Sunny (Track Series, 3) — Content Guide for Parents
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Religious themes
PRESENTContains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.
About this book
Sunny tries to shine despite his troubled past in this third novel in the critically acclaimed Track series from National Book Award finalist Jason Reynolds.
Ghost. Patina. Sunny. Lu. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds, with personalities that are explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team-a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics. They all have a lot of lose, but they all have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves. Sunny is the main character in this novel, the third of four books in Jason Reynold's electrifying middle grade series.
Sunny is just that-sunny. Always ready with a goofy smile and something nice to say, Sunny is the chillest dude on the Defenders team. But Sunny's life hasn't always been sun beamy-bright. You see, Sunny is a murderer. Or at least he thinks of himself that way. His mother died giving birth to him, and based on how Sunny's dad treats him-ignoring him, making Sunny call him Darryl, never "Dad"-it's no wonder Sunny thinks he's to blame. It seems the only thing Sunny can do right in his dad's eyes is win first place ribbons running the mile, just like his mom did. But Sunny doesn't like running, never has. So he stops. Right in the middle of a race.
With his relationship with his dad now worse than ever, the last thing Sunny wants to do is leave behind the other newbies-his only friends. But you can't be on a track team and not run. So Coach asks Sunny what he wants to do. Sunny's answer? Dance. Yes, dance. But you also can't be on a track team and dance. Then, in a stroke of genius only Jason Reynolds can conceive, Sunny discovers a track event that encompasses the hard hits of hip-hop, the precision of ballet, and the showmanship of dance as a whole: the discus throw. As Sunny practices the discus, learning when to let go at just the right time, he'll let go of everything that's been eating him up inside, perhaps just in time.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sunny (Track Series, 3) appropriate for a 7-year-old?
The narrative includes themes of guilt related to the main character's mother's death during childbirth, which Sunny feels responsible for, framing it in a way that suggests emotional violence. However, there are no explicit depictions of physical violence. No scary content or themes detected in the book's narrative based on the search results.
Does Sunny (Track Series, 3) have violence?
The narrative includes themes of guilt related to the main character's mother's death during childbirth, which Sunny feels responsible for, framing it in a way that suggests emotional violence. However, there are no explicit depictions of physical violence.
Does Sunny (Track Series, 3) have scary content?
No scary content or themes detected in the book's narrative based on the search results.
Does Sunny (Track Series, 3) have religious themes?
No religious content or themes detected in the book's narrative based on the search results.
Does Sunny (Track Series, 3) have racial/cultural content?
Author is known for writing about race and racial justice themes. While the book features diverse characters, race is not a central theme or plot element based on the search results.
Does Sunny (Track Series, 3) have profanity?
No profanity detected in the search results related to the book's content.
Does Sunny (Track Series, 3) have climate change?
No climate themes detected in the book's narrative based on the search results.
Does Sunny (Track Series, 3) have sexual identity?
The book addresses themes of sexuality as Sunny navigates his feelings and identity, suggesting an exploration of sexual themes appropriate for a middle-grade audience. However, explicit sexual content is not detailed in the sources.
Does Sunny (Track Series, 3) have gender roles?
The narrative includes themes of gender roles as Sunny is torn between his duty to run and his passion for dance, suggesting a critique of traditional gender expectations. However, the framing of these themes is not extensively detailed in the sources.
Does Sunny (Track Series, 3) have lgbtq+ themes?
The book features a character, Sunny Lancaster, who struggles with his sexuality and mental health while navigating seventh grade. This indicates an exploration of LGBTQ+ themes, although the specific framing or normalization of these themes is not explicitly detailed in the sources.
