Every now and then, a book comes along that is unexpectedly excellent. I agreed to review Solstice by Jen Breach because it’s a subject that I know resonates with GeekDad readers. Coming from WhatonEarth Books, whom I work with frequently, I knew the book would be an interesting, quality read. It turns out it might be my favorite book they have published. It is small but perfectly formed.
What Is Solstice by Jen Breach?
The book is the work of one author and 14 illustrators from around the world. It imagines life across the globe during the June Solstice, working upwards, from a research station in the Antarctic to Svalbard in the very north of Norway. Each of the 14 locations in the book has a child narrator who describes what the Solstice is like for them.
The book is 60 pages long, with each location having two double-page spreads to tell its tale. The first page of each story has a section that shows the narrator’s location on the globe, a diagram showing how much sunlight the location receives, and the average temperature on June 21st. It was sobering to read that despite having 24 hours of sunshine (from April 19th to August 23rd), the average temperature in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, maxes out at 5°C!
The book covers every continent and a host of different latitudes. Some places, often those close to the equator, have few Solstice traditions. Those further away, such as Ingapirca in Ecuador or Stonehenge in the UK, have large traditional Solstice celebrations.
Why Read Solstice by Jen Breach
Regular readers of my GeekDad posts will know I’m a big subscriber to the idea that “we are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us,” and Solstice exemplifies this in an unexpected way. No matter where we live on the globe, we all have a June 21st. Our traditions of that day may be wildly different from people who live far away from us, but we’re all living that moment, enjoying it, experiencing it.
In 2024, despite myriad methods of global communication, it feels like we are becoming increasingly insular. Solstice encourages us to look far beyond our borders. I love that it covers so many countries and love that each country is represented by a native artist. The artwork throughout the book is excellent. The warmth they generate makes the book extremely appealing and comforting to share with younger readers. 
These short vignettes of life in different countries open readers’ eyes to not only the differences between the places where we live but also the similarities of our experiences. We can imagine how we might feel in Svalbard, in Indonesia, or in Nigeria. We are afforded a small glimpse of life in Beijing, Nepal, and Istanbul, and we recognize ourselves in those lives, while also appreciating their differences. It’s fascinating, powerful stuff.
The Solstice rapidly approaches, but while there’s an obvious reason to read this book on June 21st, its cultural depictions can be read and enjoyed all year round. Not only that, but it also engages us on a scientific level. While there is only a cursory explanation of why we have seasons and why the number of daylight hours varies, the book encourages us to think about our planet moving through Space. It encourages us to consider how temperature and daylight fluctuate across the planet at other times of the year. (You can lose a lot of time exploring this (and a whole load of other things) at timeanddate.com.)
This is a great book for a home, library, or classroom setting. There is so much excellent information about lives, culture, and celebrations across the globe. It’s definitely worth checking out!
If you would like to pick up a copy of Solstice you can do so here, in the U.S., and here, in the UK. (Affiliate Links)
If you enjoyed this review, check out my other book reviews, here.
I received a copy of this book in order to write this review.
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