Book Description Review Praise for Sunnyside Plaza:*”A tender insight into being different and wonderful.”―Kirkus, starred review*”A resoundingly poignant novel with an acutely intuitive and empathic protagonist.”―Publishers Weekly, starred review“…filled with compassion, determination, intrigue, and the restored faith in the power of community.”―School Library Connection “Sunnyside Plaza is a light in the shadows that illuminates the humanity in us all. It’s a book as special as its characters. A treasure.” ― Jerry Spinelli, Newbery winning author of Maniac Magee and The Warden’s Daughter “A beautiful book that focuses on empathy, not pity, to introduce readers to a new world. I enjoyed every minute I spent with the characters of Sunnyside Plaza.”― Stacy McAnulty, bestselling author of The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl “Sunnyside Plaza is a gem of a read! I highly recommend this mystery to anyone who loves to learn about people. Scott Simon got it all right when creating characters with intellectual disabilities and showing the strength that human connections make in one’s life.”― Kathy Detwiler, Buttonwood Books & Toys (Cohasset, MA) “When the residents of Sunnyside Plaza – a group home for adults with developmental disabilities – start unexpectedly passing away, a young woman must work with the other Sunnysiders to figure out what’s happening. Scott Simon’s characters are instantly emotionally engaging and their resiliency and determination to help and protect each other will have readers of all ages deeply invested in their story.”― Colin Sneed, Flyleaf Books (Chapel Hill, NC) “Sunnyside Plaza is a gem of a read! I highly recommend this mystery to anyone who loves to learn about people. Scott Simon got it all right when creating characters with intellectual disabilities and showing the strength that human connections make in one’s life.”― Kathy Detwiler, Buttonwood Books & Toys (Cohasset, MA) “Scott Simon’s characters are instantly emotionally engaging and their resiliency and determination to help and protect each other will have readers of all ages deeply invested in their story.”― Colin Sneed, Flyleaf Books (Chapel Hill, NC) “Sunnyside Plaza is an amazing book. The book is a mystery and it is sure to intrigue anyone who reads it. I rate it 5 out of 5 stars. If you liked Braced, I am certain you will like this book too. It’s a great book for kids 9 and older.”― Island Bookstore (Kitty Hawk, NC) Read more About the Author Scott Simon has won every major award in broadcasting for his personal essays, war reporting, and commentary. He has reported from all fifty states, scores of foreign countries, and eight wars. He hosts Weekend Edition with Scott Simon Saturday mornings on National Public Radio (which the Washington Post has called “the most literate, witty, moving, and just plain interesting news show on any dial”) and numerous public television and cable programs. He currently resides in Washington, D.C. Read more Customers Review: Immediately upon finishing the beautiful little story, I handed it to my husband and told him he must read it. I have never encountered a book that seems to have gotten so successfully inside the awareness and psyche of a “developmentally delayed” person. Sally, the narrator of the story, is decidedly her own unique bundle of abilities and interests, seasoned liberally with lots of human kindness and caring. The plot centers around a murder mystery that the residents have a large part in solving. Their daily life and kindnesses toward others, and then their adventure around the mystery, kept me quickly turning the pages to see what was going to happen. Good lessons are waiting to be learned about the mainstream society’s treatment, both good and sad, of people who are “different.” We can all learn from this peaceful little story. Don’t miss Scott’s coda at the end: there’s a good reason he wrote this book.
I enjoyed this book because I believe it helps the reader learn about the “other”. And in today’s world I see a real need to appreciate the wholeness and human value of the “other”. There are not many stories that give a clear understanding of what it might be like to be interacting with a person or groups of people who are developmentally disabled. This book gives an honest and touching window into that life. Sunnyside Plaza by Scott Simon is a interesting story about a group home for adults that are developmentally disabled. These adults have capacities that reflect the development of a four or five-year-old as opposed to an adult.The main character of the story is Sallie Miyake. Readers learn about Sally and her housemates at this group home and their limits and possibilities through Simmon’s thoughtful and touching writing. Scott Simon worked in such a home when he was a teenager, so he has direct experience and deep, honest compassion for the developmentally disabled.The story involves a serious mystery to explain situations that are occurring at the Sunnyside Plaza. Sally ends up working with two police detectives to help them come to some success in solving the mysteries at the group home.I recommend this book to anyone, children to adult, who would like to get a feel for what it might be like to life with a development disorder
Here are a group of real people, not caricatures, relating in a very real world. Meet some adults who live in a care community with sincere friendships and constructive lives. Experience what transpires when people from the community at large meet, interact honestly, with the residents as well as the close-mindedness of others.A mystery unfolds. Will the truth be found?This story is a small glimpse into a world many never have the opportunity to enter. Here is a world of caring, thoughtful, interesting, honest individuals who are often misunderstood, unappreciated. Meet a few here.
Scott Simon has deftly created the world of Sunnyside Plaza and inhabited it with charming, believable characters. I would recommend this gentle tale to all readers, not just the young adults for whom it was written.
This sweet book, written for middle graders, takes us into a small residential home for adults with developmental disabilities. I wanted to read this book because I have a daughter who works in a facility somewhat similar to this, and was curious to see how my observations about her place of work matched up to this story. One thing that stands out in both the fictional residence and the real residence I am familiar with, is how much the people who work there love what they do and how much they care for the residents. The fictional book is a gentle look (appropriate for middle graders), at what can sometimes be a difficult and physically demanding job.The main character in the story is kind hearted Sal Gal, a 19 year old resident who narrates the story. Sal works in the kitchen to help prepare the meals. When residents start dying unexpectedly from what appear to be strokes, the police get involved, and during the weeks of investigations, Sal becomes friends with the two detectives assigned to the case, London Bridges (great name!), and Esther Rivas. The plot of the story takes some side trips, with Esther inviting Sal to spend some time with her family, taking her to a baseball game and to her home for Seder, which gives a nice opportunity for the author to lovingly explain the reasons behind this Jewish tradition. We see the newness of all of this through Sal’s eyes…taking a bus or taxi for the first time, looking in windows of cafes or apartments to see what is going on in the world.Eventually as the cause of the deaths becomes known to Sal, she takes matters in her own hands and with the help of several other residents, sneaks out of Sunnyside to take the incriminating evidence to her friends at the police station. Their trip through the city to the station is handled well. They encounter reactions that range from revulsion to kindness and helpfulness, and end up making new friends along the way.Thanks to the author for the tender dedication at the beginning of the book.
First of all this book is being marketed as a feel good heart warming tale with a childlike cover. It isn’t like that. Sally is a wonderful protagonist but the book is surprisingly dark and really sad! It’s basically about a bunch of deaths that occur in an assisted living home for people with disabilities. I’m not going to spoil the ending but the cause of the deaths was just so tragic and awful. This book does remind of of the curious incident of the dog in the night time but stylistically Sally has a very different voice. She tends to focus on the positive details of everyone and everything she sees which I’m guessing is why it was likened to “wonder” although the books are entirely different. I enjoyed this and read it quickly. |
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