Sunshine by Robin McKinley

         

Title: Sunshine   Author: Robin McKinley
ISBN: 0515138819   Pages: 405
Publisher: Jove Books, New York, 2004

Readers Annotation:
Sunshine is abducted and used as bait for an unusual vampire, one who chooses not to kill her. Sunshine's tentative friendship with the vampire, along with her newly discovered magical abilities, lead her on a dangerous journey she could have never imagined.

Author Information:
Robin McKinley is a National Bestselling Author, with over ten published books. She's won various awards, such as the Newbery Medal for The Hero and the Crown, and a Newbery Honor for The Blue Sword. McKinley's Spindle's End is a New York Times bestseller. Some of her other works include the retelling of the famous tales of Beauty and the Beast, and Robin Hood.

McKinley was born Jennifer Carolyn Robin McKinley in Warren, Ohio, on November 16, 1952. In 1991, McKinley moved to Hampshire, England, where she lives presently. She is married to author Peter Dickinson, and they live together with their two whippets, Chaos and Darkness.

http://www.robinmckinley.com/

Plot Summary:
Rae "Sunshine" Seddon is a talented baker, and works at the coffeehouse that her mother owns. All the employees at the coffeehouse are like a small family, and although Sunshine does not have much of a social life, she is content. She lives alone in a duplex above Yolanda, an old woman who is kind but keeps to herself. Sunshine's boyfriend Mel, a former motorcycle gang member, is affectionate yet reserved. Life is simple and predictable, until the night that Sunshine is suddenly kidnapped while visiting her grandmother's house by the lake.

To make matters worse, the kidnappers are vampires, and they use Sunshine as bait for their enemy, the vampire Constantine. As Sunshine soon learns, Constantine is a very old vampire with surprising integrity. Despite his instincts, he maintains control over his base desires to kill her. Sunshine delves deeply into herself, and finds previously unused magical abilities that saves them from certain death. This unlikely situation leads to a friendship that changes the course of the war ridden world between humans and vampires.

Critical Evaluation:
Both chilling and exciting, Sunshine takes readers on a journey in a world of vampires and humans. The story is set in contemporary times with a futuristic feel. It involves the unlikely friendship between a vampire and a magic handler. Despite the other worldly beings, the author weaves the fantastical into the story line seamlessly. Therefore, it's as if vampires and magic belong in the modern era. The narrative is written from the point of view of the female protagonist, giving the audience an intimate look into her thoughts and feelings. All together, these elements create an intriguing and entertaining story.

Genre: Fantasy/ Vampire Fiction

Curriculum Ties: History - War & Loyalty, English - Magical Realism

Booktalking Ideas:
1. After being kidnapped and thrown in as bait with a vampire, Sunshine works with Constantine to save both their lives. Would you help someone you believed was an enemy?
2. Sunshine's magical abilities comes from her maternal grandmother, someone whom her mother doesn't trust. Would you allow your children to be ostracized from a family member because of your beliefs?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 16 +/ Crossover

Challenge Issue: Magic/Vampires
- Author is a National Bestselling Author
- Compilation of teen reviews and the average reader reviews on Amazon.com and Goodreads.com
- Library policy

Why I chose this item: Vampire novels are popular nowadays with the young adult age group, and I also wanted to include some crossovers in my collection. I also liked how this particular book added the element of magic, perfect for fantasy book lovers.