Racing the Clouds

November 18, 2024
Thirteen-year-old Sage Prescott—who lives with her father in Virginia following an incident involving her mother—has never met her maternal grandparents. And now they’ve invited her to Ohio to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. At first, Sage doesn’t want to go. Then, she realizes it’s the perfect opportunity to learn more about her family. But her grandmother is formal and stern, and though her grandfather is kind, no one seems to want to talk about her mother, of whom Sage’s memories are a mixed bag: sometimes she’s the loving woman who taught Sage about running; sometimes she’s a stranger who “paced around our apartment like a tiger in a cage, trying to claw its way out.” Descriptions of Sage’s guilt over the events surrounding her mother’s absence, as well as the teen’s love for dogs and stellar ping-pong skills, coalesce into a fully fleshed-out character. Her struggles in learning how to cope with current and past events and accept help make for a satisfying emotional journey by Dunlap (It Happened on Saturday). The Prescotts read as white. Ages 10–15. Agent: Ann Rose, Tobias Agency.

January 1, 2025
Overcoming the past redefines family bonds in this hopeful, heartfelt story. Thirteen-year-old Sage lives in a trailer park in Virginia with her dad. She's keeping a secret about her mom hidden even from her closest friend, Alejandro. Feeling guarded and guilty, Sage obsessively imagines do-overs of the day when everything changed. When the estranged maternal grandparents she's never met invite Sage for a summer visit, she accepts despite her father's opposition, eager to accept their offer to pay for her flight to Ohio. On the plane, Sage befriends Marla, another girl who's traveling alone. Sage partially opens up to Marla, revealing her desire to look for clues to her mother's life while she's visiting her grandparents. By the time the plane lands, the girls are determined to stay in touch, and their fast friendship eventually leads Sage to a revelation of truths she was previously afraid to admit. Sage's memories of her missing mom are interspersed throughout the story, even as Sage searches her grandparents' home, looking for answers that remain just out of reach. She also befriends--and conceals--a stray dog who eventually becomes a source of joy, bringing the family closer together. The story centers on a white-presenting family; racial and ethnic diversity is cued throughout. Complex emotional themes are handled with a gentle touch in this realistic story of resilience. (author's note, author Q&A, discussion guide)(Fiction. 10-14)

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February 25, 2025
Grades 6-8 Sage and her father have relocated to a trailer park in Virginia following an as-yet mysterious departure by her mother. Upon receiving an invitation from grandparents she has never met, she takes her first flight to where her mom grew up, finding a lavish home and a somewhat standoffish grandmother. At least her grandfather makes an effort to make her feel at home, as much as he appears to be allowed. Sage conveniently sits next to a girl on the airplane whom she is able to befriend. The pair goes to a concert at a festival in their small town, where Sage learns more about her father's upbringing as a budding rock musician. All the while, she begins recollecting difficult truths about her mother, slowly revealing a story of drug addiction. Dunlap's novel is sad but delicately handled, and its extensive back matter includes a discussion guide, Q&A with Dunlap, and resources for those seeking support for drug addiction. For readers of Ann Braden'sThe Benefits of Being an Octopus (2017).

COPYRIGHT(2025) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.