With the simple premise of wondering why elephants need the sun, author/illustrator Robert E. Wells gives simple explanations to some very complex concepts about our sun.  He tells of the sun’s importance in photosynthesis, the water cycle, gravity, and nuclear fusion.  He shows how people have created ways to use the sun – from telling time to generating energy.  His pen and watercolor illustrations are simple, colorful, and do an admirable job of helping to explain the often difficult ideas scientists have observed about our sun.  The layout is appealing and the cartoon nature of the book helps reduce the impact of advanced scientific terms.  This is a terrific resource for explaining the sun’s importance to plants and animals.  It will make an excellent addition to school and classroom libraries.