again, Bird is the voice of reason, patiently navigating Squirrel's latest crisis with the kindness and understanding of someone who knows his friend all too well. I absolutely adore their friendship and the humor woven into these sweet seasonal stories. My son loves this collection, and I'm enjoying every adventure right alongside him. We can't wait to see what Squirrel gets worked up about next!

[Book Nerds In MN · Rating 5 out of 5]

yet another fun book in the the thief series with squirrels shenanigans. believing that as it gets darker in the summer someone must have stolen the Sun, wait till he finds out about daylight savings time! 😂

[Pat Danna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book in the Leaf Thief series. Squirrel and bird are back..now dealing with the Sun Thief! This is a great read-aloud story for children to explore the effects of time change..and seasonal changes. Great back matter included. Delightful illustrations.

[Alyssa Mandell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love this series. Squirrel is confused because the sun rises and sets at different times during the summer. A great fiction book to introduce the concept of different times the sun rises and sets.

[Bethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of the leaf seasons series, summer edition
Squirrel is confused at the end of summer the daylight hours are shrinking and he thinks someone is stealing the sun.
Back endpages show and explain the seasonal tilt of the earth

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't like the illustrations because they were made with a computer instead of by hand. But the story was very fun. Squirrel has misconceptions about the sun as it sets earlier as summer ends, and bird cheerfully explains.

[Željko Filipin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The squirrel is worried again. Did somebody steal the sun?!

[Dorien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weer een tof boek uit deze reeks. Educatief met extra informatie achteraan in het boek. Zeer tof voor kinderen.