Sunny Holiday

Sunny Holiday #1

by Coleen Murtagh Paratore

From the author of THE WEDDING PLANNER'S DAUGHTER, a fantastic new series about a poor girl with a rich outlook on life.

Sunny Holiday thinks that every month should have a kid-friendly holiday. Valentine's Day, July 4th, and Christmas definitely fit the bill--but months like January and August are lacking. So Sunny takes it upon herself to make new holidays for the months that need them, getting her friends and family involved. Sunny is headstrong, funny, and trying to make the best out of every situation--whether it involves holidays or family problems. She's got spirit to spare--and you can't help but love her for it.

Genres: Childrens, Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade, Fiction

176 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

I majored in English at The College of Saint Rose, in Albany, and after two internships in advertising and public relations, decided to enter the communications field, which is a place where writers can write and make a living too. I got married three months after graduation (my husband Tony and I will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary next August ), and we moved to Connecticut. I worked at a large advertising/pr firm during the day and got my master's in English at Trinity College nights. When we moved back to the Albany, New York area a few years later, I took a job as a publicist for Russell Sage College in Troy and soon became Director of Communications for the Sage Colleges. Our son, Christopher, was born in 1989. Two years later I took out a small-business loan, left my "safe job" and founded Books Worth Writing, to develop and publish The Remembering Book, an heirloom-quality tribute to a loved one's life (created after losing my best friend to cancer and wanting to be sure the story of her life was remembered and celebrated). This book-product is now in its 3rd printing, 10,000 copies sold. Around that same time, I began teaching as an adjunct instructor in the English Department at Russell Sage, doing freelance public relations assignments for business and nonprofit clients, and leading public-speaking workshops for women. Our son, Connor, was born in 1992 and then our third son, Dylan, in 1994.
After Dylan was born, I hopped off the career train for a few years to chase after three boys under the age of 5. I wrote a song for each of my sons and sang their special songs to them as bedtime lullabies. I kept a journal (I have on and off since college), wrote poems, and "roasts" for friends' birthdays, planted a perennial garden, a vegetable garden, read tons of books, started a book club, cleared a walking trail in the woods behind our house…and with my three young sons in tow, I returned to my "library days."
We devoured books together, morning, noon and night. We'd fill an L.L. Bean sack full of picture books every week, snuggle up on the couch, and read, read, read. I didn't know it at the time, but in addition to it being enormously FUN, this was fabulous research. As I was devoting my best creative energy to my children and sharing my love of books with them, I was soaking in lessons in characterization and plot and structure and language... feeding my writer's voice in happy hibernation.
I still didn't know that I would write children's books, yet everything in my life was leading me on that path. Ironically, I'd meet former business colleagues out and about and they'd say, "you're writing children's books, right?" I can't tell you how many people asked me that. It wasn't my goal or my intention.
Breaking into this business was the hardest and longest race I've ever run. I wrote stories for four years before I felt the work was ready. And then, once my writing was of publishable quality, it took two years of submitting before I got a contract. 179 rejections later. You've got to want it badly. You've got to read, read, read, and write, write, write and revise, revise, revise, and listen to people who are wiser than you, and learn from your rejections, and take comments from editors very seriously, and be willing to catch the fireflies of inspiration before they fly off forgotten, and, most of all, you've got to BELIEVE in yourself. Believe, believe, believe.
Emerson said "nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." Write on.

Reviews

[Priya Trombino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sunny Holiday is a book by Coleen Murtagh Paratore and is about a fourth grader named Sunny. Her parents are divorced and her dad is in prison. She tried visiting her dad on Visiting Day but her mom's car broke down and they could not get to the airport. Her mom works all day and is going to school online to became a doctor. In the beginning of the book, Sunny thinks that her mom and her are going to be famous for writing a book called Free All Year, which is all the things they love to do for free. They hope to meet Oprah. Sunny has a best friend who is named Jazzy and they both think it would be fair to have a kid's holiday. They think they should have this holiday in January because January is too boring and long. There is a Mother's Day and a Father's Day, but no kid's holiday. Between homework, worrying about her dad, and coming up with a holiday for kids, Sunny has a really busy life. Since Sunny has so much going on she is stressed and there are two major scenes where Sunny cried. The first one is when she is brainstorming new ideas for her new kid's holiday, and she remembers stuff about her dad. She cries because this made her think about her dad. The second time was when she was going to read her poem about Hawaii and her mom promised Sunny that she would be there but at the last minute something comes up at work and she is not able to come. Sunny is very upset she even isn't happy when she reads her poem because her mom can't come and than when the mean-bus girls Davina and Crystal start laughing at her poem Sunny just lets her anger out. Sunny is excited that the mayor is coming to town and Sunny finally has a chance to talk the mayor about her holiday. Also, she has two new ideas for the town that she wants tell him. Will Sunny take the chance to talk to the mayor and become famous?or will she be bullied every single day by Davina and Crystal and her mom and dad won't get back together? Find out in Sunny holiday!

