Sunny Side Up

I chose this rating because sunny side up has events that I can relate to like my parents used to smoke but they don't anymore. ????????????????????

It was a simpler graphic novel than I expected, given the subject matter. However, perhaps that would be good for younger children struggling to understand what is happening as an older sibling changes. It could have gone deeper in so many places. Given today's epidemic of Heroin usage, it is an important to have stories for younger children about this. Many more will face it than we would like to see!

Sunny Side Up is a middle-grade graphic novel written by the brother and sister creators of the Babymouse series of graphic novels. The book is a semi-autobiographical account inspired by their childhood. Jennifer also wrote several Newbery Honor books.

The book takes place in 1976. Sunny is a 10-year-old living with her parents and two brothers - one a toddler and the other a senior in high school. She is eagerly anticipating a trip to the shore with her family and best friend when she is sent to stay with her Grandfather in Florida for the summer. Florida is not what she expected - instead of Disney World, it is a retirement community with grumpy old people, visits to the post office, and dinner at 4:30, until she meets Buzz. Buzz shares with her his love of comic books and how to make money by collecting golf balls. But Sunny is tired of keeping other people's secrets, like her Grandfather's smoking when he is not supposed to, and what her older brother does behind her parents' backs, and she finally explodes like a volcano.

The authors explain at the end of the book that they wrote it because when they were young, they had a close relative with a substance abuse problem. They wanted to let kids know that they don't have to feel ashamed like they did and they don't have to keep secrets.

I thought the book handled a sensitive issue very well - it was funny, but also a little sad. It sends a great message to kids, even if they do not have the same issues at home. I think it might help kids understand that while substance abuse might not affect them directly, it may be something a friend is facing. When I was growing up in the 70's, my cousin, who was three years older, had a substance abuse problem. We only saw my uncle's family every few years, but I recall on one occasion when they were visiting, my cousin stole his father's medication and then took our motorcycle for a joy ride, wrecked it and injured himself. Perhaps it is because we now live in a different community, or perhaps it is not as prevalent 40 years later, but it doesn't seem that substance abuse is as common as it was in the 70's. I'm glad that there are still those who are willing to address it, because between the time my older son was in 5th grade and my younger son was in 5th grade, our school system stopped the DARE program, which I think is terrible. We did not pick this book out because it dealt with a serious and sensitive issue, but I'm glad now that we did pick it out because it gave me a chance to open a dialogue with my younger son.

It's the year of America's Bicentennial celebration (1976) and Pennsylvania preteen Sunny Lewin cannot be more excited for the family's summer trip to their beach house! But when her older brother's demons end up ruining family time at the fireworks show, Sunny's parents quickly decide it would be better for her to spend the summer visiting her grandfather in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Not only is Sunny still reeling from the family drama brought on by her brother's struggle with alcoholism, but she's also not sure what to do with herself while trying to acclimate to her grandfather's retirement community, Pine Palms. Pine Palms has strict rules limiting the number of pets or children allowed on the property, so it's not so easy for young Sunny to find her place. Not to mention everyone is old and the place itself is about 2 hours away from Disney World! What's a kid to do?!

Luckily, it's not long before she does run into another child her age, Buzz. Buzz and Sunny are soon sharing a love of comic book stories as well as developing a little side business of tracking down "secret" (aka not technically allowed) pet cats of Pine Palms. Just as Sunny starts to settle into a "bloom where you are planted" mentality about the retirement community, she's struck by yet another struggle within the family -- her grandfather trying to hide his smoking habit from her. This is the last straw for Sunny. She is tired of trying to shoulder everyone's secrets and addictions on her small shoulders! Sunny gives the adults in her life a wake-up call that she is a child and needs to be allowed to experience these fleeting moments of innocence before it's too late.

Adults that grew up in the 70s and 80s will have great nostalgic fun with this one! I myself was more of the 80s-90s era, but I could still spot plenty of pop culture references worked into the artwork: the unmistakeable 70s stylin' of the characters' clothing, Donny Osmond posters on the wall, loading up the station wagon to go to Sears to do school shopping, Sunny browsing lunchboxes with a Holly Hobby design faintly noticeable among the selections... it was just fun to make a sort of "I Spy" game of it all!

The artwork style itself also brought to mind similar lines and colors seen in Sunday cartoons like For Better Or Worse and LuAnn, maybe even Zits. The coloring in Sunny Side Up is done by none other than Lark Pien, who also did the coloring for the Printz Award winning graphic novel American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang as well as Yang's follow-up work, the duology Boxers & Saints.

