The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James

by Ashley Herring Blake

Overview

Twelve-year-old Sunny St. James navigates heart surgery, reconnecting with her lost mother, first kisses, and emerging feelings for another girl in this stunning, heartfelt novel—perfect for fans of Erin Entrada Kelly.
 
When Sunny St. James receives a new heart, she decides to set off on a "New Life Plan": 1) do awesome amazing things she could never do before; 2) find a new best friend; and 3) kiss a boy for the first time.
 
Everything seems to be racing forward, but when she meets Quinn, Sunny questions whether she really wants to kiss a boy at all. And with the reemergence of her mother, Sunny's journey to becoming the new Sunny St. James will be trickier than expected.
 
Acclaimed author, Ashley Herring Blake's sweet, tender novel will dare readers to find the might in their own hearts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316515542
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	03/24/2020
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	416
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.50(h) x 1.20(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Ashley Herring Blake is the author of the young adult novels Suffer Love, How to Make a Wish, and Girl Made of Stars, as well as the Stonewall honor novel Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World, The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James, and Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea. Ashley lives in Georgia with her husband and two sons.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James:The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James is a moving coming of age story that is not only engaging to read but is also deeply important. Sunny is a funny, thoughtful, and wonderfully rendered character who will stay with you long after you have finished reading.—Aisha Saeed, New York Times bestselling author of Amal Unbound

"The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James will make you ache for the twelve-year-old you once were, and anxious to share this book with every pre-teen you know. I may be Ashley Herring Blake's biggest fan!"—Shannon Hitchcock, author of One True Way and Ruby Lee & Me

"The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James pulls at the heart strings from the very first sentence. Part soul-crushing, part soul-fulfilling, laced in humor and unwavering hope. Readers will root for Sunny from start to finish. Ashley Herring Blake hits all the feels with this one. Love is love is Love. Surely a message we all can get on board with!"—Tami Charles, author of Like Vanessa and Definitely Daphne

"In The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James, Ashley Herring Blake honors the big, messy emotions inherent in being a preteen girl. Sunny is portrayed with such deep empathy and respect that she's destined to be a treasured friend for readers. This book is a joy."—Anne Ursu, author of The Lost Girl

"Sunny's bravery and buoyant spirit as she explores the truth about her family and herself will leave a lasting impression on the reader's heart."—Barbara Dee, author of Everything I Know About You and Halfway Normal

* "A sweet and gentle story of self-discovery and a beautiful addition to the growing genre of middle-grade realism featuring girls who like girls."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"A heartwarming and engaging tale that treats Sunny's emerging sexual identity with care, authenticity, and age appropriateness."—School Library Journal, starred review

* "[The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James] is an accomplished, layered, moving story featuring a girl questioning her sexuality. Bighearted in every way."—Booklist, starred review

From the Publisher

★ 2018-12-13

Sunny St. James has just had a heart transplant and is ready to take three crucial steps into her New Life.

Step No. 1: Do "awesome amazing things" her cardiomyopathy kept her from doing. Step No. 2: "Find a new best friend" to replace Margot, who betrayed her trust. Step No. 3: "Find a boy" to kiss, "because kisses." Sunny achieves the first two steps almost simultaneously: She goes swimming in the ocean for the first time since her diagnosis and she meets blue-haired Quinn Ríos Rivera, and the two agree to be best friends. The third proves to be difficult, because Sunny finds she doesn't want to kiss a boy. She wants to kiss Quinn. Sunny's struggles are numerous but well-balanced and never overwhelm readers. The 12-year-old's mother, Lena, who gave Sunny to her best friend, Kate, to raise eight years ago, is ready to be part of Sunny's life. Sunny isn't sure she wants to know Lena, a recovering alcoholic. She's also uncertain as to which feelings are hers and which ones belong to her unknown heart donor, but her thoughtful, present-tense voice as she parses these feelings is all hers. Quinn is Puerto Rican; Kate's boyfriend is black; and Lena's husband is South Asian. Assume whiteness for everyone else.

A sweet and gentle story of self-discovery and a beautiful addition to the growing genre of middle-grade realism featuring girls who like girls. (Fiction. 8-13)

Kirkus Reviews