Set in the northern Minnesota wilderness, a timeless novel about a boy and his imaginary dog explores the legacy of guilt and blame—and what really constitutes a family.
Newbery Honoree Marion Dane Bauer evokes the “summer that changed everything” in the life of a boy growing up without a mother. Since as far back as Ben can remember, it’s been him, his devoted dad, and Sunshine—Ben’s little dog, who rarely leaves Ben’s side. It was Mom who did the leaving, and Ben’s about to spend a whole week with his suddenly present mother in the wilds of northern Minnesota. On the remote island she calls home, Ben will learn to canoe, weather the elements, and weigh a burning question: when will she come back to where she belongs? A must-read for dog lovers, children of divorce, and the imaginative and outdoorsy, Sunshine is a poignant, ultimately hopeful story about self-discovery, facing big realities, and finally, forgiving the things—and people—you can’t forget.
Genre: Children's Fiction
Newbery Honoree Marion Dane Bauer evokes the “summer that changed everything” in the life of a boy growing up without a mother. Since as far back as Ben can remember, it’s been him, his devoted dad, and Sunshine—Ben’s little dog, who rarely leaves Ben’s side. It was Mom who did the leaving, and Ben’s about to spend a whole week with his suddenly present mother in the wilds of northern Minnesota. On the remote island she calls home, Ben will learn to canoe, weather the elements, and weigh a burning question: when will she come back to where she belongs? A must-read for dog lovers, children of divorce, and the imaginative and outdoorsy, Sunshine is a poignant, ultimately hopeful story about self-discovery, facing big realities, and finally, forgiving the things—and people—you can’t forget.
Genre: Children's Fiction
Praise for this book
"Master storyteller Marion Dane Bauer gives us this luminous story of a boy and his mother and the dog that connects them. It’s about the islands we each carry in our hearts. It’s about forgiveness. It’s about the redeeming power of love, both real and imagined." - Kathi Appelt
"Set deep in the wilds of northern Minnesota, this beautifully written novel explores the bonds among a boy, the mother who left him long ago, and a dog like none we’ve ever seen. Sunshine gives us hope that we can find ways to bear devastating grief . . . until we grow wise enough to understand it and strong enough to forgive. Brave, honest, and full of heart, Sunshine is a book to cherish." - Susan Fletcher
"In the beautiful Sunshine, a child spends a week on a remote northern island with the mother who abandoned him, determined to win her back. This almost unthinkably painful situation turns revelatory as both child and mother gradually realize their similarities. As in all of Marion Dane Bauer’s work, the graceful flow and cadence of her language convey a story that pierces the heart with pain and redemption in equal measure." - Alison McGhee
"Set deep in the wilds of northern Minnesota, this beautifully written novel explores the bonds among a boy, the mother who left him long ago, and a dog like none we’ve ever seen. Sunshine gives us hope that we can find ways to bear devastating grief . . . until we grow wise enough to understand it and strong enough to forgive. Brave, honest, and full of heart, Sunshine is a book to cherish." - Susan Fletcher
"In the beautiful Sunshine, a child spends a week on a remote northern island with the mother who abandoned him, determined to win her back. This almost unthinkably painful situation turns revelatory as both child and mother gradually realize their similarities. As in all of Marion Dane Bauer’s work, the graceful flow and cadence of her language convey a story that pierces the heart with pain and redemption in equal measure." - Alison McGhee
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