Families who loved Winnie Nash Is Not Your Sunshine by Nicole Melleby often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your child feels like they have to keep a part of themselves hidden to keep the peace or protect their family from additional stress. It is an ideal choice for the preteen who feels the heavy burden of being the selfless or easy child while navigating their own burgeoning identity. The story follows twelve year old Winnie, whose parents have asked her to stay in the closet while visiting her grandmother. Amidst the tension of her mother's high risk pregnancy, Winnie struggles with the pressure to be the sunshine in everyone's life while longing to celebrate her true self at Pride. It is a poignant, realistic look at the complexity of family loyalty versus personal authenticity for the middle grade reader.
