Ways to share joy /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Author Award winner Renée Watson continues her charming young middle grade series starring Ryan Hart, a girl who is pure spirit and sunshine.

Ryan Hart is caught in the middle. She has an older brother and a new baby sister, and she's in a friendship tug-of-war with two friends who both want to be her best best friend. How can Ryan think about being kind to a classmate who is relentless with his teasing? Or be her signature sunny self when her brother, Ray, pulls the ultimate prank?

But even when it seems like nothing is going her way, Ryan still looks for a way to see the bright side of things, refusing to let anything steal her joy, and finding ways to share it with everyone she meets.

Acclaim for Ways to Make Sunshine :
A New York Times Best Children's Book of the Year | A Parents Magazine Best Book of the Year | A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year | A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year | A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year | A WORLD Magazine Best Book of the Year | An Amazon Best Book of the Year

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Kirkus Book Review

More adventures in the life of Ryan Hart. Ryan is in the middle, "stuck" between her baby sister, Rose, who needs her help, and her older brother, Ray, who has more freedom and enjoys telling her what to do. Sometimes being in the middle gets hard, like when she's not so sure about the family's plan to surprise Grandma, who says she just wants to rest, with a birthday party or when she grapples with the difficulties of having two best friends. But with the help of her loving family and time spent on her favorite things, like baking, Ryan manages her child-sized troubles, including being teased about her name and for wearing clearance-sale shoes to school, trading pranks with her brother, and maintaining friendships with care. Inspired by her wise Grandma, she learns life lessons along the way, such as the difference between a "true friend" and a "best friend" and how a person can be full of joy even when they aren't happy ("Joy is something deep, deep down"). Ryan's African American family has fallen on somewhat hard times, but they find ways to share what they have. Watson immerses readers in the world of a girl on the cusp of middle school. Her book features a lovely cast of characters, delightfully relatable dilemmas and solutions, and a character with an authentic voice. A tale of family and friendship that exudes pure joy. (Realistic fiction. 7-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Renée Watson is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. Her novel, Piecing Me Together, received a Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award. Her books include the Ryan Hart series, Some Places More Than Others , This Side of Home , What Momma Left Me , Betty Before X , cowritten with Ilyasah Shabazz, Watch Us Rise , cowritten with Ellen Hagan, and Love Is a Revolution , as well as acclaimed picture books: The 1619 Project: Born on the Water , written with Nikole Hannah-Jones, A Place Where Hurricanes Happen and Harlem's Little Blackbird , which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Renée splits her time between Portland, Oregon and New York City.
www.reneewatson.net
@reneewauthor