MMGM (7/8/2019): Swing It, Sunny by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (update: plus giveaway winners!)

Update (7/8/2019): I have selected the winners for my giveaway! The winner of the signed copy of All Summer Long by Hope Larson is...


Danielle!

Congratulations! The winner of the unsigned copy of All Summer Long is:

Ms. Yingling!

Congratulations as well! My review for today is below.

For MMGM, I am recommending the graphic novel Swing It, Sunny by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (the sequel to Sunny Side Up, which I reviewed previously).




          Sunny Lewin is not having a good time. She hates middle school, she has to get allergy shots every week, and her delinquent older brother Dale is now at boarding school, leaving her family down a member. Sunny tries to enjoy the things she usually loves: watching TV with her friend Deb, dressing up for Halloween, and talking on the phone with Gramps, her grandfather (a main character in Sunny Side Up). However, a shadow seems to be hanging over her entire life, and it certainly isn't helped when an angry, bitter Dale comes home for vacation. It's up to Sunny to come to terms with her new family situation and attempt to enjoy her year; with the help of Deb, Gramps, and new neighbor Neela, she just might be able to.
          I love Swing It, Sunny for several reasons. Sunny has a kind heart that will make any reader root for her, and anyone can relate to her feelings as she works through the stresses in her life. The book is set over the course of an entire school year (although school only plays a background role in the story), and the plot moves briskly through the different months, each bringing holidays, family visits, and more. Like Sunny Side Up, Swing It, Sunny is set in the 1970s, and it does a great job of staying grounded in the decade (pet rocks play a part in the story, for example, and having 4 television channels is considered amazing). The TV shows that Sunny and her friend Deb enjoy watching also play into the story in many ways: the idealistic family of The Brady Bunch contrasts with Sunny's imperfect one, the isolated Dale is compared to characters stranded on an island in Gilligan's Island, and (on a more superficial level) the nurses of General Hospital inspire Sunny and Deb's Halloween costumes. As a person who was born decades after the 1970s, it was fascinating to see such a vivid glimpse into the decade. Some of the other storylines in the graphic novel (such as a visit from Gramps or Sunny and Neela's budding friendship) are fun to read as well. Finally, the art style of the novel is unique as well; it is uniquely unkempt and very expressive, with a feeling of motion present in every panel. Readers who enjoyed Sunny Side Up will adore Swing It, Sunny's blend of meaningful struggles, humor, history, and excellent art, and readers who have not read Sunny Side Up should rest assured that the second book holds up to the high standard set by the original!

Update (1/2/2021): My rating is: Pretty good!



Comments

  1. I don't usually read graphic novels, but this series sounds fun and interesting. I love the pet rock and four TV channel references because I actually remember those pop culture phenomenons! :0} Thanks for sharing Sunny and her friends/family for MMGM!

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    1. Absolutely! It would be so neat to see parts of your childhood in a book today! Thanks for reading!

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  2. I don't usually read graphic novels either. But like June, I grew up then and remember all the references to that time period. Sounds like a fun series for that reason.

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    1. It was certainly neat to see a glimpse into that time period myself, seeing as I did not live in it. I hope you enjoy the series!

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  3. This sounds really good! I love the little 70s touches!

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  4. This is an interesting series that must be good. Both your review and that it has extended to three books (I think I read that somewhere just last week) makes me want to give this one a go. Thanks for your review.

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    1. I had no idea that a sequel was coming out—I looked it up (it's called Sunny Rolls the Dice), and it sounds great! Thanks for telling me that—I'll have to pre-order a copy!

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  5. Ugh, you make me feel so old with your comment about your being born decades after the 70s. It seems like yesterday to me, because I was in college. I'd enjoy reading the book for the memories. It was an interesting time and it sounds like the author captured the period very well. Excellent review.

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    1. I'm sorry! But yes, the author did a great job illustrating the decade. Thanks about the review, and thanks for reading!

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  6. I was in high school in the 70s! My husband and I often joke about when we were kids you actually had to get up and walk over to the TV to change the channel. This series must be good if it's by Jennifer Holm and Matthew Holm.

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    1. It's hard to imagine now that you couldn't just use a remote control. The series is definitely good—I hope you enjoy it!

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  7. I'm not a big fan of graphic novels, but this one sounds interesting. Maybe I will check it out. Thanks for the review.

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  8. My students love this graphic novel and it is always checked out of the library. I haven't had a chance to read it and am now very curious. I didn't realize it was taking place in the 70s- and now I hope I get a chance to read it before school starts. Thanks for sharing. :)

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