A great story about low-income families and how they deserve the same things as anyone else.
I loved Sunny's spunk and energy and how she wanted to help everyone.
A great addition to all libraries!

Sunny Parker is Here to Stay by Margaret Finnegan is about an almost middle-schooler who lives at the affordable housing complex her dad manages. Throughout the summer Sunny hangs at the complex doing chores and helping her dad out. This summer she and a friend discover that there are plans to tear down an old school nearby and built another affordable housing complex in it's place. Sunny and her friends think this is a positive plan for the community, but many friends/parents of friends disagree. They work together to make their voice heard about the issue and learn about a variety of things along the way.

This would be a great book to read as an introduction to the idea of activism to middle or high schoolers. It also introduces the topic of domestic violence in a middle school appropriate fashion. I think it would be a little hard for my elementary students, however.

When Sunny finds out the city wants to make more affordable housing she finds out people are worried about traffic and noise and overloading the schools. Sunny wonders how could affordable housing ruin schools or the town. Her best friend says let’s do a petition and bring it to the housing authority hearing. They want people to realize we’re nice people and not criminals. Some says let’s give more lower-income people a chance to live in our town. What happens when Sunny and her dad go to the council meeting? Is the housing proposal accepted or rejected?

Books about class differences are always welcome, as this is an issue many students deal with. I did like this story, though it was a bit simplistic for my middle school readers--perhaps upper elementary will be a better fit.

What a great book about finding who you are and being proud of it.
Sunny doesn't think her or anyone who lives at Del Mar Gardens are poor or a sore thumb for the city. She loves her home and the people who live there. But when the city wants to build another low income housing apartment, she learns that things aren't always as they seem.
But she's proud of this place and her friends that feel like family. And she will do what it takes to stick up for them.
A great middle grade read about being accepting of others.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.