Reviews

Sunny Side Up: A Graphic Novel by Jennifer L. Holm, Matthew Holm

zaphod46's review against another edition

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

silbrite's review against another edition

funny lighthearted sad medium-paced

3.0

koreanlinda's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

It was such a nice read. It is lighthearted enough so that I could read it before bed. The target reader seems to be children and YA, but I enjoyed reading it as an adult reader as well. It is written in the view of a child whose family suffers from a member's substance abuse. It was lovely to see how she finds comfort from kindness from people around her and an introduction to comics by an unexpected friend. 

Review by Linda (Any Pronouns) in April 2024
Personal essays on DefinitelyNotOkay.com
Artwork on Instagram @KoreanLinda

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse

roseleaf24's review against another edition

4.0

Very cute story about family interactions,. Made me think about the secrets children feel they need to keep aid what we can do to be a safe place for them.

kethumary's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

sejireads's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Addiction

bickie's review against another edition

3.0

10-year-old Sunny ("my mom likes hippies") flies by herself from PA to visit her grandfather, who lives in a 55+ community in Palm Beach, FL in 1976. As Sunny has to reset her expectations (no kids live there though she finally meets the son of the groundskeeper, dinner is at 5:00 or before, she tries to sleep on a pull-out sofa, Disneyland is super far away, Grandpa thinks big plans are going to the post office or grocery store), her thoughts return to various events in the past 6 months or so at home which eventually explain why she is there. Her older brother, Dale, drinks and smokes (perhaps he is smoking marijuana, though that is not completely explicit), and during an altercation with his parents at the 4th of July fire works, he hit his little sister Sunny.

The book is aimed at middle-grade readers, and though the messages of talking about issues rather than keeping them as "secrets" is relevant to older students as well (and everyone, really), I am not sure whether older middle schoolers or high schoolers would stick with it. Perhaps. I wondered who "Dale" was from the very beginning. Best for ages 8-11.

4saradouglas's review against another edition

4.0

I liked it. It gives a glimpse of life in the 70s, the bicentennial, grandfather/granddaughter relationships, old people, girls reading comic books... lots of things I don't see a lot of in other literature. I still think graphic novels are too short, but there's a definite beginning and end here and it makes a good point.

hnbb's review against another edition

4.0

I wanted to get my middle school age daughter a book at the book fair. (I did not know until recently that they still had book fairs in Middle School.) I enjoy the Baby Mouse books by this brother and sister team, so I thought this graphic novel would be just as fun. It is set in the 1970s and kinda fun. However, there is a dark undertone that I did not expect. I am glad I read it and can discuss it with my sensitive daughter. I am not sure if it would spoil the book, so I will just say that it handles a heavy topic in a tasteful way. It is told realistically from a 10 year old's point of view.

kaelino's review against another edition

4.0

This book was so sweet. I enjoyed the dynamic between Sunny and her grandfather perhaps best of all. Also appealing was the color palette chosen by Lark Pien, who uses mostly soft pastels that actually fit well with the setting of the story--sunny Florida. I think of homes in Florida, particularly elderly people's homes, as having a lot of pastel colors, the peaches and light blues. I don't know whether or not the colors were chosen for this purpose but it worked for me.

The story is pretty simple: a girl goes to spend the last month of summer (1976) with her grandfather and by periodic flashbacks we learn the reason why. Sunny is a typical young girl trying to make friends and find something to do while temporarily displaced from her home. She feels isolated and confused but soon meets Buzz, a boy who introduces her to comic books and the rather lucrative business of retrieving golf balls from the course where the retirees play. She struggles with
L0 memories she has of her family as well as a secret her grandfather is keeping. The authors handle some serious subjects well without being too adult or explicit, making this graphic novel a suitable choice for young readers. Older readers might enjoy the 70's references and clothing. An extra bonus for me was that this story takes place not far from where I live, so I enjoyed the Florida references as well.