All The Blues In The Sky

A Middle Grade Book Review

First things first, yes, All the Blues in the Sky is a middle grade book, but that doesn’t mean adults wouldn’t enjoy it. I find that some of the MG books provide a much needed break and since they typically end on a positive note, you aren’t feeling drained after reading them, even if they were emotional. So yes, this would be a good read for you and your kids.

All the Blues in the Sky is a novel by Renee Watson that shares the story of a new teenager, Sage, and dealing with grief after the death of her best fried—on her birthday. The novel is told in verse and I was able to finish it in about an hour, so it isn’t a long or frustrating read at all. Sage, who is thrust into her school’s grief counseling group, comes face to face with others dealing with grief and she, like most who lose someone close, isn’t really sure how she is supposed to carry on or move forward.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sage is thirteen and her best friend died on her birthday, on her way to Sage’s house no less. Of course, Sage couldn’t know that a drunk driver would run a red light or that her friend would be in a rush. Sage didn’t know, but still she feels guilty. Watson takes us, from Sage’s perspective, through the stages of grief.

Stars: 4.5/5

Honestly, I love this novel and if I had middle grade relatives near me, I would force this into their hands because it’s something that needs to be said. People die. Young, old, regardless of race or religion or class. People die. And those who are left have to find ways to cope. As we see Sage and the others in her afterschool group come to terms with their various losses (whether to police brutality or terminal illness), we also begin to see Sage walk this new normal.

The use of verse really works to hit the emotion for me, Watson did a magnificent job. We get the anger, the uncertainty, the bitterness, even the self-loathing, all of which is magnified through the syntax and word choice, even when a 13-year-old girl doesn’t really have the vocabulary to put it all into words. If I were a teacher, this is a book I’d have in my in-class library because it’s one that I think would help any student dealing with loss, grief, or a big change in their life, especially when they don’t feel as though they have agency. And honestly, it’s one I would reread.

Oh, and it’s out now! So snag it from your favorite indie bookstore!

Let me know if this sounds like a good book!