READER Reviews

Ways to Make Sunshine

by Renée Watson, illustrated by Mechal Roe

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, £6.99

Review by Esmeralda, age eight

is about a girl called Ryan – her name means ‘leader’ – who has recently moved house because the house that they were renting was sold by the man who owned it. The new house is much smaller: there are no stairs – and Ryan used to play on the stairs – and the kitchen is so small that she can’t cook in there with her mom (Ryan lives in America so she says ‘Mom’ not ‘Mum’) because the table that they had in the old house doesn’t fit. Also, although she hasn’t moved too far and can still go to the same school, her best friend has moved at the same time, further away. Ryan has a big brother called Ray – his name means ‘protector’ – and sometimes he does protect his little sister but