Sunshine

By Marion Dane Bauer

A boy confronts family secrets and forgiveness on a remote island with his imaginary dog.

3.6/5 Goodreads · 341 ratings

208 pages

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Bookroo's summary

Ben, a boy growing up without his mother, faces a life-changing summer on her remote island. Accompanied by his imaginary dog, Sunshine, he navigates the wilderness and his emotions. As a fire threatens, Ben must confront his past and learn the true meaning of family and forgiveness. Will he find the answers he seeks, or will the island's secrets remain hidden?

From the publisher

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.

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