Even if the timeframe isn't your childhood era, there are some universal topics addressed within Sunny's story. I got a particular kick out of her starting school and getting a teacher her older brother had, and having to get the scowl when the teacher makes the connection between her and the troublemaker brother. O.M.G., do I ever remember going through that myself! LOL.

No doubt, Sunny Side Up touches upon some tough themes for young readers: a grandfather's secret cigarette habit, a brother's struggle with alcoholism, certain residents of Pine Palms showing signs of the early stages of dementia, even talk of the Cuban Revolution / immigration issues of the 1970s gets thrown into the mix. Possibly uncomfortable reading for the young ones, but there is a point to it all, and an important one at that! In a brief author's note at the end, brother / sister author team Jennifer and Matthew Holm reveal that the idea for this graphic novel stemmed from their own tough childhood experiences. They figured there were likely other kids out there who have had or are having similar struggles that need to find stories they can relate to, stories that will possibly help direct them toward the help they need to get through these kinds of challenges. While some moments within this story are undoubtedly hard-hitting, the Holm siblings leave readers with a sense of optimism for the future and a reassurance that there is help and hope out there if you just stay the course and, as Sunny's grandpa reminds her, "keep your sunny side up!"

Fans of YA literature, note the shout-out to David Levithan in the acknowledgments section at the end!

SUNNY SIDE UP by Jennifer Holm and Matthew Holm is a poignant, yet humorous middle grade graphic novel focusing on family and friendship.

Set in August 1976, Sunny Lewin arrives in Florida to spend a few weeks with her grandfather who lives in a retirement community on a golf course. From searching for lost golf balls and cats to reading comics with a new friend, Sunny has some fun despite being surrounded by “old people”. Flashbacks provide insights into Sunny’s home life back in Pennsylvania revealing family secrets and the real reason she’s staying with her gramps.

Whether referencing the bicentennial celebration or reflecting on the smell of a Polaroid photograph, the authors are effective at immersing readers in the culture of the 1970s. The illustrator’s eye for period details make the story even more endearing.

A note from the authors encourages readers to reach out to family, teachers, and counselors if they find themselves dealing with someone experiencing substance abuse.

Librarians will find that the authentic story will appeal to youth. The authors seamlessly weave important social messages into the heartwarming summer story.

Published by GRAPHIX from Scholastic on August 25, 2015.

This generally lighthearted (and apparently semi-autobiographical) graphic novel reminds me in its realistic storyline of the work of Raina Telegemeier. It’s the summer of 1976 and ten-year-old Sunshine “Sunny” Lewin (her mom is an ex-hippie) is being packed off from Pennsylvania to Florida to spend a month with her grandfather at his retirement community. Sunny is not thrilled to discover that Pine Palms is an “over 55” place with no kids and no pets. Disney World isn’t that far, but they tell her it’s just a tourist trap. And the sofa-bed squeaks. And Gramps is trying to hide his smoking. And everyone is OLD, even “the girls” from upstairs who have a thing for her grandfather. Fortunately, she’s saved from terminal boredom when she meets Buzz, the groundskeeper’s son, who is her age and who knows all of Pine Palms’s secrets. And who introduces her to comic books.

Why Sunny is being (in her view) exiled in this way is something we find out in alternating chapters set earlier in the year, and involving her older brother, Dale, who has problems. The story is nicely paced and the chronological backing and forthing allows earlier events to be revealed along with Sunny’s later reactions. The art is simple but expressions are more subtle than you would expect and help nicely in developing the characters. And, of course, there are lessons to be learned, but they aren’t obtrusive.

Graphic novels are, in many ways, the best of both worlds --- great stories are wonderfully told and shown by the images that fill the page. Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm, the brother-sister duo that bring readers the whimsical Baby Mouse series, have teamed up with illustrator Lark Pien on SUNNY SIDE UP, a graphic novel with lots of visual vibrancy and rich storytelling that explores a very serious issue: addiction.

In August of 1976, 10-year-old Sunny Lewin is sent to spend part of her summer in West Palm Beach, Florida with her grandfather. Sunny is excited to be in the Sunshine State and to hang out with Gramps, expecting Walt Disney World and the beach. Instead, she finds herself in the quiet Pine Palms retirement community, sleeping on an uncomfortable hide-a-bed, going grocery shopping for fun, swimming by herself in the pool and worrying about her grandfather's smoking habit.

Things get a lot better when she meets Buzz, the son of the Pine Palms groundskeeper. Buzz not only keeps her company while she is in Florida, but also introduces her to the world of comic books. However, her love for Gramps and adventures with Buzz cannot keep her mind of what is happening back home in Pennsylvania, including her crying baby brother and the increasingly dangerous behavior of her older brother, Dale.

