Cover Image

Ways to make sunshine.

by Watson, Renée,

Format: Print Book 2020
Availability: Available at 1 Library 1 of 2 copies

Available (1)
Location Collection Call #
Sewickley Public Library Juvenile Fiction J F WAT PB
Location  Sewickley Public Library
 
Collection  Juvenile Fiction
 
Call Number  J F WAT PB
 
 
 
Unavailable (1)
Location Collection Status
Moon Township Public Library Storage STORAGE
Location  Moon Township Public Library
 
Collection  Storage
 
Status  STORAGE
 
 

Summary

From Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Author Award winner Renée Watson comes the first book in a young middle grade series about Ryan Hart, a girl who is pure spirit, kindness, and sunshine.

Ryan Hart has a lot on her mind--school, self-image, and especially family. Her dad finally has a new job, but money is tight. That means some changes, like selling their second car and moving into a new (old) house. But Ryan is a girl who knows how to make sunshine out of setbacks. As her brother says when he raps about her, she's got the talent that matters most: it's a talent that can't be seen, she's nice, not mean!

Ryan is all about trying to see the best in people, to be a good daughter, a good sister, a good friend. But even if her life isn't everything she would wish for, when her big brother is infuriating, her parents don't quite understand, and the unexpected happens, she always finds a way forward, with grace and wit. And plenty of sunshine.

Acclaimed author Renée Watson writes her own version of Ramona Quimby, one starring a Black girl and her family, in this start to a charming new series.

Published Reviews
Booklist Review: "A beautifully rendered series of vignettes à la Beezus and Ramona (Cleary, 1955) featuring a Black girl developing into her own personhood, this is a strong start to a new middle-grade series by Newbery Honor Book author Watson (Piecing Me Together, 2017). Each chapter pulls the reader into the mind of Ryan Hart, a vivacious child navigating her family's changing circumstances after her father loses his job and finds a midnight shift position that pays less. Petty squabbles with her older brother, her mother's moods, and the family's move to a much smaller house all introduce new challenges for Ryan to overcome. And overcome she does, with personality and spirit reminiscent of some of the most well-loved heroines in classic juvenile fiction tales. These stories do not shy away from the dynamics of race and girlhood--in one particularly realistic scene, Ryan is told not to get her recently straightened hair wet at a pool party and feels ashamed of the way it changes after she does--but they do not skimp on levity or spunkiness either. The few illustrations sprinkled throughout add a lot to the depiction of a childhood rich in familial love and Black girl magic. More than a window into the everyday experiences of children of color, this ensures that African American girls in particular feel seen.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Watson is no stranger to critical acclaim or best-seller lists, and her latest should have no trouble finding a ready audience."
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Publisher's Weekly Review: "In this series opener, a loose reimagining of Ramona Quimby's exploits, Watson (Some Places More Than Others) adroitly captures the uncertainty of growing up amid change through the eyes of an irrepressible black girl. Fourth grader Ryan Hart's name means "king," and her parents encourage her to live up to it ("Dad is always telling me our people come from royalty... their strength is running through my veins"). Ryan tries her best, but it's hard sometimes, as when classmates tease her about having "a boy's name" and when her father loses his job, precipitating the family's move to a smaller, "not new at all" home. Despite the changed circumstances, Ryan brings optimism to everything she does: racing bikes against her "bossy and nosy" big brother, facing her fear of public speaking, and serving as her mother's sous chef. In vignette-style chapters, Watson warmly weaves together slice-of-life moments that capture youthful doubt alongside moments of loss and joy, showing a tight-knit family navigating difficulties with plenty of courage and plenty of love. Occasional illustrations by Mata (She's Got This) emphasize the story's joyful realism. Ages 7--10. Author's agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (Apr.)"
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Additional Information
Subjects catreq 12/3/21 mn
Publisher Bloomsbury Children's Books,2020
Contributors Mata, Nina, 1981- illustrator.
Notes Summary: The Hart family of Portland, Oregon, faces many setbacks after Ryan's father loses his job, but no matter what, Ryan tries to bring sunshine to her loved ones.
Description 177 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
ISBN 9781547606658
Other Classic View