Chicken Soup for the Soul KIDS: The Sunshine Squad

I received an advance copy of, Chicken Soup for the Soul KIDS: The Sunshine Squad. This is a great book for kids, the illustrations are great, and the message, needs to be heard.

4.33 stars

Five friends who are neighbours go on daily adventures and form their sunshine squad - secret clubhouse and all! Each has their own superpower: Oliver is a fantastic artist. Mia is athletic. Lilly is an innovative scientist. Lucas is the jokester of the group. Sophie knows everything about animals. And Tommy is the baby of the group who is still figuring out what his power is. Throughout the day, he will find how special he is!

I love that both the story by Jamie White and illustrations by LorianTu are inclusive and diverse. The book's overall message is to empower the differences and that we are all unique. We should celebrate differences because together, we are even more powerful.

I love this book's message. We often forget how our kindness IS a superpower and that through empathy, we can help others in more ways than we anticipate. I can see using this book to start a discussion on kindness and creating a social studies project.

Disclaimer: I first read it as an ARC. In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to Jamie White, Charlesbridge and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul KIDS: The Sunshine Squad.
#ChickenSoupfortheSoulKIDSTheSunshineSquad #JamieWhite #LorianTu # Charlesbridge #ChildrenLiterature

I liked this book! It was cute, and the illustrations were great. I think it will help kids realize that they’re all good at something!

The Sunshine Squad by Jamie Michalak is about a group of kids from a community that pretend to be super hero’s! The littlest one has a hard time finding his “superpower” as he’s the smallest and youngest of the bunch. While he’s trying to think of a power, he finds himself helping his neighbors. This helps him realize what is superpower should be! The inclusion and diversity of the kids in this book is great and the pictures are vibrant and very nice! This is a cute book for kids to read and it has a great overall message!

The Sunshine Squad starts out with a group of kids, living in the same apartment building. One of the children has the idea to pretend to be super heroes, using their real life talents as their super power. His was drawing, so he said that he would draw things to protect them from monsters, if they came around. One of the younger children did not have a talent, and was feeling super sad because he seemed to be the only one without something special to offer the group. His older brother called him a tag along, but most of the kids were kind to him, saying that he just hadn't found what he was good at yet. In the end, after a series of events, he finds out that his super power is kindness. He helps a woman with her groceries and helps save a runaway pet on a skateboard. After that, he feels like he belongs, and is not just the young tag along anymore.

This book would be excellent for kids, highlighting their differences. This shows that although people don't have the same strengths, our differences are what make us unique, and make us stronger as a group. It also shows that even though you might be younger, you still have something to offer to the greater group. This would be ideal for older toddlers and even younger school aged kids, to highlight and celebrate our differences, and teach kids to look for the good talents that each of us have as individuals.

Thank you to the author, illustrator, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Chicken Soup for the Soul KIDS: The Sunshine Squad is about the adventures of six friends–Oliver, Mia, Lilly, Lucas, Sophie and little Tommy who live in the same building. The kids form a sunshine squad to become heroes, just like their comic book heroes. Each child has his / her own talent, except for little Tommy, who feels sad as he feels he lacks any real talent. The other kids encourage him to explore and discover his super power. In the end, his discovery makes him feel special and gives him a sense of belonging.

Like all Chicken Soup stories, this too is soothing and well narrated. It has a beautiful message of highlighting our differences, accepting one’s uniqueness and spreading kindness. Our uniqueness makes us special, and we should not be shy or ashamed of accepting it.

Early readers can read this book on their own. The illustrations are cute, colorful, inclusive and diverse.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I used to love to read the Chicken Soup books back in their heyday! I'm so glad to see this new incarnation of them. I was worried that it would be a second rate story that was just trying to ride the coat tails of something great. But it's actually a great story with great illustrations that teaches a great lesson about kindness, appreciating our differences, and loving ourselves and our neighbors.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul KIDS: The Sunshine Squad.

This book would make a great addition to both home libraries and schools alike. I love that it helps children to expand their thinking about "superhero" beyond the limits of typical flying, invisibility, and superspeed powers It invites them to dig deeper to notice their strengths and talents. It also teaches that regardless of age or size, we can all be helpers and spread kindness.

This wonderful book teaches a very valuable life lesson. The Sunshine Squad is composed of five diverse friends ( and one little brother ) who make a decision to become superheroes. Their imaginations flourish as they disclose the unique superpower their natural talents dictate.

