What do you think?
Rate this book
Who Owns the Sun?
This is a special reprinting of WHO OWNS THE SUN? and is also a part of THE FIVE IN A ROW curriculum. WHO OWNS THE SUN? is a powerful plea for freedom! This emotion-packed story of a young slave touches an essential part of the human spirit. Made into a film by Disney Educational Productions. Written in full-color impressionistic illustrations, WHO OWNS THE SUN? has a flow of narrative that transcends into poetry. Gently affecting the minds and hearts of readers, WHO OWNS THE SUN? is an experience of rich texture and is destined to generate meaningful discussions in classrooms and in families and can be appreciated by readers throughout the world wherever freedom is challenged and valued.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
2 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
About the author
Stacy Chbosky
1 book1 followerStacy Chbosky has had many adventures since writing and illustrating Who Owns the Sun? at age 14. She was named one of USA Today’s “Top 20 Academic All-Stars,” toured Europe and America performing in musicals, starred in movies and television shows, and sang with a rock band. Today, she is a screenwriter, novelist, and actress living in Los Angeles with her husband, John Erick Dowdle, and their two kids, John Henry and Maggie.
Who Owns the Sun? has had many adventures, too. In the 30 years since it was first published, it became a Disney educational film, a youth ballet (narrated by James Earl Jones), and a featured book in the Five In A Row home school program.
She was born in 1972 and is the sister of novelist Stephen Chbosky.
Who Owns the Sun? has had many adventures, too. In the 30 years since it was first published, it became a Disney educational film, a youth ballet (narrated by James Earl Jones), and a featured book in the Five In A Row home school program.
She was born in 1972 and is the sister of novelist Stephen Chbosky.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 15, 2021
This is one of my favorite books now. It was so kind, gentle and touching. I loved sharing this with the kids.
Read
April 1, 2021This is our least favorite book in Five in a Row, not because of the subject matter, but because the poetic prose is over the heads of my kids at this age and the story has so many words. So I guess my critique is less for this book and more for the fact that it's included in the FIAR curriculum. I'm all about exposing my kids to things over their heads, but this is too far, takes too much explaining, and they still don't get it. Since it takes so long to read and has so little action, they are so bored during it and therefore don't get much out of it.
June 13, 2022
Was very good.
August 21, 2011
My daughter and I recently started Rowing. No, this is not of the outdoor/ water sport variety but rather, rowing is a term given by homeschooling parents to Five in A Row. Several of the books in the list are out of print and I was going through our box to see what books I needed to borrow from the library. I was thinking Who Owns The Sun was one of those missing but was pleasantly surprised when I saw it there.
Two of the amazing things about this book are first, it introduces slavery in a simple but powerful manner to young children and second, the author, Stacy Chbosky, was fourteen years old when she wrote it. In fact, she won the 1987 National Written and Illustrated By... Awards Contest for Students in the 14 to 19 year old category.
The story begins with a young boy asking his father who owns the sun, hence the title. His father explains how no one does. The boy goes on to ask his father who owns the wind, the rain, the stars, the flowers. And like before, his father answers that no one does. Then one day he overhears Mr. Finley saying that he owns the boy's father. Saddened and shocked, the boy asks his father if this is true. His father answers:
"A man is a beautiful thing, a very beautiful thing. But some men forget this. And sometimes they try to keep other men captive. They buy and sell people, as if human beings are no more than cattle. But only a fool believes he can really own another man, and only a fool will try. Mr. Finley may own my body, but I have a heart and I have a mind, and he can never own these. Inside of me, I'm too powerful to be owned by anyone. Inside, I am like the sun."
The father's reply brought tears to my eyes. And each time I remember his words, I still tear up. Slavery may not exist the way it did long ago but it still does. It has evolved to other forms, driven away from the open to thrive in secrecy. This book delivers the message that we are all equal and we are free. What an important principle to teach our children and ourselves!
Two of the amazing things about this book are first, it introduces slavery in a simple but powerful manner to young children and second, the author, Stacy Chbosky, was fourteen years old when she wrote it. In fact, she won the 1987 National Written and Illustrated By... Awards Contest for Students in the 14 to 19 year old category.
The story begins with a young boy asking his father who owns the sun, hence the title. His father explains how no one does. The boy goes on to ask his father who owns the wind, the rain, the stars, the flowers. And like before, his father answers that no one does. Then one day he overhears Mr. Finley saying that he owns the boy's father. Saddened and shocked, the boy asks his father if this is true. His father answers:
"A man is a beautiful thing, a very beautiful thing. But some men forget this. And sometimes they try to keep other men captive. They buy and sell people, as if human beings are no more than cattle. But only a fool believes he can really own another man, and only a fool will try. Mr. Finley may own my body, but I have a heart and I have a mind, and he can never own these. Inside of me, I'm too powerful to be owned by anyone. Inside, I am like the sun."