Because of his drug use, Dale has transformed from heroic big brother into a violent young man whose choices are threatening his health and the stability of the family. When Dale punches Sunny when aiming for their father, Sunny's parents make the decision to send her to Florida as they deal with Dale's problems. SUNNY SIDE UP flashes back to the events in Pennsylvania that lead up to her time with her grandfather, and Sunny tries her best to understand what has happened to Dale and make sense of her complicated feelings for him.

Holm and Holm do an amazing job of telling this complex story and they are wonderfully supported by Pien's bright illustrations. The dark themes of addiction and family turmoil are balanced out by Sunny's relationships with Buzz and Gramps and the perspective she gains in Florida. SUNNY SIDE UP is achingly realistic and sad as Sunny's heartbreak is captured in words and images. It is also optimistic as it shows the power of love found in family, friendships and self. Sunny finds inspiration and new heroes in the comic books she reads with Buzz, but it the actual people in her life that matter most to her and give her the strength to go home again. This is powerful book to read and discuss with young readers.

Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Engelman

It's far more polished (especially the vehicles and backgrounds), goes the length of an illustrated novel, and deals with not-so-funny-or-cute topics in a child's life.

It takes place in 1970s as a young girl is shipped off to stay with a grandfather in sunny Florida. And it is not meant to be a fun-filled summer vacation for the poor kid. In fact, the actual vacation that she is looking forward to has been suddenly and ironically cut short for her safety.

Now the unhappy girl has to stay at a place intended for elderly residents as she longs to go to Disney World two hours away. Instead, she has to spend very boring days with her well-meaning grandpa, gets shooed from the community swimming pool, and is taken to cheap all-you-can-eat buffets with aged ladies as talkative companions. But not all is lost.

A young boy suddenly appears to befriend the lonely kid at the local clubhouse. Then he introduces her to the whole world of comic books and superheroes. Now our heroine's empty life is filled with daily escapades of dodging sleepy alligators to collect golf balls and lost cats for profit.

But even this girl's light-hearted flight of fancy with her new friend isn't enough to ward off the threatening darkness as she experiences flashbacks to the time with her delinquent older brother that had prompted her trip to Florida in the first place. Not only that; her own grandparent also has a serious habit that is just as troubling as her brother's has been.

A very compelling graphic novel story that is even arranged in a poetic way with cartoon-like characters whose design is quite reminiscent of the simple "Babymouse" style with its blank, Orphan Annie-like eyes. And it is loosely based on the author's true story, too. (The character has obviously inherited her long blonde hair from the creator, who looks like a beautiful young woman in her profile photos, BTW.)

If that isn't all, this little book meant for the preteen audience also struck several chords with me.

First, I grew up in Florida in 1970s, too. (Though I was born in California and I am also a few years younger than the author is.) Second, I have also developed a great love for comic books during my childhood (however, I read more about classic cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse, Pink Panther, and Little Lulu rather than superheroes.)

And finally, I know all about cheesy Barbie dolls in knitted dresses holding toilet papers and very uncomfortable hide-a-bed sofas, too. :P

Siblings Jennifer and Matthew Holm, best known for the Baby Mouse series, create a fabulous graphic novel that follows 11-year-old Sunshine “Sunny” Lewin when she’s dispatched to spend the summer with her grandfather in West Palm Beach, Florida, in 1976. Days with Gramps at the Pine Palms retirement community are pretty boring: They’re hundreds of miles from Orlando and Disney World, and there aren’t any other kids at all — until Sunny meets Buzz, the Cuban gardener’s son.

The Holms’ Sunny Side Up will delight nostalgia buffs and anyone who enjoys a great coming-of-age story about the dangers of having too many secrets. And Lark Pien (American Born Chinese, Boxers & Saints) pens captivating full-color drawings that capture the era and the characters to perfection. The Holms aimed their book at tweens who grapple with a loved one beset by alcohol or drug problems, but Sunny Side Up should appeal to readers of all ages. Highly recommended.

Sunny (real name: Sunshine) is spending the summer in Florida with her grandfather. It's the first time she's been away from her family for such a stretch of time, and hanging out with retired folks in Snoozeville is not exactly how she envisioned her summer. Luckily, her lively grandpa has lots of activities planned for them - like going to the grocery store! hanging out with the neighbors! eating dinner super early! His sunny disposition gives his granddaughter a newfound appreciation for the simple joys in life. Sunny also makes a friend in Buzz, a boy her age who introduces her to the wonderful world of comic books. Together they dream up fun and easy ways to help others and earn some pocket money.