"If I had a superpower," Oliver says, "it would be making things come to life with my pencil. If a monster ever attacks our street, I'll draw a trap. POW!"

"Oh, I get it," Mia says. " With my skateboard, I'd spin into a tornado and blow the monster away. BAM! So long, Stinky!"

Oliver, Mia, Lilly, Lucas and Sophie all declare their powers but poor little brother Tommy feels left out and sad because he is doesn't fit in with the big kids and he doesn't have a superpower to announce.

As the day progresses Tommy helps out his neighbours at 123 Sunshine Street and happily discovers his superpower is showing care and kindness to others around him. It is a very powerful and appreciated power making him a real hero in his neighbourhood.

The illustrations are colourful, vibrant and full of emotion. The message of the book is positive and inspiring. "The Sunshine Squad" highlights that each and every person has talents to share and we all should celebrate our uniqueness and differences. I highly recommend this book.

A great read aloud book for your class or even for your beginner reader! A really sweet, solid message of kindness that can be tied into many classroom/homeschool lessons. There are even suggestions in the back on how the reader can spread kindness as well!

This is a book for kids who want to be superheroes. It is nice to have superpowers and be the hero that saved the day. Not only kids, but adults still do that, without superpower of course. Here comes one who is the youngest in the pack and doesn't have any specialty. What can we do to be a hero? Kindness is the answer in this book.

The author wants us to think that our superpower lies within us. It is there, and you can always save the day, by being kind.

A huge thanks to Charlesbridge Publishing for my e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely adored this book and recommend it.Chicken Soup for the Soul KIDS: The Sunshine Squad follows a group of six friends–Oliver, Mia, Lilly, Lucas, Sophie and little Tommy who live in the same building. The kids form a sunshine squad to become heroes, just like comic book heroes. Of all the kids Tommy is the only one that doesn't seem to have a super power but he eventually finds the most important superpower that everyone needs.I loved the lesson contained in this book and the illustrations are just amazing.

This book is about having good values with heartwarming stories to help kids be better in their life. I love the cover. The illustrations were colourful and very interesting. I recommend this to older elementary kids. I give this book five stars.

I received an electronic ARC from Charlesbridge through NetGalley.
Michalak brings readers in to a group of friends who figure out how they are special. Readers meet them separately and then as a group as they decide to form a superheroes club. We also meet a younger sibling who can't figure out his superpowers. The way the others encourage him will make a terrific family discussion topic. They assure him he will eventually be like them but he's too little, too young, etc. now. Readers then see who the real "superhero" is as Tommy helps others without even thinking about it. Again, great discussion topic to acknowledge how each family member helps others and how they can do so in the future. A list of ways to spread sunshine is included at the end of the book.

As a fan of *Chicken Soup for the Soul* books growing up, I was excited to dive into their latest offering for younger readers, *The Sunshine Squad: Discovering What Makes You Special* by Jamie Michalak. This delightful book brings together timeless values of friendship, self-discovery, and kindness, while wrapping them up in an engaging, fun-filled narrative.

The story follows a group of five friends (and one little brother) known as the Sunshine Squad. Each member of the squad possesses a unique "superpower"—from Oliver’s comic book genius to Mia’s athletic prowess, Lilly’s invention skills, Lucas’s pranks, and Sophie’s connection with animals. But the real heart of the story lies in Tommy, who feels like he’s missing his own special gift. As the day unfolds, Tommy learns that sometimes, the most important superpower isn’t something flashy—it’s kindness, empathy, and the ability to help those around you.

What I love most about this story is the message it sends to young readers: that everyone has something special about them, even if it doesn’t fit into traditional superhero categories. The characters are relatable, and their adventures together in their secret clubhouse add a sense of fun and excitement. The humor is perfect for kids, making this a light-hearted yet meaningful read.

The illustrations by Lorian Tu are vibrant and add an extra layer of charm to the narrative. They bring the Sunshine Squad to life and visually capture the whimsical energy of the book.

This book is a great pick for kids aged 5-9, offering both a sense of adventure and a valuable lesson on self-acceptance and the importance of caring for others. As an adult, I can’t help but think that *The Sunshine Squad* would be a perfect way to start conversations with younger readers about the power of kindness and what makes them special.

In conclusion, *The Sunshine Squad* is a heartwarming story that will leave kids feeling inspired and empowered. It’s a fantastic addition to the *Chicken Soup for the Soul Kids* series and a perfect read for any child looking to discover their own unique strengths.