The father's reply brought tears to my eyes. And each time I remember his words, I still tear up. Slavery may not exist the way it did long ago but it still does. It has evolved to other forms, driven away from the open to thrive in secrecy. This book delivers the message that we are all equal and we are free. What an important principle to teach our children and ourselves!
September 16, 2020
Wow. Just wow. I had never heard of this book and ordered it for my son without even knowing what it was about. I'm notorious for reading books without reading the back or the inner flap. I am so glad I didn't know the premise of the book. It made it that more powerful and impactful. I think it's impossible to read it without crying.
January 10, 2025
Wow! What a beautiful book. I was moved to tears several times and needed to pause to compose myself.
This was a gentle book on a very challenging topic to explain to my 2nd grader. We read this as part of TruthQuest History.
This was a gentle book on a very challenging topic to explain to my 2nd grader. We read this as part of TruthQuest History.
February 15, 2019
Recommended by a colleague. Picture book about slavery written and illustrated by a 14 year-old in 1987. Deep, sad, and well-written. Not a fan of the ending.
March 10, 2021
Used as school work - looked at slavery, civil rights, BLM, nutrition, seasons
April 8, 2021
This came across my desk and I liked the title so I read it. I didn't know anything at all about it, and I almost cried when I realized, definitely had some sniffles.
June 28, 2021
Beautiful book with a heart rending message!
October 16, 2021
Beautiful little book written and illustrated by a 14 year old.
June 13, 2022
01000011101010111001101001011001010101100011011010101010111111 (/Sehr%GuT*)]> 01110101100100101010010101
July 24, 2022
What a heartbreaking book!
January 20, 2023
Just phenomenal! Makes me cry every time.
April 20, 2024
I cannot believe Stacy Chbosky wrote this when she was only 14. It has such a deeply sad ending. Not one I'm ready to read to my 4 year old.
A reminder that no one can own the human spirit.
A reminder that no one can own the human spirit.
August 13, 2025
Little wordy for youngers but I liked it as an adult. Abrupt ending.
January 6, 2009
In pre-Civil War America, a young boy and his father talk about the sun, wind, and rain being too special for anyone to own and so the little boy is devastated to learn that his father is owned, and then, he, himself is also owned. The father, overcome with sadness at first, explains to his son that his body might be owned but not his heart or his mind. The afterward tells of the success the family members went on to attain after slavery was abolished. Written and illustrated by a 14-year-old girl, this story is sensitive and sad and poignant simultaneously.
February 20, 2014
A gentle introduction (if that is even possible) to slavery. We are reading this for FIAR, read it for the 3rd time today and it still makes me cry. The weight of the subject is hard to teach, the conversations we have after reading this book are heavy, but thats a good thing.
Update: Day 5 and I am still getting choked up, but I forgot to mention that the art is beautiful and gives lots of lovely art discussions. Mediums, movement and light. Love it!
Update: Day 5 and I am still getting choked up, but I forgot to mention that the art is beautiful and gives lots of lovely art discussions. Mediums, movement and light. Love it!
February 25, 2012
I liked this book more than my kids did, but I would still highly recommend it. Who Owns the Sun? is highly emotional, but most of that was lost on my little ones. They did enjoy the story and asked me many times "Who owns (fill in the blank)?". I really liked the message of this book and felt it was a gentle way to introduce slavery to very young children.
October 29, 2014
I read this book to my children years ago and loved it. The art, concept, and message is beautiful. Now, reading it to my sixth child I cried like a little baby. I almost couldn't finish it for blubbering. The idea of loosing a childhood in a day and knowing that the soul of a man is like the sun is staggering.
August 12, 2010
Written by a 14-year-old. Amazing. Just goes to show that all teenagers are not mindless lemmings...most are, though.
I was so pleased with this story. A stunning picture of the reality of slavery.
I was so pleased with this story. A stunning picture of the reality of slavery.
September 3, 2013
Written by a young author, this story stands the test of time. A sweet dialog between a child and his father comes to a chilling realization that does not limit in the long run. The sweet story leads gently to a place of understanding humankind and the evils of treating humans as property.
February 6, 2017
One of my favorite children's books.
October 31, 2012
It is not very often that I want to rate a children's book but this book was amazing, especially because it was written by a 14 year old.
December 26, 2014
Great Book.
May 6, 2021
A beautiful book.
November 11, 2010
My best friend wrote and illustrated this when she was 14. It is poetic and brilliant.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews