The Secret Sunshine Project
by Benjamin Dean, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat
Interest age: 9 to 12
Reading age: 9+
Published by Simon & Schuster, 2022
About this book
When Bea’s big sister, Riley, plucks up the courage to tell Mum and Dad that she likes girls, Dad has the best idea. He takes them all to London Pride where, amidst a dazzle of rainbows, glitter and confetti, Riley feels she has found her tribe.
But that was last year, when Dad was still with them. Things are different now; they can’t afford to stay in their home and have no choice but to move to the countryside and stay with Gran. At least for the summer.
While Bea quickly makes new friends, Riley is living under a cloud; she’s missing Dad, and Pride, and can’t feel positive about anything. Until Bea has a radical idea: if Riley can’t go to Pride, Bea will bring Pride to her.
With a magnificent cast of diverse, inclusive, fully formed characters this is a story of pain, joy, loyalty, courage and love.
To balance a story of grief with the positive, and often hilarious, escapades of a brilliantly belligerent grandmother, a gloriously flamboyant drag queen and a quietly understated eleven-year-old confused by her feelings is not easy. But, in this heart-warming celebration of individuality, it seems effortless.
About the author
More books like this
-
Hazel Hill is Gonna Win This One
by Maggie Horne
9 to 14 years
-
Glitter Boy
by Ian Eagleton
9 to 14 years
-
The Super Sunny Murder Club
Various authors, illustrated by Harry Woodgate, edited by Serena Patel and Robin Stevens
9 to 14 years
-
The Boy Who Fell from the Sky
by Benjamin Dean
9 to 14 years
Lists of recommended reads
-
Books about community
As the wonderful Benjamin Zephaniah put it, 'people need people'. Humans thrive in communities. These books celebrate the power of working together towards a goal, and the joy in caring about each other. There are many different communities showcased in this selection.
-
Books about Black joy for 8+
Enjoy this selection of joyous books by Black authors, all starring Black characters having adventures. We've included some inspiring non-fiction titles as well.
-
Books with LGBTQ+ characters for ages 8+
All children deserve to see themselves and their type of family set-up depicted in books, but for many middle-grade readers, finding stories with LGBTQ+ characters can sadly be difficult. Here, we've picked out our favourite middle-grade books which show, and celebrate, LGBTQ+ characters and families.