Inspirational, commonsensical, and a whole lot of fun. –James Patterson Everyone deserves to shine in this sparkling new book from the New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, Chris Grabenstein, and coauthor J.J. Grabenstein–just right for fans of Word of Mouse and The Fourteenth Goldfish. Who do you want to be? asks Mr. Van Deusen. And not when you grow up. Right here, right now. Shine on! might be the catchphrase of twelve-year-old Piper’s hero–astronaut, astronomer, and television host Nellie Dumont Frisse–but Piper knows the truth: some people are born to shine, and she’s just not one of them. That fact has never been clearer than now, since her dad’s new job has landed them both at Chumley Prep, a posh private school where everyone seems to be the best at something and where Piper definitely doesn’t fit in. Bursting with humor, heart, science, possibilities, and big questions, Shine! is a story about finding your place in the universe–a story about figuring out who you are and who you want to be.

What Kind of Book is Shine!

Topics

school self-esteem social themes middle school new experiences self-esteem and self-reliance values and virtues contests single-parent families

Genres

fiction

What Should I Know As a Parent

Families are unique and have different expectations for the books they choose to read. The following are concepts included in this book that some parents may wish to seek out or avoid.

Note that this list is not exhaustive and there may be concepts in this book that are not included or have been insufficiently or incorrectly detailed here.

Serious Subject Matter

Reviews

B is for Bookworm

5.50

The fantastic STEM tie in, inspiring female role model (astronaut), character development, and a great message about helping others unselfishly are all things to love about this book. Highly recommend, though there is one important real-life spoiler to check before having your child read this book, make sure to check the info guide on this page first.

Book Lists That Include Shine!

Books about school

The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear

Books about fiction

The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family

Books about self-esteem

The Creative Behind the Book

Author

Chris Grabenstein

Chris Grabenstein is the author of the New York Times bestselling Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Olympics, The Island of Dr. Libris, and the Welcome to Wonderland series. He is also the coauthor of several bestselling series with James Patterson, including I Funny, Treasure Hunters, House of Robots, and Jackie Ha Ha. Chris lives in New York City with his wife, JJ, two cats, and a dog named Fred. Visit him online at chrisgrabenstein.com, and follow him on Facebook or on Twitter at @cgrabenstein. Don’t miss the third Lemoncello adventure, Mr. Lemoncello’s Great Library Race, coming in October 2017!