Common Sense Media Review
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Spunky girl gets summer job in charming graphic novel.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
As SUNNY MAKES A SPLASH opens, Sunny Lewin expects a boring summer babysitting her toddler brother. Then she gets a job at the snack bar of the local swim club, and learns what it means to be a dependable employee. Soon she's a valuable member of the team. Her mother is worried that she's overdoing it, but her grandfather encourages her to stick with the job. Will she master making French fries, find the courage to leap from the high board, and get the attention of one of her cute coworkers?
Is It Any Good?
First jobs are especially memorable, and this charming graphic novel portrays the joys of an entry-level job. Author Jennifer L. Holm and illustrator Matthew Holm focus on the pleasures of a summer job: new friends, budding romances, and earning money. Sunny matures over the course of the summer, becoming interested in one "sweet" boy, learning to navigate between the attitudes of her mother and her grandfather, and daring to try new scary things. The stakes are low, but Sunny is such a genuinely nice kid that readers can't help but root for her.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Sunny Makes a Splash presents a character taking on a first job. How old should one be before getting a summer job? Would you like to get one?
Why is Sunny's mom in a bad mood when Sunny and her grandfather are out late? Why is it important to communicate about family schedules?
Why does it take Sunny so long to dive off the high board? Have you ever been asked to do something that feels dangerous?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Matthew Holm
- Genre : Graphic Novel
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Graphix
- Publication date : September 21, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 224
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : July 22, 2025
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