SHRUG
I've never been anywhere except
the Jersey Shore and Florida to
see Gramps.
My folks came all the way from
India to live here.
Wasn't it scary? To start over?
They say it was hard, but that it
was exciting to have an adventure.
Hmmm."
I know there are many fans of the Sunny series. They will be very pleased to read this third book, following Sunny Side Up (2015) and Swing It, Sunny (2017).
The setting is the 1970s, and Sunny is starting middle school ... ready or not! As happens for so many adolescents, life with friends becomes ever more complicated and confusing. There are many changes to acknowledge and try to accept: hair rollers, the relationships between boys and girls, how you know if a boy likes you. The list goes on.
When she checks her score on the Groovy Meter, Sunny finds she is not! Groovy, that is. This score is a constant reminder to her that she does not meet the expectations of cool girls entering middle school. Her focus is not on popular music, new fashion trends, or constant talk about boys. Does she want to move up on that groovy meter, or would she rather just be her own self?
Sunny finds that she likes being with her friends who play Dungeons and Dragons. Mostly boys, they are willing to teach her how to play, and don't mind that she's a girl. There is a place for everyone in their games. But, the game is not acceptable to her best friend Deb. Giving it up, and choosing to attend the spring dance makes Sunny miserable. She finds the perfect way to brighten her evening. Is having fun worth it? You bet it is!
The visual storytelling is compelling; it offers humor, clarity, empathy. Sunny continues to work toward being the best version of herself.
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