LoveReading4Kids Says
LoveReading4Kids Says
May 2023 Debut of the Month
GM Linton’s My Name is Sunshine Simpson is an absolute charmer for readers who love seeing themselves in immersive, family-centred stories. Honest and moving, it’s a compassionate character-driven debut that also shares Black history and the legacy of Britain’s Windrush Generation.
Meet Sunshine Simpson — a character readers are sure to root for and relate to, not least because Sunshine is prone to confidence wobbles, as revealed by her worries around what to do for her school’s special 50th anniversary celebrations.
Alongside stressing out about the assembly, Sunshine is dealing with fallings-out at school, and sensitive to her family’s secretive whisperings about her grandfather. Glorious Grandad Bobby — a man of mighty wisdom and warmth who loves to share stories about Jamaica and his move to Britain — keeps taking extra naps, leaving Sunshine wondering, “Where had my bodybuilder ox of a granddad gone? Where was Iron Bobby?”
After being told “this is big people business”, she’s heartbroken when the truth is told, but Grandad’s loving legacy comes to the rescue and sees Sunshine find her voice. In good news, this is the first book in what promises to be a fulsomely joyous series.
Joanne Owen
Find This Book In
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About
My Name is Sunshine Simpson Synopsis
Sunshine Simpson is a young girl seeking adventure - but misadventures seem to have a habit of finding her. With new friend Evie rapidly turning into a worst enemy, a French pen pal to impress, a disastrous home haircut and a stressful school showcase, every day feels like a rainy day.
Sunshine's beloved Grandad has always been there to cheer her up, but as he grows older and quieter every day, Sunshine is forced to accept that their adventures together may be coming to an end. Grandad's stories have always helped her in the past - can Sunshine find her voice in time to tell her story at the school showcase?
Told with humour and charm through one young girl’s quest to find her voice, this uplifting story, which celebrates the Windrush legacy, explores themes of identity, community, belonging and self-belief.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781801313346 |
| Publication date: |
11th May 2023 |
| Author: |
G.M. Linton |
| Publisher: |
Usborne Publishing Ltd |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
320 pages |
| Series: |
Sunshine Simpson |
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Press Reviews
G.M. Linton Press Reviews
“Sunshine lives up to her name - she's charming and hilarious.” - Aisha Bushby, author of A Pocketful of Stars
“A book as warm and radiant as sunshine itself! I loved it.” - Lisa Thompson, author of The Goldfish Boy
“A huge, uplifting hug with a message that says: be yourself; be proud of who you are.” - Jen Carney, author of The Accidental Diary of B.U.G
Author
About G.M. Linton
G.M. Linton found her way back to her first loves of reading and creative writing after decades of ignoring the two - and now enjoys nothing better than snatching time to read a good book and losing herself whilst imagining characters and storylines. She is particularly inspired by her parents, who arrived in Britain, from Jamaica, as part of the Windrush generation, in the 1950s. G.M. Linton lives with her family in the West Midlands. She can be found happily snacking on stuffed green olives and may be partial to a slice of cake or two.
More About G.M. Linton
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Written by debut West Midlands based author. G.M. Linton, My Name is Sunshine Simpson is the first book in this heart-warming series, inspired by her own family and the stories of her parents, who arrived in Britain from Jamaica as part of the Windrush Generation in the 1950s.
Through powerful and poignant inter-generational storytelling and childhood memories, G.M. Linton keeps the Windrush legacy alive, celebrating their rich and colourful stories of the past.
G.M. Linton said: “I was inspired by my parents to write this book. When I was younger, I wasn’t particularly curious about their heritage. Even though I enjoyed the Jamaican food, music and culture at home, I was young and English and had to balance this side of me too. The impact of the Windrush scandal gave me a new urgency to contemplate and complete this story. There is so much joy and celebration in the lives of this special generation of people – and they have given so much to the UK. I wanted to offer a narrative that showcased their brilliance – their sayings, their wisdom, their humour, their courage, their dignity – to younger generations, in celebration of the Windrush legacy. I’m incredibly proud that the book will publish in the 75th anniversary year of Windrush.”
With an underlying message of positivity and optimism, G.M. Linton wants her books to bring joy to children and help them celebrate their lives and where they come from. Sunshine is a twenty-first-century Anne of Green Gables, perfect for lovers of Jacqueline Wilson with mainstream appeal, while also leading the way for greater cultural diversity in children’s books. The book includes a fun mini fact file about key historical and contemporary Black figures to inspire young readers.
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