Ryan Hart Books in Order

The Ryan Hart books follow a Black girl growing up in Portland, Oregon, as she makes her way through school, family changes, friendships, and the ordinary problems that can feel huge when you are ten. Ryan is thoughtful, funny, and almost always trying to look for the bright side. That hopeful streak matters, but these books never pretend life is easy.

Ryan's family is the center of the series. Her dad struggles to find steady work. Money can be tight. There are moves, repairs, new routines, and later a baby sister who changes the shape of the household. Ryan also has an older brother, Ray, who can annoy her one minute and make her laugh the next. Watson treats those daily family rhythms with real care, so the stakes stay small enough for younger readers but never feel small to Ryan.

Ryan notices everything.

That makes Portland more than a backdrop. The city, and especially its Black community, shapes how Ryan sees school, church, neighbors, libraries, history, and belonging. Watson lets readers feel the texture of Ryan's world, from backyard gatherings and family sayings to the ways Black history and local history show up in school projects and conversations at home. The books are warm, but they are not bland. Ryan is growing up in a real place with real pressures.

Each book has its own focus while building a bigger picture. Ways to Make Sunshine introduces Ryan as her family adjusts to financial strain and a move to an older house. Ways to Grow Love follows her through summer, church camp, kitchen experiments, and the wait for a new baby sister. Ways to Share Joy turns toward friendship knots and what it means to be stuck between people you care about. Ways to Build Dreams brings Ryan closer to middle school and asks what kind of future she wants, drawing on family hopes and Black history along the way.

These are not quest books or cliff-hanger adventures. They are slice-of-life stories, told with humor and heart, about a girl learning how to carry herself through change. Younger middle grade readers can step in easily because the chapters are approachable, the feelings are clear, and every problem grows out of everyday life.

That everyday life is the point.

If you want books that are gentle but not flimsy, funny but not jokey, and full of family love without pretending families are perfect, this series is a very good place to start. Read them in order if you can. Watching Ryan get older, understand herself better, and keep choosing joy is part of what makes the series so satisfying.