Throughout the story, flashbacks to the previous year reveal important things about Sunny's home life with her parents and two brothers. It's easy to keep track of the then and the now thanks to simple text tags with the month and year as well as a different haircut for Sunny - longer hair last year, shorter hair this year. The dialogue is simple and straightforward, allowing this to be a quick read for kids who naturally fly through books or a more contemplative journey for kids who really sink into the story and/or pay attention to the details in the illustrations. When Sunny discovers her grandfather is "trying" to quit smoking, it brings up a problem with another one of Sunny's relatives, forcing her to confront a family secret that's been bothering her for a while.

Some books shy away from tackling issues like substance abuse and smoking in an effort to 'protect' young readers, but the truth is, kids are aware of these issues, especially if someone in their immediate family is battling addiction or similiar problems, and this book can potentially help kids deal with those in-house secrets and perhaps make them confident enough to broach the subject with their parents, teachers, or other trusted adults. Sometimes, it is easier to deal with something you're going through when you see it presented in a fictional setting, be it a book, a film, or a TV show. Those stories can encourage readers and viewers to ask for help or get closure (if possible) on something that's been hurting or haunting them. This is just as true for adults as it is for kids.

This full-color graphic novel written by Jennifer L. Holm, illustrated by Matthew Holm, and colored by Lark Pien is a great fit for Scholastic's Graphix line. The bright colors in the Florida pictures really pop, while the panels and pages that feature comics are lovely tributes to both the superheroes and their enthusiastic fans. If you like Sunny Side Up, check out Jennifer L. Holm's novels as well as her collaborative efforts with her brother Matthew.

sunny side up is great!! a graphic novel, it features Sunshine--Sunny-- Levin and her brother Dale. Sunny is ten, and I'm guessing Dale is 16 or 17.

Sunny and Dale used to be really close. But ever since Dale met that Sladek kid, hes been acting weird. Sunny sees him smoking, drinking and taking drugs with his friends, even though his parents didnt like his friends and told hjm not to hang out with them. Dale seems to be fine (on a level) until fourth of July night. Hes been missing until he trudges up… beer can in hand. His father confronts him! Sunny runs up and BAM! Just like that Dale has punched her so hard she falls. Sunny wakes the next morning and goes downstairs, to find her mother on the phone. Turnd out, the family wont be going to the beach… but Sunny's going to her grandpas for summer.

in this semi-autobiography it explains Sunny's feelings of having to protect her brother, hef anxiety over Dale and her grandfathers smoking, and keeping secrets she doesnt have to keep. I enjoyed this book greatly and recommend it. thanks for reading! :)

Jennifer Holm has an incredibly wide range, from vivid, detail-rich historical novels like OUR ONLY MAY AMELIA to the hilarious BABYMOUSE series. This funny, poignant graphic novel falls somewhere in between. Set in the 70's, it's about Sunny Lewin, who is unexpectedly sent to stay with Gramps for the summer in Florida (instead of going to Disneyland with her family). The action switches between past family trouble that preceded Sunny's trip, and her present hilarious adventures with buddy Buzz in the old age home. Our hearts are with Sunny as she tries to figure out her way forward. Matthew Holm (Jennifer Holm's brother) contributes wonderful, expressive art to this somewhat autobiographical story from the Holms' own past. Great book!

4 stars!

A cute story with some more serious undertones. Sunny Side Up is the story of a young girl who is sent to Florida to spend the summer with her grandpa. Placed in the 70's, she finds Florida to be boring. Meanwhile she flashes back to months before where her and her family watched her teenage brother spiral out of control with substance abuse.

I think this is an important book for tweens to have available as they can relate to Sunny. It also shows addiction as something that shouldn't be hidden and encourages young readers to seek help if someone they know suffers from it.

Do you like cartoon books (such as Calvin and Hobbes, Peanuts, Lynda Barry's Maryls, and so forth) and comic books that are not superheroes? This graphic novel is for children of the seventies who want to have a trip into nostalgia and for today's middle grade and above readers who would like to see what things were like back then, before helicopter parenting and so many programmed activities.

The story is nicely illustrated with period details that are correct. I'm not saying it is going to have any subtext or richness such as some do (with Easter eggs or jokes in the background or lots of detail, or a lot of vibe like Lynda Barry's cartoons), but it's good. The tale itself is about Sunny (Sunshine) Lewin's Summer of 1976. I remember this well, as it was the Bicentennial year and the class before us was going to graduate with bells on in red, white, and blue. Sunny expects to go to the beach house with her family and bringing her best friend, but instead family difficulties cause her parents to send her to Florida with her grandfather. He lives in a sedate retirement community on a golf course and with a pool no one else ever uses. She hopes to get to Disney World, but at first it's VERY boring and slow-paced. We slowly learn why the family had to send her away while another family member is the focus for the summer. Flashbacks provide some insight into Sunny’s home life back in Pennsylvania.

