Sunshine Simpson Cooks Up A Storm is the second book is a middle-grade series. This book tackles many topics children of this age experience and face, such as dealing with change, loss, navigating friendships, bereavement changing schools, family situations, and, of course, growing up. Sunshine is (as her name suggests) a breath of fresh air, and I really enjoyed her character, resilience, and growth in this book. I'm going to be gifting my copy to my daughter, who's the same age as Sunshine, and I look forward to discussing this book with her. I thought the author did a great job with the inclusion of Black History Month in this story and discussion around handing racism which sadly does still occur in the school environment today.

Fantastic!! I LOVE this series + it’s an absolute hit when tried and tested with Year 5 readers in schools. In book 1 last year, we met Sunshine and her family, and journeyed with her through friendship highs and lows, and the death of her beloved Grandad Bobby from cancer. Now, in book 2, we are back with Sunshine and her friends as they go into Year 6… preparing for tests and moving up into secondary with all its relatable anxieties, and as with the first book, the author brings a focus to important people within Black history, which is so unique and brilliantly blended within the narrative. These stories are quirky, caring, quite a giggle (esp. a certain larger than life Auntie!) and VERY relatable on many levels. Big up G.M. Linton!!!! #BLM

An enjoyable second instalment for Sunshine following on a few months after the first book and we see the worries for pupils facing the transition to secondary and dealing with grief
I look forward to more adventures for Sunshine

The story is set mostly in the primary school and Sunshine’s home. It begins by introducing Sunshine and her friends to the reader with the many worries and doubts that the children are having about moving to secondary school. The family, including Sunshine, are grieving the loss of Sunshine’s grandad only a few months earlier and everyone deals with the loss in their own way. There’s a lot going on for Sunshine - bereaved, she has tests coming up, including one for grammar school, but additionally she starts sensing that things aren’t quite right at home. The rest of the story tells us how Sunshine copes with everything that life throws at her.

Some of the themes that are mentioned in the book are: transition, friendships, dealing with worries and anxiety both by adults and children, change, racism, charity and wisdom.

I had spent many years supporting year 6 children with their transition and feel that the author captured everyone’s emotions so accurately, the dialogue and choice of language is current to the children in upper key stage 2 now. It never seemed over the top, but very much genuinely relatable and on point.

I liked the writing style - it is mallow and accessible without being over simplified and dumbed down so the book would make a great class read as lower reading ability children would easily be able to join in.

I feel the children (especially year 6) will find comfort in knowing that they are not alone and have many shared thoughts and experiences with Sunshine. The adults like myself would relish Grandad Bobby’s nuggets of wisdom, I promise!

The information about the origins of Black History Month was not something I heard of before and I appreciated it. It’s only a tiny part of the book but bears so much weight, especially as respect and tolerance are two of the British Values and we live in a multicultural society.

It’s a very special book that I will be recommending further.