The Colour of the Sun by David Almond
Book of the Week: 10 February 2019

Cover illustration by David Litchfield

Davie sets out to wander around his unnamed town in the north of England one bright, sunlit morning. He takes a sketchbook and some bits and pieces in an old rucksack and goes ‘for a wander’ as he calls it. Within a short time, he meets a friend who tells him there has been a murder – a young man called Jimmy Killen is lying dead. Davie thinks the most obvious suspect will be Zorro Craig, because all the Killens hate the Craigs and vice versa. For the rest of the day, Davie journeys through town and the hills beyond to look for Zorro and find out the truth. On the way he meets many different characters and observes the beauties of the natural world.

This is a rich piece of storytelling which captures the feeling of being a part of the natural world. There are vivid descriptions of small details, such as bees taking nectar from gorse flowers and the brilliance of wine gums. It is a book that revels in language and the sheer joy of being alive.