Swing It, Sunny

Sunny has returned for another adventure, this time starting middle school. It’s tough, but add in the absence of her brother, and it is almost impossible. Thankfully, her best friend is still willing to watch their favorite shows and dress up to while away the time. Add in a new neighbor and things are looking up, especially as her neighbor likes many of the same things and may just share her flag-twirling techniques. However, her brother is still angry and unkind, and it could be a long year.

The Holm siblings offer another installation in Sunny’s adventures, though this one lacks the smooth plotline of the first. It reads more like diary entries on how she is surviving the first year of middle school, new neighbors, absent brothers, and baby shenanigans. However, the full-color graphic novel keeps interest high, and Sunny is likable and persistent in helping her older brother. Older readers may enjoy finding pop-culture icons hidden throughout the pages (like the Scooby-Doo van) and flashbacks to vinyl records, old TV shows, and corded phones. It is highly recommended to enjoy the first book, Sunny Side Up, as the family struggle continues throughout this book.