Overview

From Schneider Family Book Award winner Alison Green Myers comes a heartwarming middle grade novel about loss, friendship, and the many paths we create to happiness. Growing up at her grandparents' amusement park, Reilly Rhoades spent her life in the glow of bright lights, hard work, and sweet treats. That is until her beloved grandfather died. With Grandpa gone now, the sweetness of the park disappears, and the pride Reilly had for her family's legacy grows bitter. Without Grandpa, Reilly's family fights to keep the park going--spreading happiness to others as they struggle to find it themselves. The strain causes one problem after another to erupt, until the Rhoades family, and their amusement park, comes apart at the seams. As past traditions clash with today's realities, a new friendship splashes into Reilly's universe. With epic advice, wild adventures, and a plan (or twenty) for tackling life's twists and turns, Reilly Rhoades discovers that happiness doesn't mean you have to choose between the past and the future--sometimes building a bridge connects all the best parts of you! This Way to Happy is a rollercoaster ride that reminds readers even in the midst of life's most challenging turns, happiness can be found just around the corner.

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Reviews

""In a compulsively readable narrative fueled by characters fraught with tension, Reilly is a balm of introspection. Overall, Schneider Award winner Myers presents a refreshing story of accepting change as a positive way forward.""--Booklist ""Myers' sophomore effort effectively navigates complicated family dynamics, from the grandparents' marriage and Grandma's lifelong commitment to supporting her husband's dreams, to the sisters' volatile relationship, to Alex's challenges with his mom and stepfather. The purposeful presentation of the histories of the individual characters allows readers to understand them without judgment, and their messy dynamics feel deeply human.""--BCCB ""Via the complexly rendered characters--including three generations of strong and personable women--Myers tackles themes of addiction and recovery, divorce, and loss, and suggests that being open to happiness might be the best way to find it.""--PW ""Beautifully written and thoughtfully crafted, this story is a poignant reminder of the healing power of memories and the courage it takes to find happiness in unexpected places. A true gift for anyone who has loved and lost.""--Ernesto Cisneros, Pura Belpré Award-winning author of Efrén Divided and Falling Short ""In This Way to Happy, Alison Green Myers builds themes of family, friendship, grief, and recovery into a compelling story, in a one-of-a-kind setting. A wise and honest exploration of the bonds and bridges that carry us through life's ups and downs. A beautiful read from start to finish.""--Meera Trehan, author of SNOW and The View from the Very Best House in Town

Author Information

Alison Green Myers is a passionate educator, novelist, and speaker. As the program director at the Highlights Foundation, Alison supports storytellers with fellowships and care throughout their careers. Alison is the author of the Schneider Family Award-winning A Bird Will Soar and the forthcoming This Way to Happy. A National Writing Fellow and teaching artist with Bethel Woods' educational programs, Alison is always happy to spend time in the company of curious kids! Alison lives in the woods of Pennsylvania with two extraordinary humans and two dear dogs.

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