The COVID Pandemic has been a challenge for everyone. Books written about the first year are beginning to find the bookshelves. A great one to start with is SOME SUNNY DAY.

Cymbeline Igloo (yes, that’s his name!) has appeared in several of the author’s previous works (BOY UNDERWATER; and YOU WON”T BELIEVE THIS). Now, this endearing character takes center stage in a story of hope, heart, and humor. One you can read without having read the previous titles.

Middle grade readers will be familiar with what Cymbeline is going through. He’s bored with home learning, the lockdown, and not being able to do what he loves like playing football (or soccer as we like to call it in America). Even worse is what his mom did cleaning the house: She accidentally put his favorite autographed football shirt in the donation pile and now someone else surely has it.

COVID reality come into focus when Mrs. Stebbings, the beloved school cook, is taken into the hospital, and suddenly coronavirus seems much closer to home. Mrs. Stebbings is a favorite of Cymbeline, not only for their passion of the same football team but also for what he describes in Chapter 10:

This is due, in large part, to something that should, in my opinion, be officially classed as one of the Wonders of the World.

Mrs. Stebbing’s World famous …drum roll…drum roll…

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING

To offset his concern and sadness for Mrs. Stebbings, Cym gets his online class involved in a project all about her childhood in World War II. Sharing a video of what they learn will surely make Mrs. Stebbings feel better. Cym’s job is to draw a picture of where her street once stood, The task leads him to discovering much more like a tent, a strange girl wearing HIS SHIRT, and a mystery that will change absolutely everything.

Forty-Five chapters and two quick epilogues zip by in page turning fashion. The background is the pandemic but leading the way is boy out to help others. I loved his take on what is important for himself and those around him. Plenty of surprises so I’ll stop right here before dropping any hints.

FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: SOME SUNNY DAY by Adam Baron

1. Dad is not around, but Mom more than makes up for his absence. Despite her own problems she is there for her son whenever needed.
2. A child’s confused feelings about the pandemic will heal much quicker after reading about others who went through a much worse situation.
3. Remote learning, supply shortages, wearing masks are all a natural part of the story. None of them overshadow the true message you will discover reading this book.
4. Chapter endings always end on a “now I have to read more” feeling. Many end in a humorous large print set of word(s).
5. The historical connection to WWII was a nice extra.

He wrote Boy Underwater (his first novel aimed at younger readers) because they told him to. While still in the flush of youth he knows what his final words are going to be: ‘clear the table’.

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