Sunny Side Up
By: Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
This graphic novel follows the summer of Sunny Lewin in 1976 when she is shipped off to Florida to spend her summer vacation with her Grandfather who lives in a 55 and older retirement community. Sunny thought Florida would be fun, after all that is where Disney World is! But, when she gets there all her Grandpa wants to do is go the post office, eat dinner at 4:30 in the afternoon, and entertain his old lady friends. Luckily, Sunny isn’t the only kid around. She meets Buzz, a boy who is completely obsessed with comic books. They soon have many adventures together and Sunny becomes interested in Buzz’s comics world. “But the question remains – why is Sunny down in Florida in the first place? The answer lies in a family secret that won’t be secret to Sunny much longer…”
Using humor, great 70’s references, and the love of comics, Jennifer and Matthew Holm tell an important and masterful story while being accessible and appealing to kids. I would recommend this to those in the 4th grade and up.
Review By: Allison Kartman