Dangerous Skies (Unknown Binding)

by Suzanne Fisher Staples (Author) "I've never told this to anyone before, at least not all of it..." (more)
Key Phrases: duck blind, soybean field, Miz Timmons, Eastern Shore, Emmett Timmons (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Two close friends, a white boy and an African American girl, find their relationship threatened when they discover a corpse. "This masterfully crafted story boldly conveys uncomfortable truths about society while expressing the innocence of children," said PW in a starred review. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Unknown Binding
• Publisher: Perfection Learning Prebound (September 1997)
• ISBN-10: 0780780531
• ISBN-13: 978-0780780538
• Shipping Information: View shipping rates and policies
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (27 customer reviews)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Growing up is hard to do, April 17, 2001

By	"[e-mail]" (Galliano, Louisiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dangerous Skies (Hardcover)

After reading "Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind", I was anxious to read another of Suzanne Staple's books, and she didn't let me down. Besides the normal problems associated with growing up, Buck and Tunes also face the possibility of Tunes going to jail for the murder of Jorge. Buck's undying trust and tenacity to prove that Tunes is innocent leaves the reader turning the pages and rooting for both Buck and Tunes. This is a wonderful book to explore race relationships and growing up with middle grade to high school students.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dangerous Skies, February 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Dangerous Skies (Hardcover)

I rate Dangerous Skies five stars out of five because it is an excellent book to read and it keeps you reading more. I liked this book very much because it had a lot of excitement and it made you want to read more to find out what would happen next. In this book there was a murder and everybody thought it was this girl so that kept me reading on to see if she really committed the crime or not. There is another book like this and it is called Haveli it is a little different but it has to do with a murder. Dangerous Skies is more exciting and has more adventure. In Dangerous Skies a black girl and her dad work on Buck Smith's farm. Her name is Tunes. It all started when Tunes and Buck were out fishing and in a boat when they were fishing and they spot a dead body floating along the shore of their property. Buck suspects that it is Jumbo but the landowner thinks it is Tunes since she is new. The adults can't help. While Buck is talking to Tunes Bucks finds something out that will turn everything around to figure out who killed the person that was floating in the lake

2 of 2 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 (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.