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Best friends Oliver, Sophie, Mia, Lucas, and Lucas's little brother, Tommy all live at 123 Sunshine Street, and Oliver (who loves and draws comics) wants them to form a league of superheroes--but first they have to figure out just what superpowers they can claim.
About the author
Jamie Michalak White is the author of nearly forty books for children, including movie and TV show adaptations. She lives with her family in Rhode Island. www.jamiemichalak.com
Lorian Tu is a children's book author and illustrator. She lives in New England with her family where she creates content for children. https://www.loriantubooks.com/about
Summary
The first in the Chicken Soup for the Soul Kids series celebrates friendship, kindness, and the importance of being yourself!
They call themselves the Sunshine Squad: five friends (and one tagalong little brother) who decide to be superheroes. They have courage, capes, and even a secret clubhouse.
They all have their own kind of superpower too. Oliver is a genius at drawing comics. Mia is a star athlete. Lilly creates amazing inventions. Lucas is a master of practical jokes. Sophie is an animal expert. And Tommy, well, he's still figuring out what his strength is. Maybe he doesn't belong in the squad at all. But throughout the day, Tommy helps his 123 Sunshine Street neighbors in different ways. And he learns that caring about others might be the best superpower of all.
Chicken Soup for the Soul Kids picuture books impart good values through heartwarming and humourous stories to help kids put their best foot forward.
Additional text
Real kids can become superheroes.
123 Sunshine St., located in a multiethnic community, is the apartment-building home to Oliver (who’s Black), Mia (with brown skin and long, textured dark hair), Sophie (with olive skin and straight, black hair), and brothers Lucas and Tommy (both White). Oliver is an artist, Mia a skateboarder, Sophie a pet whisperer, and Lucas a jokester. In their collective imagination, they turn those talents into superpowers to save the neighborhood. And Tommy? He seems to be too young to have a supertalent. But when a chain reaction of problems occurs, Tommy’s superpower—kindness—shines. Encouraged by Tommy’s success, the five children create the Sunshine Squad to really help the neighborhood. Backmatter includes a tangentially related story and ways to spread sunshine. Readers can see the Sunshine Squad in action in the simultaneously publishing sequel, Sophie and the Tiny Dognapping. When Sophie steals Mia’s dollhouse dog, she experiences all the emotional and physical reactions of a guilty conscience. Although the Sunshine Squad is busy helping their other neighbors, they have time to give Sophie (and young readers) some good advice. In both books, colorful cartoon illustrations with many close-ups on faces capture the struggle of trying to do what is right. The books kick off the Chicken Soup for the Soul Kids series, their mission clear and their good intentions well executed.
Slightly pedantic but with ethical situations children will relate to and good kid-to-kid advice.
—Kirkus Reviews
