Swing It, Sunny

Written by: Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm

First line: She's just a regular girl in a regular world!

Why you should read this book: I guess I'm reading them out of order but from a stylistic perspective this spectacular book, told in a series of vignettes that come together to present a complete picture, is even better than the previous volume I reviewed. Despite living in a loving family, there is a conspicuous absence in Sunny's life: her big brother has been shipped off to boarding school for bad grades and bad behavior and who knows what else, and even when he's with the family, something is still missing. Sunny lives her life, develops new friends and new interests, and manages to find a way to reach out to her distant, angry brother so he can see some hope for the future.

Why you shouldn't read this book: You don't want any rainbows or rays of sunshine in your life.