Sunny

October 21, 2019
In her solo debut, Krampien (My Family Four Floors Up) presents an uplifting tale about the power of positivity. Trudging to school in the rain, Sunny, the only child smiling in a group, thinks it’s “the perfect day to use her big yellow umbrella.” The girl’s grin grows as the wind lifts the umbrella into the air, carrying her out to sea. In wryly understated prose, the author reasons that “most people would agree” that this “was a very bad sort of situation. But not Sunny, who liked watching the white-capped waves rolling and tumbling over one another.” Plunging toward the ocean after her umbrella inverts, the girl lands in a small dinghy, rationalizing that “she preferred boating just now to swimming.” Just when her optimism finally begins to flag, Sunny—pleasingly literally—gets the lift she needs and, her cheery outlook restored, isn’t at all worried that she’s late for school. Krampien’s minimalist matte illustrations contrast the butterscotch hues of Sunny’s umbrella and slicker with variegated teal tones of sky and sea. A whimsical take on the upside of a rainy day—and a sanguine attitude. Ages 4–8. Agents: Andrea Morrison and Steven Malk, Writers House.

January 1, 2020

PreS-Gr 2-Sunny is the name of a little girl and an apt description of her disposition. It seems that even when Sunny is in a bad situation, her attitude can help her look at it as a positive experience. For example, "most people would say there is nothing good about trudging to school on a rainy day," but Sunny sees it as a great opportunity to try out her new umbrella. That is, until a gust of wind lifts her off her feet and over her town. Most folks would consider that a terrible state of affairs, whereas Sunny admires the view from above and enjoys flying like a bird-until the wind dies down and she's about to be deposited in "a stormy sea." Sunny's day continues in this vein, from the child being presented with a potentially dismal predicament to her attitude (and a little help from outside sources) helping her find the joy in her adventures. Graphic-style spreads illustrated in teals and oranges add details to his amusing narrative. VERDICT Use this title along with Remy Charlip's Fortunately for an entertaining storytime and as an introduction to a lively discussion about attitude.-Maryann H. Owen, Oak Creek Public Library WI

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2019
Sunny finds silver linings in the darkest clouds. "Most people would say there is nothing good" about walking to school on a dreary, rainy morning, "but not Sunny." She thinks it is the perfect day to use her big yellow umbrella. When a big gust carries her away, she continues to maintain her positive outlook and soars with a sea gull. Soon, the wind takes her over the sea and drops her into a small boat on rolling waves. Optimistic Sunny thinks how glad she is to be boating, not swimming. Terrible situations keep being thrust at Sunny, but only when she finds herself alone in the middle of the sea does she cry. Following a "most people would say...but not Sunny" pattern, Krampien creates a story around one character's ability to find the bright sides of bleak situations. She shows that it is OK to cry and that when things get too bad, others will help lift us when we are down. The illustrations are mainly rendered in shades of teal, with Sunny a bright spot with her yellow raincoat, boots, umbrella, and, later, her white-and-yellow boat. Sunny has black hair and light skin, and the other characters have diverse skin and hair colors. Sweet and bright, like the sun on a stormy day. (Picture book. 3-7)

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January 1, 2020
Preschool-G Most people would complain about trudging to school on a rainy day. But not Sunny, who enjoys using her yellow umbrella . . . until the wind lifts her high into the air and out to sea. Most people would consider that awful. But not Sunny, who likes watching the waves . . . until she falls into a small boat without oars. Dreadful, right? Not for Sunny, who prefers it to swimming. And when her boat becomes stranded on rocks and her seagull companion flies away? Well, even Sunny cries a little then . . . until it returns with more birds, who lift the boat, carry it inland, and lower it beside the school. Sunny smiles and walks right in. Similar in concept to Remy Charlip's classic Fortunately, this engaging picture book is fun for reading aloud. The story's understated humor is amplified in the attractive illustrations, where Sunny's bright yellow rain gear and the white boat stand out clearly against of muted shades of green representing the sea and sky. A promising picture-book debut for this Canadian illustrator.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)