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Back-to-School is around the corner. I would like to share the perfect chapter book for Middle Schoolers. Sky Ropes by Sondra Soderborg which I received in exchange for this review.
Sky Ropes is about a girl and the author wrote the book for Middle School students. I read this book on my own because I wasn’t sure Charlie or David would want to read about a girl. Half way through the book I knew it was a story I needed to share with Charlie for so many reasons. Like her I went to Camp but mine camp wasn’t a team building camp.
I do wish I could find a team building camp for Charlie because he needs to make friends and get out of his comfort zone and even go outside. Like the main character Charlie is afraid of heights and none of my family would have wanted to climb the Sky Ropes, an obstacle course in the air high off the ground.
Which is why I could relate to Brenna who is terrified of heights after her dad traumatized her when she was younger. Breanna figures if she comes up with a killer prank everyone will think she’s cool and not realize her fear of heights. When the camp counselors tell everyone it’s okay if you know the Sky Ropes aren’t right for you, Breanna feels hope. Others don’t want to climb the Sky Ropes as well making Brinna feel better about her fears. Brinna and the other kids bump fists. Then Cami challenges Breanna to the Sky Ropes, Breanna feels she has no choice but to climbe them which is a form of bullying which Charlie has faced in school.
Charlie did read Sky Ropes. Then Charlie discussed the book with David, and I heard Charlie tell David this novel is a good way to figure out how to face your fears. We all liked how friendships were formed. The characters contain layers dealing with fears, making friends, losing friends.
Through Sky Ropes I was able to share memories of camp the two camps I attended with my family. after I read Sky Ropes. If you know of a teacher or staff member in a middle school, please let them know their library needs Sky Ropes because this is a inspiring read for anyone 10 years and up, along with adults who are still figuring out how to face fears in a healthy way.
About:
For fans of The War That Saved My Life and Wolf Hollow, this fast-paced and unforgettable story follows one girl’s journey to overcome her trauma, discover what friendship really means, and learn that being brave is not always about being fearless.
Breanna is certain of a few things: She is strong, tough, and the greatest prankster in her entire district. She doesn’t need to meet new people, not when she already has amazing friends like Pascale and Niraj.
And she WILL NOT be ascending Sky Ropes—the highest ropes course in the state—at her school’s required teambuilding camp. No, she’s not afraid of heights!
Breanna is determined to get through the week of camp as quickly as possible, while planning the most epic prank and avoiding even thinking of the Sky Ropes. And as the week progresses, Breanna can’t help loving her time in nature, fostering a rivalry with the other competitive softball pitcher, and bonding with the other kids. But as much as she likes to pretend that she isn’t afraid of anything, Breanna knows that, come Friday, she will have to face the Sky Ropes—and with it, the fear deeply tied to memories of her father’s abuse that she has been fighting to push away.
Emotionally rich and tumultuously paced, Sondra Soderborg’s debut novel is a story about opening yourself up to new possibilities, understanding what it means to be a true friend, encountering the most difficult truths about your own self, and finding self-acceptance within darkness.
COMPELLING PORTRAIT OF ONE GIRL’S RESILIENCE AND STRENGTH: With poignant storytelling and a genuine voice, Sondra Soderborg conveys a main character with compelling struggles. Readers will relate to Breanna’s internal battles while cheering for her during tense moments and reflecting on her moments of clarity through the end.
LOVEABLE CHARACTERS: Readers will love the diverse array of characters each with their own struggles. Personalities clash and feelings overlap in a way that is true to the pre-teen experience. It’s a wonderfully nuanced portrayal of tweens that real kids will recognize right away, and that will trigger long-forgotten memories for anyone lucky enough to have survived camp.
TIMELESS STORY: With a classic summer camp setting and fun characters, this book offers an engaging narrative kids will enjoy and evokes a sense of nostalgia parents and teachers will love recommending.
POWERFUL AND RELEVANT: The abuse the main character undergoes at home is explored here subtly and authentically, steeped in the first-hand witnessing the author has done in her time as a child advocate and prison teacher.
AUTHENTIC TO THE CORE: In the tradition of Drama or Real Friends, this book makes you want to keep turning page after page. Readers of all ages will respond to the authenticity running under the fast-paced plot, making this a novel that will be meaningful for a lot of kids.
Perfect for:
- Readers who love strong characters
- Fans of action and adventure stories, books about friendship, and books set at camp
- Fans of literary books for kids
- Parents and caregivers seeking resources to help kids talk about anxiety, abuse, and fear
- Librarians and educators looking for subtle issue books
- Fans of Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Rebecca Stead, and Lauren Wolk
By: Sondra Soderborg
I write contemporary middle grade fiction. My stories center on kids who are emotionally stranded and trying to find their way forward with humor, toughness and the support of other kids–the kind ones. My books focus on realistic characters who are distinct and whose actions and reactions are complex. The kids in my books often misunderstand and miscue. They make choices that have genuine and not necessarily positive consequences. Like real kids, fictional kids are who they are. They deserve honest depictions on the page and the chance to learn and grow from exactly where they find themselves.
I have had the privilege of knowing many inspiring young people in my life. I have been a lawyer, a teacher–in a high school, a prison, and a Church–a parent, and, at last, the writer I always wanted to be.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
