Release: April 20th, 2021
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR)
Source: Netgalley
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Jen White’s A Thousand Minutes to Sunlight is a sensitive middle-grade novel about a girl struggling with anxiety, family secrets, and the meaning of friendship.
Cora is constantly counting the minutes. It’s the only thing that stops her brain from rattling with worry, from convincing her that danger is up ahead. She is afraid of the unknown. Cora spends her days with her feet tucked into the sand, marveling at La Quinta beach’s giant waves. Again she admires her little sister Sunshine’s boundless energy.
And then danger really does show up at Cora’s doorstep. Her absentee uncle, whose sudden presence in the middle of the night makes her parents nervous and secretive. As dawn breaks once more, Cora must piece together her family and herself, one minute at a time.
A Thousand Minutes to Sunlight is an endearing and revelatory middle-grade novel perfect for fans of Counting by 7s and Fish in a Tree.
About the Author:
Jen White grew up in California, the oldest of five siblings. In kindergarten, during a parent/teacher conference, her teacher told her mother, “She’s a little bossy.” Unfortunately, Jen thinks that the same assessment might still be made today. She blames it on birth order. When she was young, she wanted to become an author and a teacher. One of her earliest memories was learning how to read. She remembers how excited she was when she realized she could read the signs she saw through the window when she was in the car with her mother. She also remembers how her stomach hurt when she read out loud because she read with such gusto.
Jen has a degree in English teaching and earned her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in writing for children and young adults. SURVIVAL STRATEGIES OF THE ALMOST BRAVE is her debut novel and was born from the real experience of Jen being accidentally forgotten at a gas station with her younger sister and cousin. Jen currently tries not to boss around her five children and husband in San Clemente, California.
A Thousand Minutes to Sunlight Review:
To begin with, I thought the author did a lovely job with the story. She addresses mental health issues and how people cope with them.
Cora is a complex character. I appreciated how the author wrote her struggles against her mind when she gets panic attacks. I enjoyed the way the author portrayed Cora’s feelings. She has interesting conversations with her brain, where you can read her thoughts through actual dialogues between the brain and Cora. Interestingly, the author also managed to convey difficulties with adults, such as Uncle Richie’s addiction problems.
Moreover, it is never easy losing a best friend, and I thought the author portrayed Cora’s friendship with Patrick nicely to move on from Minny. Patrick and Cora share lovely company and some of their moments were very cute. Also, Patrick oozes optimism and positivity that you cannot help but adore. I enjoyed the scenes where he takes Cora on the ride and takes her to Bingo. On a side note, I also loved Queen Bea and thought she made the story extra special.
However, I would have loved more scenes and interactions between Cora and Uncle Richie. I felt that we didn’t get enough closure on the topic. Moreover, I would have liked it if the story spent less time on Cora’s hunt for Cat’s treasure and spent more time at her bonding with her Uncle. On the other hand, I enjoyed Patrick’s time travel storyline and wondered how it would progress.
Overall, “A Thousand Minutes to Sunlight” is a charming middle-grade novel that focuses on mental health issues with a touch of friendship and adventure.
