A Place to Shine

Starred review from March 11, 2024
After their grandmother, who’s been their guardian ever since the death of their parents in a car accident, is admitted to a nursing home due to her worsening dementia, 10-year-old Sunny Williams and her eight-year-old brother Miles are determined to avoid the foster care system. They wind up staying with their school’s new music teacher and choir director, who, mourning his wife’s death, seems unprepared to care for the siblings. Believing that the cure for her grandmother’s failing memory rests in the pages of her favorite book, Sunny searches Chicago for magical components such as the tears of a gorgon and a seashell kissed by a mermaid, a quest that pushes her boundaries, tests her friendships, and prompts her to face bullies as well as her own fears. This quietly uplifting and hopeful tale by Arnold (I Rise) examines everyday magic, the processing of grief, and the strength of family and community. Memorably rendered characters, most of whom are Black, inhabit Sunny’s world, and her exuberant voice and hyperbolic tendencies add zest to this fanciful read. Ages 8–12. Agent: Adrienne Rosado, Stonesong Literary.

May 15, 2024
Grades 3-7 In Chicago, following a brief run-in with a bully, Sunny and her brother, Miles, head home to their grandmother's apartment. There they overhear their grandma being escorted to a nursing home and a neighbor confirming the children had already been taken by a social worker. This mistake gives Sunny and Miles a brief window to flee, and they hide out in their school's basement. While reading her favorite fantastical adventure story, Sunny decides that a quest to find potion ingredients is just the thing to save her nana. The kids' hideout is quickly discovered, however, and they're forced to move in with an eccentric new music teacher, who's Black like they are. In secret, Sunny finds everything she believes she needs to save her grandma, but will it work? Arnold's novel tackles tough circumstances and has some sad moments, but it's ultimately uplifting, as the kids find a safe place to live and avoid being put into foster care. A nice subplot of Sunny's gift of singing landing her a leading role in a school program adds to the hopefulness of this beautiful novel. For fans of Merci Su�rez or books by Sharon Draper and Nikki Grimes, this is at once both heartbreaking and bursting with joy. Truly a triumphant read for middle-graders everywhere.

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April 15, 2024
A 10-year-old Black girl goes on a quest to try to reunite her family. Sundae Williams lives in Chicago with her little brother, Miles, and Nanna Jo, their grandmother, who's been losing her memory lately (their parents died in a car accident). Sunny's walking home with Miles and Folake Musa, her Nigerian American best friend, when the kids notice a police car outside the Williams' apartment building. They overhear an officer telling a concerned neighbor that Nanna is being taken to a nursing home following a wellness check. Surprisingly, an officer says that the grandchildren have been put in emergency foster care. Before the mix-up can be sorted out and social services show up, the siblings try to secretly live at school. Inspired by her favorite fantasy story, Sunny decides that to save Nanna, they must go on a quest, just like the book's hero, Luna. When their hiding place is inevitably discovered, Sunny decides (based on a sign connected to the fantasy) that new music teacher Darrious Evens is supposed to help them--and Mr. Evens does ultimately agree to foster them. The siblings must navigate a new living experience while trying to complete their quest. Sunny is a funny and relatable character, and readers will identify with her gumption and loyalty. Quirky Miles and Folake add another layer of fun to this story, whose pacing and humor make for an enjoyable read. A compelling look at familial support that comes from unexpected people and places. (Fiction. 8-12)

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