I'm not telling you this story is DEEP in any way, but it's far better than most of the middle grade "mean girls in school" or "learning to make out with boys and cheat on tests" series of novels. If you'd like to enter for a time the world of the 1970s, this is your ticket. I liked all the characters and settings, although I would have appreciated more fun nudge-nudge details in the backgrounds or whatever you want to call it when you see in (say) R. Crumb or another sophisticated cartoonist's work some reference to something beyond the immediate story. Nevertheless, I may be placing too many expectations on the middle grade reading level book. It's worth getting for your teen or young adult to read during one of the breaks from school when all the old people are watching some dumb football or some sappy old movie (LOL). I appreciate that the story doesn't have any explicit or graphic violence or sex, or any of the idiocy that I see in anime (yes, family members of mine like that stuff, and I'm sure it has its merits). It's a clean, thoughtful, fun read. Recommended.

Very gently touches upon dealing with a family member who has issues with substance abuse. In this case, a little girl's teenage brother is smoking dope and drinking beer and his being high and drunk is causing serious problems for him. It's a very moderate approach and compared more vividly with a grandfather having a tough time giving up smoking which makes the book appropriate for a young audience. Frankly, I found the story quite bland and even mostly boring. What I did enjoy was the girl's friendship with a boy who introduced her to comics and the little asides as she became familiar with new superheroes such as Spiderman and Batman. It's decent enough for what it is, but honestly it feels as if this is an "issue" story that's been forced and I would have enjoyed the simple plot of a girl spending the summer with her grandfather without the flashbacks to her brother. Meh.

This book is terrific! It manages to be funny and emotional. Sunny spends a month with her grandpa in his retirement community, and they both use the time for personal reflection. Anyone critical of this story's lack of depth or character development needs to realize this is told from the point-of-view of a ten-year-old girl. They don't spend a lot of time analyzing people or situations. I would argue that a large part of the story is conveyed without words, and that's one of its strengths. It's meant to help readers feel less alone in these common family situations and I think it achieves that.

I just finished reading this book, and I loved it. The flashbacks to the family's struggle with substance abuse was delicately handled, and the protagonist's voice was authentic. Young kids in a family undergoing problems really feel that mixture of shame, anxiety and helplessness.

I wouldn't say that Sunny goes through a dramatic character development, but she seems to take the first steps towards healing.

The 70s pop-culture references made me smile. They would probably go over the heads of this book's intended audience, but that's okay.

Parents, read the book first, there is violence and substance abuse shown, decide what's right for your child.

The back of this book is horribly misleading and should mention the idea that the girl is sent to her grandparents because of her drug addicted brother needing help. Pathetic that drugs need to be mentioned in a book for 10 year olds.

I must say, this book was another amazing masterpiece. Though the part about drinking and drugs may seem scary to young children, they might not even understand until they are older. The character buildup and hints of what happened on the Fourth of July throughout the book were very big, though not so big as to give away the whole mystery, which is why she is in Florida anyway. My only issue is that they should have built on Buzz more. But other than that, this book is great for children that are at least 9 and up.

My sister got this book for Christmas and really liked it so i read it. I have never been through family troubles this big befor like what sunny is going through so I cant relate but there isnt asuch diolague as i though there would be.

Spoilers are contained in this review
When I first saw this book I was super excited. I love Turtle in Paradise by Jenifer L. Holm and am a huge fan of Smile. To start this off, the characters were VERY flat. They had no depth and there was barely any writing throughout the book. I know this is a graphic novel, but compared to Smile, there were barely any words. Also the 10 year old, Sunny, her older brother comes home drunk multiple times, is seen with a lighter, and is taking a most likely stolen wallet from one of his "buddies". The book was very bland and would not recommend to a young reader because of Sunny's older brother. The plot also was very predictable as well and overall was not very fun to read. The plot is that Sunny has no idea why she was sent to her Grandpa's house, when it is very obvious based on the flash-backs Sunny had that the brother had problems and her parents sent her away so her brother would not be as much of an influence on her. They say the book is humorous but honestly the writing was not funny or even had enough words to convey humor. Overall this is not Jenifer's best book, and I would not recommend this book.

My daughter says that this is a really good book, but said that people younger then her shouldn't read it. One of the problems is that she read it in less the 30 minutes. If you want a book that lasts, don't get this one.