Sundust

I did not expect a desert adventure to feel this tender.

“Sundust” by Zeke Peña, a 2026 Caldecott Honor book, is more than a fantasy picture book. It is a quiet story about a brother and sister stepping beyond the wall of their neighborhood and into the desert together.

I keep going back to their bond. The way they explore side by side. The way they wonder out loud. The way they question the sun together. There is something deeply comforting about siblings discovering the world, hand in hand.

The muted desert tones against the bright pink sundust stayed with me. The language feels lyrical and calm, yet it leaves you thinking long after the last page.

This one lingers.