As the flashbacks continue, they close the gap with the present day, revealing a family struggle. Sunny’s original plans for the summer were a shore house visit with the family and a friend. The ridiculous wonder of the concepts, the easy heroism, the colorful appearances, the sound of the spinner rack, the imaginative escape all grab her attention. Sunny isn’t the only kid around Buzz, the groundskeeper’s son, introduces her to comic books, a part of this almost-memoir that many readers will identify with. The bright colors represent sunshine and summer, and individual moments are funny. The reader quickly understands that time and place while noting the universal elements of spending time with grandparents. I like the way Holm easily moves between establishing elements of the setting and details of daily life. The art is friendly, deceptively simple in a way that makes it approachable. As the story progresses, though, the reader learns more about why Sunny’s really there, and how the weight of what she’s been asked to hide wears on her. Seems ok, although she has trouble adapting to the slow pace of life in his retirement community. It’s the 70s, and Sunny’s been sent to spend the summer with Gramps. Holm and Matthew Holm unspool a semi-autobiographical story about family that packs a sucker-punch, in that you won’t see it coming but it will leave you with a new perspective on how we hurt others. Sunny Side Up is the newest work by the sibling team who created the unstoppable Babymouse.
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