3rd May World Sun Day

The Sun Day Celebration, initiated in May 1978, aimed to promote solar energy awareness amid growing concerns over fossil fuel depletion and environmental degradation. As industrialised nations grappled with the challenges of dependence on foreign oil and pollution from traditional energy sources, the event underscored the potential of solar power as a safe, renewable alternative.

The transition to solar energy faced obstacles, including resistance from established energy interests and the slow adoption of new technologies. While innovations emerged in solar design and alternative energy sources, such as converting waste into energy, the reliance on fossil fuels persisted in the following decades. And now, more than ever we do not want to be relying on fossil fuels, oil or petrol.

This is a day that allows you to grasp the Sun’s potential and invest in the planet’s sustainability. People have been fascinated with the sun and its effect on the Earth since ancient days. It has been seen as a symbol of energy, light, and life. Sun Day is a moment to reflect on our relationship with the Sun and to embrace the possibilities of solar energy. It’s a day to educate, inspire, and take real steps toward a future where clean energy is not the alternative but the standard.

We can learn all about the sun, what it does for Earth and all that lives there through exploring  these picture books:

• Sun! One in a Billion by Stacy McAnulty

• The Wonder of the Sun by Australian Geographic

•  The Sun Our Nearest Star by Franklyn Branley & Edward Miller

• This is the Sun by Elizabeth Everett & Evelline Andrya

• Sun in My Tummy  by Laura Alary & Andrea Blinick

• My Light  by Molly Bang

• Rivers of Sunshine  by Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm

• The Sun is My Favourite Star by Frank Asch

• Running on Sunshine  by  Carolyn Cinami DeCristafano & Giavana Medieros

• Solar Power  by Louise Kay Stewart & Diego Vaisberg

• Solar Story  by Allan Drummond

While this book is a harder and longer read, it will answer all your questions.

• Did Life Come From the Sun?  by Eliza Jeffery & Denis Alonso

The sun is not just a brilliant star; it holds secrets about the start of life on earth and beyond! Discover how heliophysicists study the sun and learn...
1. How the sun shapes ecosystems and supports life on earth
2. What will happen when the sun eventually runs out of fuel
3. How the sun may be key to finding alien life in outer space
4. ...and so much more
The Big Questions Answered series is narrative nonfiction series and a complete young science resource in one, with QR codes to download free teacher and parent resources.

3rd May Sun Day

Sun Day, formally known as International Sun Day, is a unique celebration that honours the Sun. This day emphasises the importance of solar energy and appreciates the Sun’s contributions to life on Earth. It is a day that allows you to grasp the Sun’s potential and invest in the planet’s sustainability. 

People have been fascinated with the sun and its effect on the Earth since ancient days. It has been seen as a symbol of energy, light, and life. Without it, Earth would be a lifeless rock floating in space. In modern times, we see it as a source of clean, renewable energy. 

Sun Day is not just a celebration but also a call to action, a reminder to the world of solar power’s potential for a sustainable future. 

Basking in the sun's warmth lifts spirits and infuses joy into everyday routines. In Australia we are lucky to see the sun nearly every day, to be able to find a warm place that is infused with sun rays. At the beginning of May it will still be beautiful sunny Autumn days.

Looking for books to help celebrate?

To honour the lone star that illuminates our world

• Sun! One in a Billion  by Stacy McAnulty

• The Sun by Laura Perdew

• The Festival of the Sun  by Myeong-Sook Gong

• The Sun is My Favourite Star  by Frank Asch

• The Sun Our Amazing Star  by Patricia Brennan DeMuth

How we feel about the sun

• The Sun Shines Everywhere by Mary Ann Hoberman

• I Like the Sun by Sarah Nelson

• How the Sun Got to Coco's House  by Bob Graham

• Usha and the Stolen Sun  by Bree Galbraith

• Sun  by Sam Usher

• I Touched the Sun  by Leah Hayes

• Goodnight Sun  by Eoin McLaughlin and Morag Hood

• Sun and Moon Have a Teaparty  by Yumi Heo

• Collecting Sunshine  by Rachel Flynn and Tamsin Ainslie

We need sun for growth

• Sun in My Tummy  by Laura Alary

• Seed, Soil, Sun Earth's Recipe for Food by Cris Peterson

• I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast by Michael Holland

• This is the Sun  by Elizabeth Everett

Staying safe in the sun

• Sunscreen Before Outdoor Fun  by Christopher J. Yao

• Sunshine  by Helen Cox Cannons

Sun as the creator of energy (solar energy)

• Chandra's Magic Light A Story in Nepal by Theresa Heine

• Solar Story  by Allan Drummond

• Running on Sunshine  by Caroline Cinema DeCrisofano

Folktales that feature the sun

• Sun and Wind by Heather Forest (fable)

• The North Wind and the Sun by Philip Stead

• Arrow to the Sun  by Gerald McDermott (Pueblo Indian)

• The Lizard and the Sun  by Alma Flor Ada (Mexican)

• Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears  by Verna Aardema (West African)

• The Archer and the Sun  by Rob Cleveland (China)

• Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky by Blair Lent (African)

• How Raven Stole the Sun  by Maria Williams 

• When the Snake Bites the Sun by Pamela Lofts

If your school library or local library is well-stocked look for Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm's wonderful Sunlight Series. There are five books, starting with

• My Light How Sunlight Becomes Electricity

• Living Sunlight How Plants Bring the Earth to Life

• Ocean Sunlight How Tiny Plants Feed the Sea

• Buried Sunlight How Fossil Fuels Have Changed the Earth

• Rivers of Sunlight How the Sun Moves Water Around the Earth