★ 05/24/2021
Bauer’s (Winter Dance) slim, absorbing novel plunges into the emotional life of Ben, presumed white, who has not communicated with his mother since she abruptly left when Ben was three. Since then, he has lived with his caring father, who likes things “just so,” and his loyal—though wholly imaginary—dog Sunshine while longing to be like other kids who have a mother, and struggling with many fears: of heights, of the dark, of getting lost. Suddenly inspired to bring his parents back together, Ben asks to visit his mother on the remote island where she lives in northern Minnesota. Their first days are filled with adventure—she teaches him to paddle a canoe, shows him a moose, a blue heron, a mama bear and her cub at play—and with Ben’s inexplicable feelings of anger and guilt. In unfamiliar physical and emotional territory, he behaves with uncharacteristic foolhardiness, leading to a dangerous climax and a revelation behind the reason his mother left. With a deeply sympathetic protagonist, deftly drawn adult characters, and a skillfully crafted narrative structure, this is a profoundly affecting read. Ages 8–12. (May)
04/01/2021
Gr 4–6—Ben, a young white boy, and his dog Sunshine are spending a week with Ben's mom in northern Minnesota. Exploring the lakes and islands of the region, Ben sees moose, white-tailed deer, and a blue heron. His mother left when Ben was three, and his plan is to bring her back home to St. Paul. Living on a remote island, in a cabin with no electricity, Ben's mom doesn't seem afraid of anything. But Ben is a "what-if'' kid; scared of heights, the dark, and getting lost. With Sunshine at his side, he can be brave. After Ben's mom discovers he has an imaginary dog, she explains, to Ben's delight, that Sunshine is his guardian spirit. However, when encountering bears, Ben calls out a warning to Sunshine, and endangers their lives. Now his mom suggests it's time to give up his pretend dog. Bauer keeps the reader wondering why Ben's mom left the family, creating a sensitive portrait of a woman victim to an abusive mother. That Ben is hiding his anger beneath a multitude of fears feels authentic, and his deep need for the adoring Sunshine will resonate for dog lovers. Descriptive passages of the islands and the trio's adventures in the Minnesota wilderness are sure to appeal to outdoorsy readers. But the central theme of the book, Ben's sense of loss and abandonment, informs every part of the narrative as he vacillates between trying to connect with his mother and the anger that's expressed in his shrugging off her touch. VERDICT A moving story about a boy and his dog and the solace a pet, real or imagined, can bring.—Sarah Webb, City and Country Sch. Lib., NY
★ 2021-03-31
When Ben was just 3, his mother abandoned him and his father.
Now the boy is to spend a week with her on an extremely isolated island in a lake on the Minnesota-Canada border. Fortunately, he has his golden-red dog, Sunshine, to accompany him. His pragmatic dad says he’s far too old for an imaginary pet, but Sunshine is what keeps this “what-if kid,” as his father calls him, safe. She pushes his fears down as Ben and his mother paddle across one lake and then another to reach her cabin. Although Sunshine attacks a bear and her cub that his mom takes them to see, they come through the danger unscathed. It’s only after he takes the canoe and nearly fails to paddle back against a driving wind that he recognizes Sunshine’s shortcomings. Without the dog’s support, he finally confronts his mother about what he believes he did to drive her away when he was a toddler. Then he learns the crushing truth: that, after the damage of her own abusive upbringing, she feared she would hurt him. A terrifying fire on the island forces him to courageously help his mother and eventually come to grips with both her flaws and his. Richly character driven, immersive, evocative, and painfully sad, this effort can’t fail to move young readers. Ben and his family seem to be White.
An outstanding exploration of childhood trauma from a masterful author. (Fiction. 8-11)
Richly character driven, immersive, evocative, and painfully sad, this effort can’t fail to move young readers. . . . An outstanding exploration of childhood trauma from a masterful author.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
With a deeply sympathetic protagonist, deftly drawn adult characters, and a skillfully crafted narrative structure, this is a profoundly affecting read.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
That Ben is hiding his anger beneath a multitude of fears feels authentic, and his deep need for the adoring Sunshine will resonate for dog lovers. Descriptive passages of the islands and the trio’s adventures in the Minnesota wilderness are sure to appeal to outdoorsy readers. But the central theme of the book, Ben’s sense of loss and abandonment, informs every part of the narrative as he vacillates between trying to connect with his mother and the anger that’s expressed in his shrugging off her touch. . . . A moving story about a boy and his dog and the solace a pet, real or imagined, can bring.
—School Library Journal
Bauer offers an imaginative and emotionally compelling take on the story of a boy and his dog here. Ben’s confusion over his mother’s departure and his desperation for the normality he thinks her return will bring are keenly and believably drawn, and even young readers new to the idea of symbolism will appreciate how the adorable and adoring Sunshine serves as more than just an imaginary friend.
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Book groups will thrive with this title, as there is much character development and action upon which to reflect. This would be a strong title to consider for parent engagement as well.
—School Library Connection
It’s a tribute to Ms. Bauer’s skill as a writer that she allows the reader to share Ben’s divided state of mind. We know that Sunshine doesn’t exist, and at some level Ben knows it too, yet through him we can see and feel her. . . . When Sunshine slips out of Ben’s control, her defiance puts Ben in genuine danger. Ultimately he will have to choose between holding on to an imagined reality or accepting the painful truth that his mother reveals in this touching story of grief and forgiveness for readers ages 8-12.
—The Wall Street Journal
“A boy, his dog, a family grown apart, a haunting island setting—in this story driven by a child’s big heart, every impulse and tail wag feels utterly true.”
—Uma Krishnaswami, author and Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award nominee
“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, New York Times best-selling author
“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, author of the Newbery Honor Book The Underneath
“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, author of Journey of the Pale Bear
This is a tender story, perfect for kids who are worried, scared, or wondering if they have to give up their versions of Sunshine as they grow up.
—The St. Paul Pioneer Press
Narrator Jesse Einstein establishes a youthful voice for Ben, who will be staying with his mother in her cabin on a remote island in northern Minnesota for a week. Ben hasn’t seen his mom since she left him when he was only three years old. To help cope, he pretends that he has a dog named Sunshine. Einstein captures Ben’s emotions as he meets new challenges and has new experiences with the mother he’s longed for. Now that he is growing up and reconnecting with her, he starts to question if he really needs an imaginary friend. Listeners will enjoy following Ben on his new adventure. M.D. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
