Sunny Sweet is so not sorry by Jennifer Ann Mann

Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781619633629.
(Age: 8-10) Themes: Sisters, Families, Neighbours. This humorous novel introduces the reader to eleven year old Masha and her wild, precocious super-intelligent sister Sunny. Poor long-suffering Masha wakes up to find Sunny has used a thermal resin to glue plastic flowers to the top of her head. Despite Mum's frantic efforts to remove the floral bouquet including using peanut butter, nothing works. Masha is forced to remain at home while Mum leaves for a meeting and Sunny is taken to school. Mrs. Song is home next door in case of an emergency. Masha's day unfolds with much drama and a hospital visit. Luckily Sunny decides to leave her boring Grade 1 classroom, at just the right time and assist the ambulance officers as they take the girls and an injured Mrs Song to hospital.
There are some funny moments and some which are difficult to read, as all the adults are charmed by Sunny and let her get away with everything. The girls are quarantined for suspected whooping cough, Masha suffers an exam by the medical barber, has her unbroken arm plastered while Sunny is taken on doctor's rounds.
Interwoven into the plot are the issues of divorced parents, an elderly neighbour's illness, a preteen crush and extremely ill children coping with life in hospital. The sketch style illustrations and the cover are more suited to a younger audience whilst the story is more appropriate for readers from 8-10 years.
Rhyllis Bignell