Ways to make Sunshine

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Title: Ways to make Sunshine

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Author: Renee Watson

Awards: Texas Bluebonnet 2020-2021

Age Group: 7 to 10 year olds


Teacher Evaluation:

As a teacher, I think the kids would enjoy this book and it would teach valuable lessons of real-life issues families face. These include moving homes, having to sell your car, dealing with people making fun of your name and so much more. The book is written in a way that showcases the main character's (Ryan) sassiness and how she's so sure about herself and her name. It also exposes the reader to the African American culture since hair is an important theme in the book. 

Summary:

This book is about a little girl named Ryan and her family and how she never stops trying to bring joy and sunshine to her family even during the hard times. These hard times include her dad having a new job that pays significantly less than his old one and then family having to move houses and make some adjustments as a result. They have to sell one of their cars so Ryan and Ray, her brother, will have to walk from their house to school now instead of driving their car with their dad is another adjustment Ryan wasn't ready for. As the book goes on she continues dealing with her older brother, her parents not understanding what she's feeling with all the changes happening in her life. The story ends similar to how it started, with the parents sharing unexpected news with ice cream present. This time the news isn't that they're moving but that the family is growing and that they're going be welcoming a little sister into the family soon. But Ryan doesn't seem as excited as the rest of the family because she's scared she's going to be forgotten and that too much will change again. But she's reassured by her parents that they will always love her so much. 

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