A Place to Shine - Hardcover

by Marie Arnold (Author)

Ten-year-old Sunny Williams is resilient--she knows this because it's what her beloved grandma, Nanna, always tells her. So when Nanna is put into a care home after her memory loss issues get worse and social workers intend to put Sunny and her seven-year-old brother, Miles, into a foster home, she takes charge and hatches a plan for them to avoid getting split up.

Luckily, Sunny also realizes Nanna has left her a message in the form of their favorite story. With the help of their guide (and temporary guardian), Mr. Darrious Evens, and her best friend, Folake, Sunny embarks on a quest to collect the three magical ingredients that are sure to cure Nanna's dementia and help them find their way home again.

Mr. Evens also happens to be the choir director, and he encourages Sunny, with her beautiful singing voice, to perform in front of the school, even though Nanna isn't there to cheer her on. Sunny's quest to fix her nanna will lead her to understand herself and what's important--and that home can be any place you feel loved.

This heartfelt and hopeful middle grade novel is a perfect story for young readers navigating big changes and discovering their own place to shine.

• A Powerful Sibling Story: Determined to stay together against all odds, ten-year-old Sunny must protect her seven-year-old brother, Miles, when they are threatened with being separated by the foster care system.
• Dealing with a Loved One's Illness: A sensitive and honest portrayal of a beloved grandmother's dementia, and a child's imaginative quest to find a magical cure and make things right.
• An Unlikely Friendship: When Sunny and Miles are forced to rely on their grumpy new choir director, Mr. Evens, they discover that sometimes the most unexpected people can make you feel at home.
• The Power of Music: Sunny has a gift for singing, but with her Nanna no longer in the audience to cheer her on, she must find a new source of courage to step into the spotlight.