In this follow-up to Ways to Make Sunshine, African American Ryan’s summer is disrupted when her pregnant mom is put on bedrest. Even though Ryan is excited for the pending arrival of her little sister, she’s disappointed by the changes to her summer routine. But she still has church camp to look forward to, even though big brother Ray is trying to make first-time camper Ryan nervous. Camp will mean time with her two best friends, Kiki, and Amanda; the trio haven’t had a chance to spend a lot of time together since Amanda moved away. News that Amanda has invited along her new friend Red, a girl who was mean to Ryan at Amanda’s birthday party, casts a shadow on camp at first. But camp activities, including creating a skit from the parable of “The Good Samaritan,” not only create opportunities for Ryan to show her leadership skills, but also to reflect and grow. An appealing, accessible novel for younger readers is notable for addressing complexities of friendship, including a terrific discussion between Ryan and her grandma about the importance of kindness, and also of standing up for oneself when someone else isn’t being kind to you.
(Ages 7-10)