Sundust

Sundust is the first picture book that Zeke Peña has both written and illustrated. Two siblings head out across the desert near their border city, where bulldozers are clearing land while plants and animals keep growing wild all around. When they spot a bright, glittering trail of sundust across the sky, they follow it past a rock wall into a place that feels like a whole galaxy at the end of their street. What follows is a dreamlike adventure of light, weather and wonder, full of desert life and images drawn from the sky. Peña's mixed-media art fills the pages with warm desert browns alongside vivid pinks and purples. The book received a 2026 Caldecott Honor and suits young readers who love exploring outdoors.