Renée Watson - Ways to Grow Love

BY RENE WATSON

FOR YOUNGER READERS

Ways to Grow Love
Ways to Make Sunshine
Some Places More Than Others

FOR OLDER READERS

Piecing Me Together
What Momma Left Me
This Side of Home
Watch Us Rise (with Ellen Hagan)
Love Is a Revolution

BLOOMSBURY CHILDRENS BOOKS
Bloomsbury Publishing Inc., part of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
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This electronic edition published in 2021 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

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First published in the United States of America in April 2021 by Bloomsbury Childrens Books

Text copyright 2021 by Rene Watson

Interior art 2021 by Nina Mata

based on The Name Game by Lincoln Chase and Shirley Elliston

All rights reserved
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Watson, Renee, author. | Mata, Nina, illustrator.

Title: Ways to grow love / by Renee Watson ; illustrated by Nina Mata.

Description: New York : Bloomsbury, 2021. | Series: A Ryan Hart novel ; book 2

Summary: In the summer before fifth grade, Ryan Hart continues to grow through changes and challenges, such as waiting for a new baby sister to be born, a summer camp trip, and more.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020053963 (print) | LCCN 2020053964 (e-book)

ISBN (hardcover) ISBN (e-book)

ISBN: 978-1-5476-0058-8 (HB)
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0059-5 (eBook)

Subjects: CYAC: Family lifeOregonPortlandFiction. | SummerFiction. | PregnancyFiction. | African AmericansFiction. | Portland (Or.)Fiction.

Classification: LCC PZ7.W32868 Way 2021 (print) | LCC PZ7.W32868 (e-book) | DDC [Fic]dc23

Book design by Danielle Ceccolini

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For Madison Marie Hart
Your arrival brought so much joy

Contents

N OTHING IS THE SAME. Now that Mom is pregnant, everything has changed. Before school let out for summer, Ms. Colby said to my class, Have a great summer. I hope you have fun and that its full of special moments. I cant wait to hear all about it next school year. The way summer is going, I wont have any great or fun or special moments to share because all the summer plans we made arent happening. Well, they are happening, but not the way they are supposed to. Mom cant even work her booth at Saturday Market, so Amanda and I wont be there on weekends helping out and walking the aisles searching for trinkets and getting our snow cones. Since Mom and Millie share a booth, Millie offered to sell Moms products so she can still make money even though she cant be at the market.

This new baby has rearranged everyones schedule. Today, Mom promised to take me to the library so I can check out some of the books from the summer reading list that Ms. Colby handed out on the last day of school. But now she cant take me because she has morning sicknesseven though it is the afternoon. Grandma is on her way to pick me up. She said she doesnt have a lot of time, but she can squeeze it in as long as I promise to be quick.

But who can be quick in a wonderland of words and pictures?

Its not that I dont like spending time with Grandma, its just that Mom and I go to the library at the end of every school year and we pick out books and have a book club, just the two of us. And every time we go to the library together, Mom points out the books she loved when she was my age and we always sit and start reading one of them before we leave. Its been a whole week and we havent gone yet.

Ill go with you next time, Ryan, Mom says. But I know she cant be sure of that. This isnt the first time shes changed the plans at the last minute, and she always says its because of the baby. Just when I was starting to get excited about having a little sister, she goes and ruins my summer plans. Everyone keeps telling me things will be different once the baby is here, but shes not even out of my mommas belly and already shes changed everything.

Grandma rings the doorbell, and I run to answer it. Well, hello, hello. You ready to go pick out some books? Got your list? She kisses my forehead, and I run to my room to get the list off my nightstand. I am ready to go, but when I come back to the living room, Grandma is rubbing Mommas belly. And how are we doing? she asks.

Mom sighs. We are feeling seasick.

Grandma goes into the kitchen, says, Ryan, give me a minute. Im not quite ready to leave yet, and she takes saltine crackers out of the cabinet, puts a few on a small plate. Bring this to your mom.

I put my list down on the coffee table, go into the kitchen, and take the plate of crackers. While I bring it to Mom, Grandma starts making peppermint tea.

We wait for the water to boil and then for the teabag to steep. If we keep waiting like this, I wonder if all the books I want will be checked out by the time I get to the library. Ms. Colby gave that list to all of her students, and I am sure that other teachers gave out summer reading recommendations to their classes, too. If all the rising fifth graders in my neighborhood are going to the North Portland Library to check out books from the lists, I might not even get one today.

Finally, the tea is ready, and Grandma sweetens it just a little with a teaspoon of honey. She takes the mug to Mom, and when she sets it on the table, she rubs Moms hand and says, This will help. And she sounds just like Mom when Mom makes me chicken noodle soup when I am sick. She has that same look in her eyes that Mom has when I have a fever or a bellyache or a really bad cold that stuffs up my nose and makes my throat burn. Maybe all mothers look like this when their children arent feeling well.

All right, Ryan, ready?

Ive been ready. Yes, maam.

We both hug Mom and say goodbye.

The North Portland Library isnt crowded at all, and I feel bad for rushing Grandma because there are plenty of books to choose fromso many, I have a hard time deciding which ones I want to take home first. Grandma says, Just choose one, honey, you have all summer to come back and get more. It doesnt matter which one you read first.