Standalone
Shine!
Middle Grade (8-12)
Random House, 2019
ISBN: 9781524717674
Chris & J.J. Grabenstein
Co-authors of Shine!
J.J. Grabenstein has long been her husband’s secret weapon—reading everything Chris has ever written (including a stack of rejected manuscripts) before anyone else and urging him to cut out all the boring stuff. But Shine! started with her. When J.J.’s father passed away a few years ago, she had an idea for a book she wished someone had written for her to read when she was a kid. A story that reminded readers that who you are is more important than what you accomplish.
Shine!
J.J. & Chris Grabenstein
AWARDS
ABOUT THE BOOK
“Who do you want to be?” asks Mr. Van Deusen. “And not when you grow up. Right here, right now.”
Shine on! might be the catchphrase of twelve-year-old Piper Milly’s hero—astronaut, astronomer, and television host Nellie Dumont Frissé—but Piper knows the truth: some people are born to shine, and she’s just not one of them. That fact has never been clearer than now, since her dad’s new job has landed them both at Chumley Prep, a posh private school where everyone seems to be the best at something and where Piper definitely doesn’t fit in.
Bursting with humor, heart, science, possibilities, and big questions, Shine! is a story about finding your place in the universe—a story about figuring out who you are and who you want to be.
REVIEWS
“The Grabensteins’ writing is warm and humorous. This gentle book offers a wonderful reminder that kindness, generosity, and love far outweigh the importance of money, awards, and prestige.”
—Booklist
“This encouraging story of self-discovery celebrates friendship, kindness, and self-actualization, and readers will relate to the realistic middle school dynamic and well-developed characters.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Plenty of believable dialogue and humor… gratifyingly quirky. A crowd-pleasing reminder that kindness pays.”
—Kirkus Reviews
J.J. Grabenstein has long been her husband’s secret weapon—reading everything Chris has ever written (including a stack of rejected manuscripts) before anyone else and urging him to cut out all the boring stuff. But Shine! started with her. When J.J.’s father passed away a few years ago, she had an idea for a book she wished someone had written for her to read when she was a kid. A story that reminded readers that who you are is more important than what you accomplish.
RESOURCES
For those doing a Group Read of Shine!, Chris and J.J. Grabenstein will help kick off your study of the book with a custom video greeting. Just fill out this Google form.
EXTRAS