A contemporary family drama sure to tug at your heartstrings. Thirteen-year-old Sage is an endearing main character with a lot of emotion to deal with in her life.
Sage is upset about what she did last November and wishes she could change it, hoping the nagging feeling of blaming herself will disappear. After what happened, Sage and her Dad abruptly left Philadelphia and now live in Virginia in a much less desirable trailer park home. Sage is sure her actions caused the sudden move.
Summer vacation is about to start when Sage hears from the grandparents she’s never met, her mom’s parents. They’d like to finally meet her and invite Sage for a week long visit to Ohio. This could be her chance to make everything right between her dad and these in-laws so they can truly be a family for the first time.
She takes her first airplane ride and once there feels it was a big mistake. Grandma Marion is a bit controlling and they don’t exactly hit it off. Grandpa is more likeable and seems like he is trying to connect with her more. Sage also has a new friend and she rescues a stray dog. These new friendships give her the courage to face both Dad and grandparents and say what’s been bothering her since the day Mom left.
Racing the Clouds is an inspiring story about addiction and how it effects everyone in a family. The first person narration by Sage through 26 chapters is spot-on for a 13-year-old dealing with the emotional roller coaster of a family who refuses to forgive. It’s a page turning and hard to put down story, one that had me finishing it in quick fashion.
Racing the Clouds will for sure touch your heart and I highly recommended it, especially for those age 10 and up.
BOOK BIRTHDAY: February 18, 2025 PAGE COUNT: 252
FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: RACING THE CLOUDS by Sydney Dunlap
- Having friends you can talk with shows how important they can be in the healing process. This includes new friend Marla who she met on the plane and her good friend back in Virginia, Alejandro.
- Sage had a heart condition at birth but still loves to run, something she used to do with her mother. Running also helps her deal with the rising tensions in her family.
- The dog she names Nicky is adorable and the connection with Sage will be familiar to other dog owners who have their own special bond with a canine friend.
- The events in this story will be all too real for way too many young readers. By the end though they will find hope.
- The back page material is not to be missed. That includes the Author’s Note, an interview with Sydney Dunlap about addiction, and a Discussion Guide. A great resource by itself.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sydney Dunlap is an award-winning author and former elementary school teacher who has worked extensively with youth facing challenging circumstances. She enjoys reading and writing heartfelt, hopeful books that explore tough topics that aren’t often addressed in middle grade literature. Her 2023 debut novel, It Happened on Saturday, has received several medals and was named a 2024 OLA Masterlist selection and Crystal Kite Honor Book. Her next book, Racing the Clouds, releases 2/18/25. A lifelong animal lover, Sydney lives with her family in a home where the dogs and cats outnumber the people. You can find her online at www.sydneydunlap.com.
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It’s sad that so many kids will relate to Sage’s experiences with a family member’s addiction. This sounds like a fantastic story.
It’s sad that so many kids will relate to Sage’s experiences with a family member’s addiction. This sounds like a fantastic story.
Thank you for this review. It is sad that so many families deal with addiction. It sounds like a helpful and interesting story.
Wow, Greg. It’s like you read my mind this week. I’ve been thinking a lot about middle school books, and how I’d like to feature them more on my blog. Racing the Clouds will definitely be added to my list. In a way, it reminds me of Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea. Forgiveness in families is a tricky one.
I’ve been seeing this book around a lot lately and everyone who has read has loved this emotional story. I’m making sure I read it too.
This sounds really wonderful. I love that the author included additional material. Definitely adding this book to my reading list! Happy MMGM!
This book sounds great, and it certainly covers some big issues. Sadly too many children are in these situations, so glad there is hope to found by the end of the book. Thanks for sharing!
This sounds terrific. Unfortunately, too many kids will relate to Sage’s story. I recently won a copy of this, and now I can’t wait for it to arrive. Thanks for the review.
Unfortunately, a timely story. It sounds like the back matter will be useful for kids as well as adults navigating through family addiction issues.
Sounds good.