"'Baby girl, you are beautiful. Not just your hair or your
clothes. But who you are. Your kindness makes you
beautiful and the way you’re always willing to offer help
makes you beautiful,’ Grandma tells me. ‘And how
creative you are with your recipes. That’s what makes
you a beautiful girl.'"
Ryan Hart is an African American fourth grader: feisty, brave, thoughtful, funny, and blessed with an amazing family and good friends. Her family is forced to move when the house they are renting is sold. Her father has a new, less profitable job. Their new home is old, small, and offers up a treasure in old hairpins - or so Ryan believes. Her older, often annoying, brother tries to convince her that the hairpins may just be haunted. Oh, Ray!
Ryan knows that her name, meaning "king', is meant to make her feel powerful in all situations. Her parents know she can be a leader. Ryan works hard to live up to their expectations with help from her friends, and her family. Disappointment and opportunities result in Ryan creating an alternate parade for the one cancelled, finding sunshine in her own room, being a sous chef for her mother's work, and speaking up and out when the talent show needs someone to take over the announcer's duties. It's a lot for one girl, even if she is full of spunk and optimism.
Many middle grade readers will recognize the Black experiences of Ryan's life, her responses to them, and will find much to admire about her in this fine novel. The cliffhanger ending leads me to believe this won't be the last time we read about Ryan Hart. Let's hope not!
"I wonder if my little sister will like chocolate cake
and chocolate ice cream. I wonder if she'll have
adventurous taste buds and if she'll like playing chef
with me and be taste tester for all the concoctions I
cook up. Will she like having make-believe parades?
Will she know how to make the sun shine even on
the rainiest of days?"
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