I would rate this book a nine out of ten. Overall, I thought this was an amazing book and it was a realistic fiction book and the story line could happen to regular girls. I really liked how the author included bullying and that anyone can be put down by it. I also enjoyed that the author used lots of describing words in the story to make young readers understand more easily. I think it would be good if the author didn't include some of the parties the girls had and to find out if the dad is really coming home in the next book because readers would be pumped about the next book and to hide some spoilers. It over all was fantastic.

I would recommend this book to girls between the grades of second to seventh grades but I also think if parents want to read this book it teaches a really good lesson. It is very imaginative and a great book for girls.

[Leilani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wants 2 make her own holiday in a month theres none. ( like augest or june,or january) what i read on the back of the book...........(only on pg 3!)

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute, easy read.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. It's so cute and funny! Very well written.

[Kyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really good! I loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

now that i read this it is so good

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

i loved this book its interesting cool and fun

[Anhia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have this book at home it is very good!

[Sierra]

It was good and i JUST remembered to write this down... but ya it shows that if u put Ur mind to it u can do it!

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Sunny Holiday is a spunky little fourth grader. She may live on the "wrong side of the tracks" and get teased by the "bus girls," but she always looks at the bright side of everything.

Her mother may work endless hours cleaning rooms at the hotel across the river, but Sunny keeps her chin up and carries on. Her father may have made a mistake that landed him in prison for the better part of another year, but Sunny puts a smile on her face and is thankful for the things in life that are free.

Sunny and her friend, Jazzy, do just about everything together. They both have cats, and they love to create new games to play and projects to accomplish. Sunny's latest scheme is to create a holiday for every month. She explains to Jazzy that six of the twelve months have pretty cool holidays, but the other six are seriously lacking.

January is her first goal. She's thinking something to celebrate on about the twentieth of the month would certainly help break things up until Valentine's Day arrives in February.

This is a fun book for the elementary crowd. They will easily relate to Sunny's desire to have a kid-friendly holiday in every month, and her disappointment that the mayor's promise of a new park in her neighborhood turned into a half-dozen scraggly trees instead. The underlying theme of the need to pass the state's standarized test is an element of the story that might make it a worthwhile read-aloud for a fourth grade classroom.

This one is a bit young for my students so I'm planning to pass it along to the fourth grade teachers in our elementary building. I'm sure Sunny will make another appearance someday if author Coleen Murtagh Paratore has anything to say about it.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sunny Holiday is a bright-eyed, optimistic, African-American fourth grader living in a poor urban community in upstate New York. Her mother works long hours at a hotel for a ruthless boss, and her father is in prison, making up for a big mistake he made trying to get rich quick. Her school is also in danger of being shut down, and she's tormented on a daily basis by the girls in her class who live in big houses and ride the bus to school. Sunny doesn't let this bring her down, though. She's always on the lookout for a silver lining, and she and her friend Jazzy have big plans. There's a mother's day, they say, and a father's day, so why not have a kid's day? Sunny takes on the creation of this new holiday as her personal pet project and when the mayor comes to her apartment complex, she actually asks him to help her make Kid's Day an official holiday.

I've read some of Coleen Murtagh Paratore's other books - the ones about Willa Havisham, such The Wedding Planner's Daughter - which were okay, but I think Sunny is definitely her best character so far. I devoured this book, and just reveled in the language. Sunny has such a musical narrative voice, filled with attitude and excitement, and I felt as though I was hearing her tell me this story in her own voice, right there in my living room with me. Such optimistic and naive characters are often annoying, but Paratore managed to make me love Sunny, whose sweetness is so genuine and touching, I couldn't help but root for her. This book is an excellent lesson in how the right outlook can help us triumph over a bad situation, but it also didn't shy away from the truth of Sunny's grim circumstances.

A sequel, Sweet and Sunny, was published in 2010.

[babyhippoface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aptly-named Sunny is a spunky 4th-grader who makes the most of what life hands her. Despite missing her daddy terribly (he’s in prison), enduring hateful words from “mean bus girls”, and experiencing multiple disappointments, her upbeat attitude falters only briefly. She is proud of her keen imagination and writing ability and is surrounded by good female role models, including her hard-working mother who teaches Sunny to be honest, kind, loyal, and practical while still holding on to her dreams. An outstanding choice for a classroom read-aloud, Sunny Holiday provides many opportunities for engaging kids in discussion.

