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.
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Right off the bat, I like the main character. She's a girl named Ryan, which means leader, meaning that she is powerful and can do whatever she sets her mind to. And she does have a strong nature about her that drives her, no matter what's going on in her life. She's going through a tough time right now, because her family has to move a new home and now nothing is the same. And this house is so much smaller, which just really messes up all of their routines.
She's also going through the usual fourth grader struggles, trying to make the right choices and really live up to her name. Friendships are different. Her older brother is a typical pain, though you know he actually adores her and vice versa. And then there is a fun mystery that she thinks she has discovered in her new bedroom. And still things are going to change. I hope there is a follow-up to this book, because I want to see how Ryan continues to grow and takes on new challenges in her life. I also think she is a great role model for young girls who will both relate and learn a lot from her.
Thank you to the publisher for fulfilling my review request via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This would be perfecto for my granddaughter La Princesa who's in the fourth grade and needing to read a good chapter book. Gracias for the recommendation.
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