This Way to Happy

Myers, Alison Green. This Way to Happy 
September 23, 2025 by Dutton Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Netgalley

Reilly Rhoades knows how much work her family's amusement park and campground are, especially since her recently deceased grandfather insisted that everything be homemade-- he even whittled the sticks for the candied apples himself! She watches as her grandmother spends hours in the park's apple refreshment stand, and as her mother and Aunt Caroline, along with park manager Barnett, struggle to keep the park afloat. Her cousin Nic is enthusiastic about their work, even stepping in to take the grandfather's place on the first opening day without him. When the grandmother collapses on the first day and needs a heart bypass, the aunt announces that they are closing because of rain, angering a lot of people. After a fight with Reilly's mother, Caroline takes Nic and leaves. As the rest of family rallies in order to keep the park running, Reilly runs into a boy her age from the campground, Alex, who is very enthusiastic and wants to help. He's struggling with living with his stepfather, mother, and baby half sister in a travel trailer, and pining for his father, who lives close by. Alex has few filters, and his incisive questions force Reilly to face some of the issues she has dealing with her grandfather's death. He had wanted to install a ski lift to transport campers to the park because the creek that needed to be crossed between the two properties is slippery, but the cost would have been difficult. Alex and Reilly find a way to build a bridge, even involving Alex's father, who works at a nearby lumber yard. The park survives, even though Grandma Jean's recovery will be long, and she doesn't want to come back to work, since she is enjoying her life of ease and socialization at the senior facility. Will Reilly be able to accept this new normal? 

Strengths: Family dynamics can be very fraught, and while Reilly and Nic are the best of friends, their mothers are not. The concept of a "camp friend" for kids who live in amusement parks is interesting, as is Nic and Reilly's "job" of testing the rides each morning. The author notes that this is based on some personal experiences, which is evidenced by details like a diaper pitchfork in the pool of balls! Grandma Jean was my favorite, and I think she is justified in retiring, especially since the park was her husband's dream and not hers. 

Weaknesses: A family run amusement park that has been in operation for 53 years is certainly going to face a lot of problems, but it would be nice if there were more happy amusement park details, like the ones in DeVillers' Meet Me at Wonderland. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed the sadder amusement park books like Jortner's 2023 101 Days of Lying About Lauren or Kear's 2020  Forever Land.