Written by Marion Dane Bauer
Sunshine is such a happy word. And that’s what Sunshine is for Ben. His source of happiness, comfort and stability. He had to find a source for those things because his mom left him and his dad years ago. Ben wants to fix whatever caused his mom to leave and this is the story of how Sunshine helps him attempt that lofty goal. This story covers a lot of sensitive topics, like divorce, growing up, dealing with fear, etc. It reminds me of a couple of Sharon Creech’s books. Some of it also reminds me of Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. This is a discovery book. Ben starts out as one kid and ends up as a different one, much better equipped to find the sunshine in his life. This could be a great read aloud or just as a recommendation for individual students to read.
Reviewed by Merri Rygg, Librarian, Harry S. Truman Elementary
Review shared in May 2022
Rating: ★★★★✩ (4 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 3-5
Sunshine
Written by Marion Dane Bauer
Candlewick Press
193 pages
Release Date: May 21, 2021
ISBN: 9781536214116
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
