Reviews

The Secret Sunshine Project by Benjamin Dean

lauraowen's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

novellenovels's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

emma_book_life's review

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4.0

Bloody adorable. Heart melt. Representation galore. Loved it.

clairewilsonleeds's review against another edition

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3.0

Some lovely lil messages in here.

lokisflyting's review

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25


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rainbowunicorn's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

girlreading's review

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4.0

A funny, sweet and heartfelt joyful story of grief, family, community and celebrating love in all its forms.

motherbooker's review against another edition

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4.0

 For reasons I don't really understand, some people get quite anxious about how best to talk to young people about different sexualities. I feel like The Secret Sunshine Project does it pretty well. It just accepts that people are different and assumes its readers will be okay with that. Bea's sister, Riley, comes out early in the book and it is a lovely moment. Everyone in her family gets behind it and they attend Pride together. It's a powerful and emotional experience for the four of them. So, when Bea's dad dies not long after, they keep this day in their memory. Although, instead of heading back to Pride a year later, the sisters are forced to leave their family home and move in with their grandmother for the summer. Instead of going to Pride, they'll be staying in a quiet village. Riley is, understandably, devastated which sets Bea off on a mission to cheer her up. Can she and her new friends bring Pride to their temporary home?

This is such a sweet story and it deals with so many great issues. It's a book about grief, inclusivity, friendship, family and community. It's a story that celebrates being true to yourself and not letting anyone shame you for it. It describes Pride in such a wonderfully child-friendly way that gets the spirit across without delving too much into the history. There's a bit of history there but it's mostly about the sense of community and freedom. I think The Secret Sunshine Project is a great way to introduce these topics to young readers. It treats them with respect but also doesn't make too big a deal about them. It's a book full of love, hope and positivity despite the sadness at its centre.

There's a fair amount of serious stuff going on in this book but it's still a lot of fun. Bea and her friends still manage to get up to some mischief and be a bit silly. Then there's Bea's Gradma who is a fantastic character. She's sure to be a hit with any younger reader. In fact, there are plenty of fun characters here. This is such a charming book that even the villain is so wonderfully British in her villainy. Of course, she's also awful but in a way that kids will love. If I had one criticism it's that she's a little one-dimensional and doesn't get a great ending. In fact, after the long build-up, the ending does seem very rushed. We don't get a lot of time to experience everything.

However, I'm well aware this is a book for much younger readers than myself and I don't think it's a problem. This is a great book for children to enjoy and help them get an understanding of some big topics. The overall message is very positive and celebrates everything good about the LGBTQ+ community. This is the kind of book that can only bring about happiness. 

simbarabbit20's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

beccareadsbooks's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5