by Renée Watson; illus by Nina Mata
192 pages; ages 7 - 10
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2020
I’m always up for reading a new book by Renée Watson, so her new middle grade novel definitely made it into my summer reading tote. Ways to Make Sunshine is the first book of what looks like a fun series for the younger MG crowd.
Ryan Hart is a fourth-grader who is trying to grow into her name. When someone says Ryan is a boy’s name, she responds, “My name is Ryan and Ryan means ‘king’ and that means I am a leader—” Oooh, I just love this girl!
Ryan loves to cook. Her brother, on the other hand, prefers plain food. He does not, as Ryan puts it, have “adventurous tastebuds.” While Ryan may enjoy adventures in the kitchen, she isn’t so excited about the adventure of moving to a new place. Then she discovers a tin left on a closet shelf, filled with wondrous artifacts, and sets off on a mission to discover who the previous owner was.
I love the slice-of-life moments, like when grandma is straightening Ryan’s hair before Easter Sunday services, the scenes at the market, and friendship worries. Then there’s the angst of what to do for a talent show when your talent is cooking. Scrambling eggs on stage just won’t fly.
I can't wait for the next book in the series!
This sounds like a really sweet book. I like MG books for the younger readers. I will check this out. Thanks for telling me about it.
ReplyDeleteI read this one too and really loved it.
ReplyDeleteNotice that many of the books shared today are light and fun reads. Kids need that now! And, it's nice that younger readers will be able to check out this story! Great pick!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad this is a series. The character is one that will be appealing to young readers. Thanks for featuring on MMGM.
ReplyDeleteAwwww . . . This sounds like a great story for younger students and adults like me! Love that there are diverse characters in the story and I admire Ryan's response about her name being a boy's name! Thanks so much for sharing this gem with us for MMGM today. :0}
ReplyDeleteThis one looks good! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI've seen a lot of praise for this story, and it sounds wonderful! I enjoy slice-of-life moments in books, so I'd love the ones in this story, I'm sure! Thanks for the great review!
ReplyDelete