Together We Are Sunshine

This book is such a tender ode to siblings, especially sisters. Together We Are Sunshine follows three sisters through an imaginative outdoor adventure, told through the eyes of the middle sister, Haala. The looking up to an older sister. The quiet frustration with a younger one. The very real in-between feelings that come with being a middle child.

As they kiss the sun, dance with the wind, and listen for the secrets of the world around them, something shifts. Annoyance softens into understanding. Distance turns into closeness. Together, they realise they are sunshine.

Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow writes sibling relationships with such honesty and care. I’ve loved that same tenderness in “Your Name Is a Song”, “Salat in Secret” and “Abdul’s” Story. Her stories always honour children’s inner lives.

This one feels right at home on my classroom shelf.