Personally, I really like Sunny. She has a terrific attitude most of the time, but, like any of us, she gets annoyed when things just really do not go her way. She speaks up when necessary, loves the Salvation Army clothes her mother buys then fancies up with embroidery, and is embarrassed when the "mean bus girls" talk about those very clothes. She's just a real kid in real situations.

[Judi Paradis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sunny Holiday is the actual name of the main character of this book. Her father says she is like a dandelion--adding cheer everywhere and growing strong and beautiful. She is, even though not everything goes well for Sunny, she is cheerful and resilient. Sunny's poor, her father is in jail, her mother works very hard and is often gone, and the girls in her class tease her. Yet Sunny talks mostly about the things that go right for her--the great people who live in her apartment building, her kind teacher, her academic success, and the great dance parties her mom runs. Sunny is a great example of someone who knows how to make things better by changing what she can. Kids in grades 2 and up will like this one.

[Bobby Simic · Rating 4 out of 5]

9-year-old Sunny (an appropriate if unsubtle name) keeps a positive outlook on life despite her troubles -- her father's in prison and she and her mother struggle financially. While dealing with these issues, Sunny decides to invent a holiday in January since there are no goods ones in between Christmas and Valentine's.

Sunny is a good role model for young readers, and there's a good message to learn from this read. Would be a good recommendation for those looking to transition from Junie B. to something with a little more weight while retaining Junie's sense of fun. The text is simple enough but still has flashes of beauty and poetry.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute story about a girl named Sunny. Her mother works hard during the day while going to school at night and her father is in jail but Sunny always has a positive attitude. Her favorite flowers are dandelions because no matter how hard things get, if they have dirt and rain, dandelions will bloom. It's not an amazing story but none-the-less a story to remind us all that there is always something to look forward to.
(This book is a short easy read. Good for kids 7-9 or older children that aren't strong readers.)

[Lorraine Der · Rating 3 out of 5]

Library Catalog

January & August are some months that could really use some holidays, or so Sunny believes. She and her best friend work hard to make that happen, getting help from friends, family, and even local government. Sunny, true to her name, is optimistic about life, even when having to face difficult life circumstances. Don't miss the sequel - Sweet & Sunny!

[Ingrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sunny does not have an easy life. This fourth grader lives in public housing with her mother. Her father is currently in jail, but will be coming home soon. Sunny is upbeat and the book has a positive message, but does come across as realistic. Not everything goes her way. I particularly liked the character of Sunny's mother. She is a great cheerleader for Sunny, but emphasizes that hard work is the only way to achieve success.

[Marcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sunny Holiday is the name of the main character, a city dweller who lives with her mom while dad serves a prison sentence. Those facts alone will make this an interesting book for my patrons. Sunny is just that--and her family and close circle of girlfriends and their mothers have a strong bond. Throw in a wonderful teacher who makes Sunny feel special and this MCBA nominee wasn't bad at all.

[Mary Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sunny notices girls who are mean, parents who make mistakes, politicians who make promises they have no intention of keeping. She also notices good teachers, good neighbors and good ideas. She is not afraid to speek her mind either. Sunny learns that a positve attitude and hard work, combined with patience will lead to good things.

[Tamara the Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story with playful use of language at times that really captures the upbeat character of Sunny. Deals with inner city issues-- poverty, father in jail, being picked on because you're poor, moms working super hard to provide for their family having to miss important kid events because of having to work.

[Mrs. P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sunny Holiday lives in a tall building in the city. She lives with her mom. Her mom works very hard to provide her daughter with a simple and happy life, while they wait for Sunny's father to be released from prison. Living in poverty cannot dim the light that Sunny shines in her school and in her community.

[Susie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sunny Holiday and her friend,Jazzy, believe every month should have a holiday included for kids to look forward to. They set out to create several new holidays. You will soon learn to love Sunny and admire the way she tackles any situation she faces.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Sentence Review: I'd love to discuss this early chapter book in a group setting with a bunch of other people, since the author seems to pull the entire endeavor off without slipping into stereotype, and I'd like to figure out how exactly she did it.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely adorable! I read it to my fourth grade classroom. Sunny is such a positive character. I hope one day my students will know at least one person like her!! :)
It was also an added bonus to meet the author! Coleen is so inspiring!!!!

[Holly]

Jan 1, 2009

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prose is as beautiful as all of Paratore's other books, with a very feel-good ending. Sunny is infectiously likable & I hope we hear more about her.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It made me feel like a kid again. The lighthearteness in here is great. Sunny is kid that has big hopes and ideas and let nobody gets her spirits down.

[Ms. Chicco · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I though some parts were quite cliche, I liked Sunny as a character and I liked the language. All the characters could have benefited from more developemnt, though.

[Haghvray0 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it was a great book, even though I read the first couple of chapters. I hope I learn how Sunny's dad got to jail.

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read a couple chapters. Not interesting enough to keep reading.