Sunshine Home

Written by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Diana De Groat, Sunshine Home is a realistic children's picture book that was published in 1994.  The story follows a little boy named Timmie as he goes with his mother and father to visit his grandmother at the Sunshine Home after she experiences a bad fall and must stay in a wheelchair.  This story truly tugs on one's heart strings while reading it as many readers can directly relate to how Timmie and his parents feel when they visit someone who is in a rehabilitation center or nursing home.  Throughout the story, Timmie learns to overcome his fears and is no longer terrified of the Sunshine Home rather he helps his parents and his grandmother all be honest and share their feelings with one another.  In a classroom, this would be an excellent story to keep on the shelves for readers to read.  It is extremely relatable to readers who are experiencing something similar in their own home lives and serves as a resource to help readers see the positive in all situations.  The descriptive pictures add to the realness of the story it truly feels that you are right there with Timmie and his family while reading the story.  The realistic elements of this story helps readers understand that everyone has struggles that they must overcome in life and by relying on the people they love, they will be able to come out of every single situation stronger than ever before.