‘Sunny Side Up’ explores trying times for preteen

If it was a snake, it would've bit you.

Odd words from your grandmother, meaning that whatever you were looking for was practically right in front of you but you didn't see it. It was out in the open but, well, you missed it. That happens — just as there are times when you see too much and, as in the new book "Sunny Side Up" by Jennifer L. Holm and her brother Matthew Holm, you wish you hadn't.

Under any other circumstances, 10-year-old Sunny would have been excited to travel by herself from Philadelphia to Florida to see her grandpa.

But this time was different.

Much as she loved Grandpa, Sunny would miss home. It would be a whole month before she'd see her best friend; they were supposed to go on vacation together before school started, but that wasn't happening now. She'd miss back-to-school shopping for school supplies and new clothes, and she'd even miss her baby brother Teddy.

It was usually fun at Grandpa's house, but that was different, too. Sunny had to wear a visitor's pass at all times. There were no pets allowed and no other kids at the retirement community (except for the groundskeeper's son, who was nice, and who taught her about comic book superheroes). All of Grandpa's friends were Grandpa's age, and they ate dinner weirdly early. There was a pool on the grounds, but almost nobody swam there; when Sunny tried to play Marco Polo, she was told to shush, that Marco died of a heart attack a month ago.

What's worse was Grandpa's smoking and the lies he told about it. He claimed he was quitting soon because his doctor said he had to, but Sunny couldn't see it. Grandpa said that the extra cigarette packs she kept finding were for "emergencies." He obviously hoped Sunny wouldn't notice them.

Oh, but she did! Just like she noticed the pull-out sofa she slept on was uncomfortable. Just like she noticed that she was having a terrible time! Just like she noticed that her parents sent her to Florida after her big brother got into major trouble. And that, Sunny noticed, was possibly her fault.

How many times a week do you have to help your preteen find something that's practically right in front of her? Here's a tip: She'll keep track of "Sunny Side Up," no problems.

Quick to read (because it's in graphic novel form), this semi-autobiographical story offers 9- to 12-year-olds comfort in times of a family crisis with substance abuse. Brother-sister authors Jennifer and Matthew Holm explain in their afterword that, like their young heroine, they were "bystanders to this behavior" and experienced confusion, guilt, sadness and the feeling that everything's upside down. Even so, they manage to give Sunny a bit of humor, some lightness and a decent happy ending.

This isn't necessarily a book for teens dealing with issues — but if it is, I'd recommend reading it first to gauge its appropriateness. Then give her "Sunny Side Up," and watch while she bites into it.

View publishes Terri Schlichenmeyer's reviews of books for children and teens weekly.