Author(s): Emily Gale

Teen (Ages 15+)

"Steal my Sunshine is a gorgeous read, full of mystery, history, hope and heartbreak. I was gripped all the way to the bittersweet end. - Simmone Howell, author of EVERYTHING BEAUTIFULDuring a Melbourne heatwave, Hannah s family life begins to distort beyond her deepest fears. It s going to take more than a cool change to fix it, but how can a girl who lives in the shadows take on the task alone? Feeling powerless and invisible, Hannah seeks refuge in the two anarchists of her life- her wild best friend, Chloe, and her eccentric grandmother, Essie, who look like they know how life really works. But Hannah s loyalty to both is tested, first by her attraction to Chloe s older brother, and then by Essie's devastating secret that sheds new light on how the family has lost its way. Even if Hannah doesn t know what to believe in, she d better start believing in herself. Combined with Hannah s contemporary story, at the heart of Steal My Sunshineis the revelation of a shameful aspect of Australia s history and how it affected thousands of girls and women the forced adoptions that saw wayward girls and single mothe