Dangerous Skies [Hardcover]

Suzanne Fisher Staples (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 24, 1996 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

A Season of Change

Along the Virginia shoreline where their families have lived for generations, Buck and Tunes Smith defy tradition. Raised together like brother and sister, they are bound by surname, but not by skin color. And just as Buck has come to rely on Tunes, Tunes has come to trust that even in a place where race can mean so much, their friendship will remain as dependable as the tides.

But then the horrifying events of one spring afternoon tear them apart -- and change their world forever. Desperate to hang on to the thing that he values most, Buck struggles to uphold their friendship -- without realizing that his efforts are pushing Tunes farther and farther away.

From a Newbury Honor -- winning author, this is a powerfully moving story of friendship in the face of racism, and betrayal in the name of loyalty.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Through down-to-earth prose, Newbery Honor author Staples (Shabanu; Haveli) sharply evokes the loss of childhood and the effects of racism in a contemporary rural town on the shore of Chesapeake Bay. Buck and Tunes, both 12 years old, have been like brother and sister even though Buck is white and Tunes is black?but on the day the two discover a corpse floating in a channel, the differences between their lives become overwhelmingly apparent. Tunes stands accused of murder, and narrator Buck's loyalty to her faces a severe test. Chased by both the authorities and the real killer, Tunes goes into hiding, but her respite proves only temporary. Like To Kill a Mockingbird, this masterfully crafted story boldly conveys uncomfortable truths about society while expressing the innocence of children. Staples contrasts all that is natural and good about the protagonists' friendship against the lies that ultimately tear apart their relationship. The ending may defy readers' wishful expectations, delivering instead a bracing and resonant statement about justice and judgment. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-Before leaving for college, Buck Smith recalls the defining moment of his life, which occurred when he was 12. His closest friend, Tunes, is the motherless child of the black family who has served the Smiths since slavery days. When a local Hispanic farm-labor manager is found with a bullet from Tunes's gun in his head, and the richest man in the county swears she was having an affair with the dead man, Buck is convinced that she is innocent. He is stunned when his father refuses to help and counsels him to put distance between himself and Tunes. Even more incomprehensible, her father gives him the same advice. Tunes's running away puts both of the young people in the path of unspeakable evil. Staples has drawn a fascinating picture of an isolated, antiquated way of life along Virginia's Eastern Shore. There are many colorful supporting characters, and the author masterfully delineates the way that racism can divide people who truly care about one another. Buck comes to believe that life has both beautiful and destructive cycles, just as the Chesapeake Bay does, but that one must survive and forgive. Although it is easy to become enthralled with Staples's ability to convey place, tone, and mood, there are some problems with characterization and voice. The villain seems a bit flat, and it is hard to understand why anyone would believe the sexual accusations he levels at Tunes. Buck's understanding of the story he is relating seems uneven. And, sadly, readers are left wondering if there is any hope of true justice. Not as successful as Shabanu (Knopf, 1989), but interesting as a look at a fascinating subculture in a remarkably defined place.
Cindy Darling Codell, Clark Middle School, Winchester, KY
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); 1st edition (September 24, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374316945
• ISBN-13: 978-0374316945
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,668,554 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Racism, June 2, 2007

By 

A. Luciano (Lowell, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dangerous Skies (Paperback)

Buck and Tunes have always been best friends, even though Buck is white and Tunes is black. When Tunes' mom died when she was a baby, Buck's mom treated Tunes like her own little girl. It helps that Tunes' father works on the farm of Buck's parents. All that Buck and Tunes want is to be left alone to fish and find crabs near the water. Up until the summer they turn thirteen, that has been the case.

One day while out in Buck's boat, they find a body in the water. A friend of theirs, an older man with a family who works as a laborer on the farms nearby, is dead with his skull smashed and a bullet hole in his forehead. Tunes immediately jumps out of the boat and walks away; she doesn't want to have anything to do with this dead body. Buck tows it back to shore and tells the story of finding it, saying that Tunes was not with him at the time. He isn't sure why she doesn't want to be involved, but he will do his best to protect her.

Soon a horrible rumor is spread about Tunes, possibly in an attempt to divert attention away from their friend's killer. As things get more and more dangerous for Tunes, Buck's family backs farther and farther away from her. Buck is horrified. Could they really be so blind to the truth?

I liked that this story was truthful about racism. Bad and unfair things happened to Tunes because of her skin color, and this book didn't sugarcoat that fact. I liked that Buck continued to stand up for his friend, though, despite what others said about her. I was disappointed by the ending of the book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dangerous Skies, August 26, 2004

By 

Alison P. (Cranford, NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dangerous Skies (Paperback)

I enjoyed reading this book. It was somewhat like a mystery and the characters were interesting. The book deals with the subject of prejudice which is something I don't agree with. I think Tunes and Kneebone were treated very unfairly and Tunes is never fully believed. Jumbo represents evil in the story while Buck and Tunes represent goodness. I was very surprised by the ending. I would recommend this book for readers between the ages of 11-14.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dangerous Skies, March 10, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Dangerous Skies (Hardcover)

The plot of the story is in the Chesapeake Bay.
It is around the 1700's at Virginia's eastern shore. The main characters are Buck and Tunes Smith. Buck's family used Tunes' dad (Kneebone) as a slave before she was born but was nice to him. Once Tunes was born Buck was born around the same time as she was. They became best friends until they found the dead body of one of theirs friends while they were out on the water some day in spring. Tunes ended up getting out of the boat since she saw the dead body. Buck pulled the body into shore and was questioned by the sheriff. Buck didn't want to get Tunes involved so he acted like she was never there when they found the dead body. Later in the story Buck told his dad the Tunes had been with him while on the water and his dad made him go back to Sheriff and tell him that Tunes was involved. They then convicted Tunes of the crime but there was a mean man that lived close to them. You will have to read the rest of the story to find out what happens next. I like this book because it was non stop action and there was a lot of friendship involved. This is one of the best books. I would give this book five out of five stars since it is fun and exciting.

By: Curtis Martin