Ways to Make Sunshine (A Ryan Hart Story Book 1)

by Renée Watson

I am a girl with a name that a lot of boys have.

he treats me like I am a glass thing that could break. He is always telling me you can’t do this and you shouldn’t be so that. Maybe because I am two years younger than him, maybe because I am a girl. Maybe because he doesn’t know the meaning of my name, how tough I really am. Maybe he doesn’t realize I can do and be anything.

These are powerful words. What message would removing this send to young readers. The book has myspgony, but that doesnt mean,ot endorses it or is about it

When it’s time to go outside for recess, Brandon, Marcus, and the boy with glasses who I never talk to are splashing around in the puddles and stomping in mud. Then they race each other up the monkey bars. I walk over to join in on the climbing but before I can get there, the substitute teacher says to me, “Why don’t you go over there, sweetheart?” and points to the swings and slide.

I was the only girl to play soccer during our recess in elementary school and middle.school. I know what this feels like. Yeah theres mysogony in this book, its all around us. I grew up experiencing it. I love that this girl stands up to it. We need more role models in our school like her.- mebtion sisters too

“It’s okay to be sad. Change is scary.”

I know that change can be scares some of you, Ryan the main character even states that change is scary. But in a lot of ways this country is changing for the better with more diversity and empathy escpecially in our youth.

“What if it was a woman who lived here?” “I’m pretty sure it was a man.” “How can you know that?” “I just know,” Ray says.

He thinks women can't own houses

a place Dad says is too far and too white.

My parents are Black and so are KiKi’s. Amanda has a white mom and Black dad.

“Child, there is no mistaking it. You are a Black girl and you have Black hair,”

“you are beautiful. No matter if your hair is straight or not.”

“Baby girl, you are beautiful. Not just your hair or your clothes. But who you are. Your kindness makes you beautiful and the way you’re always willing to offer help makes you beautiful,”

“How you wear your hair is your choice and no matter what you choose, it’s not going to determine if you’re beautiful or not. The only thing that will determine that is how you treat others. If you are mean to people, if you act ugly toward them, that’s what takes your beauty away.”

Mom told me it’s the people who make a place a home. Without love, all you have is a house. Mom is right about so many things.

I wonder if I will be the only brown girl.

All the girls are white except Sophie. She is brown, too, and much lighter than me, with curly hair like Amanda’s.

All of the other girls’ hair is wet, too, but the white girls’ hair is slick and straight now that it’s wet. The water makes Sophie’s and Amanda’s curly hair even more curly.

“Your hair looks like it got electrocuted!” Red says.

I remember what Ray said about my hair looking weird and Red’s voice, too.

I walk out of the bathroom with my best friend and my natural hair and I try to be the beautiful person Grandma says I am.

“Ryan, you don’t ever have to prove yourself. I want you to be your best for you, not to show off. You understand?”

Sunday, instead of going to church, Mom says she needs a day to rest. “Sometimes, you just need a day to do nothing,” she says. And she goes

Ray reaches out to hold my hand as we pass the house with the barking dogs. He knows I’m afraid of dogs—even dogs behind gates who can’t get to me.