Fourth Grade Journey

A Fourth Grade Teacher's Journey Through the World of Books

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Swing It, Sunny by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm

How I Heard About It:  I was lucky enough to score an ARC of this graphic novel at ALA in Chicago.  I was even more lucky to get it signed by the author herself.  My readers loved the first book in this series and I know will enjoy the second installment just as much.  

What It Is About:  Sunny is back.  This time she is back at home after her visit to Florida to see her grandfather.  She is spending her summer days watching lots of television with her best friend.  As a side note:  I enjoyed all the references to the 70's television shows!  Her family life is a bit hard because her older brother has been sent to a military school.  His parents did this in order to help him get back on track.  Sunny is missing him terribly and feels like their family isn't complete.  When she meets a new neighbor girl, life takes a turn.  Sunny learns a new skill/hobby/talent that allows her to express herself more than she has been able to.  She continues to reach out to her brother, but doesn't always get the response she would like.  It is a time of growth, new learning, and growing up.  

What I Thought Of It:  This was so much fun to read this afternoon.  It was GREAT to revisit these characters and see what they were up to.  I heard Jenni speak at ALA about the graphic novel so as I kept hearing her voice while I was reading.  I enjoyed how the story deals with some light-hearted topics while also tackling some tougher issues.  The story line about the brother was well-done and showed the "realness" of families.  This is going to be an awesome addition to my graphic novel section in the classroom library.  

Who Should Read It:  The graphic novel is a quick read and would be great for third through sixth grade readers.  There are LOTS of illustrations and not a lot of text per page.  This doesn't mean it is an easy read, but would be appealing to most readers.  The character of Sunny is engaging and fun so young readers would definitely enjoy the reading ride.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:  4 STARS out of 5 Stars




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