Book: Sunny Rolls the Dice (2019)
Author: Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm
Genre: MG, Near Historical/Graphic Novel [1970s]
Rating: 3 Stars
Basic Plot: This is the third book in the Sunny series! Sunny is a middle-schooler in the late 1970s and she’s all about checking her Groovy-meter. How groovy is Sunny? Well… not very. She and her friend join the neighbourhood boys in learning to play D&D. But when her friend loses interest in the game, now Sunny isn’t sure if she should continue either.
WHAT’S COOL…
1) I was glad to return to the world of Sunny with this book.
2) I like Sunny’s friendship with Deb and how things start to change between them. It’s good to talk about peer pressure; and I like how Sunny learns that friends don’t have to do everything together.
3) I’ve never really played D&D before (Dungeons and Dragons), so I did find that interesting. Although, it doesn’t seem like a game I would obsess about. I will say that the cover did confuse me, but once you understand the D&D connection, it makes more sense.
4) The nostalgia of the 1970s is definitely one of the best parts of this book.
5) I love it when Gramps shows up! I just wish he was in it more. (Him and Dale!)
WHAT’S NOT COOL…
1) Sunny’s older brother Dale is missing from the plot of this story. (Note: He does make an appearance in this book, but it’s very peripheral.) While I’m glad for his sake, I think the conflict he brings to the other stories is what makes them a tiny bit better than this one.
FINAL THOUGHTS…
My rating is 3 Stars (out of 5) – I liked this book almost as much as I’ve liked the other books in the series. It’s lacking something. Maybe it’s the struggle and conflict that was always there in the form of the Dale plot line. Still a good read, even if just for the “groovy meter”.
YOUR TURN…
Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
Note: I’m posting this for Greg Pattridge’s Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday…
Of Maria Antonia 
Thanks for your review of this book. I read the first Sunny book but not the next two, though they are sitting here waiting to be read. Maybe this year…
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The first Sunny book is my favorite! Hope you get that chance to read the others…
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Thank you for introducing me to the Sunny books — I am not familiar with them. I have a lot of nostalgia for the 70s, although I was out of college and beginning my career. It was an interesting time.
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I think the books do a good job bringing out the nostalgia of the 70s! I notice how each book focuses on a few details and goes with it. In this case, it focuses on the goovy-meter of the magazines and D&D.
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I’ve wanted to start reading the Sammy books for a long time. I understand your point about conflict. It’s always the thing that keeps me interested. Thanks for introducing this series and happy MMGM!
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I hope you get a chance to read them. I really recommend the first two Sunny books. This one is good, too, in its own way.
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I never played D&D, But I like the 1970’s setting. Thanks for sharing it.
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I’ve never played D&D either, so it was interesting to read about. And yes, the book does an excellent job depicting the 1970s!
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