88. Ways to Share Joy

Ways to Share Joy. Renee Watson. 2022. [September] 208 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence:  I am a girl in the middle. Stuck in between my older brother, Ray, and baby sister, Rose. Being in the middle means I have my brother bossing me around telling me to do this, do that. It means I am called on to help out with baby Rose when she needs to be rocked, fed, changed. 

Premise/plot: Ways to Share Joy is the third book in the series by Renee Watson. The first two books are Ways To Make Sunshine and Ways to Grow Love. (Both highly recommended). So Ryan, our WONDERFUL heroine is in fifth grade now. The book occurs between October and November of her fifth grade year. The book begins with a Halloween/harvest festival at church and ends with a lovely Thanksgiving celebration/birthday weekend. (Her grandma is having a big, super-surprise birthday). Time is divided between Ryan's life at home (with her immediate and extended family) and at school. 

My thoughts: I love, love, love, love, crazy love this series. I do. It would be awesome to sit down and read all three books back to back to back. (Like I used to do with the Ramona Quimby series by Beverly Cleary.) Ryan Hart has to be one of my all-time favorite heroines. I love Ryan's family. (Though Ray is quite a STINKER in this one.) I love seeing her and her family celebrate. The characterization is so well done in this one. Please let this series never end.

Quotes:

"How about, for every piece of chocolate, we have to tell something we're afraid of," Then I say, "You start," because I realize for the first time that I have no idea if Dad has any fears. He's always the one coming to the rescue. I don't know what makes his heart pound, his palms sweat. .... "I'm afraid moments like this won't happen as you get older." "What do you mean?" I ask. "I'll never say no to chocolate for breakfast." "No, what I mean is--well, you're in the fifth grade now. Next year, you'll be in middle school and I...I just hope you always remember that your daddy loves you. I know I'm missing out on a lot because of my work schedule, but, well, all this hard work is for you."

I can't believe Kiki doesn't like elephant ears [funnel cakes]. We've been friends our whole lives and somehow I didn't know know this. I guess there is always something to learn about a friend, even the friends you know really, really well.

In these photos, she is just a girl. Just a girl who doesn't know she will marry one day and have two daughters and that her grandchildren will love her more than the stars love to cling to the sky.

Joy is something deep, deep down. Joy isn't always based on how you feel, but what you know. And sometimes Joy is happening even when frustration and sadness is happening. So, that's why I said what I said. Today, I am reminded of how much this family loves me. And my heart is truly overjoyed.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers