SUNNY

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.