Halfway to the Sky [Hardcover]

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Twelve-year-old Dani is running away from home, or what’s left of home anyway. Her older brother, who had muscular dystrophy, died a few months ago. Then her father left and her parents got divorced. Now home is just Dani and her sad, silent mother, and Dani’s got to get away. She plans to do something amazing, and go where her parents will never find her: she’s going to hike the whole Appalachian Trail, from Georgia to Maine. The trail is a legend in her family, the place where her parents met, fell in love, and got married 14 years before.

Unfortunately for her master plan, her mother doesn’t have much trouble figuring out where Dani’s gone. Now it’s the two of them, hiking for as long as Dani can manage to persuade her mother to keep going. But Dani’s got an even longer emotional journey to make—and it’s one she and her mom need to make together.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-Grieving over the recent death of her 13-year-old brother from muscular dystrophy and the breakup of her parents' marriage that immediately followed, 12-year-old Dani runs away from home, intending to hike the Appalachian Trail, where her parents met 14 years earlier. Her mother tracks her down in the middle of her second night away, and Dani convinces her to accompany her-first for a few nights, then for a week, and finally for just over two months. Along with discoveries about the natural world, Dani also finds the capacity to hike and to heal emotionally. She improves her relationship with her mother and is able to return home with a changed attitude that will allow her to mend fractured friendships. This is a fairly standard coming-of-age novel with the added benefit of Dani's mother also growing and healing during their time together on the trail. Although they must return home and resume their normal lives, they vow to continue their hike in sections until they complete their goal, which ends the novel on a positive note and hints at a continued closeness between mother and daughter. The book's setting provides a unique backdrop to their mutual journeys of discovery, and an afterword supplies an abbreviated history of the 2163-mile Appalachian Trail.
Ellen Fader, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. Twelve-year-old Dani has a plan when she runs away: she's determined to spend six months hiking the Appalachian Trail, from the trailhead at Springer Mountain, Georgia, to its end atop Mount Katahdin in Maine. On the 2,163-mile journey, she hopes to escape the grief of her brother's death and the wreckage of her parents' divorce. She is also retracing her family's beginnings: her parents met and married on the trail, and Dani, short for Katahdin, and her brother were named for famous trails' termini. Dani is furious when her mother finds her, but when Mother joins the hike and agrees to extend the trip, the journey becomes the means for Dani and her parents to begin the healing process and come to terms with their anger, grief, and fears. The story is remarkably affecting. As it unfolds, Bradley allows her gutsy heroine to manage extreme physical and emotional stresses in a way that's both believable and reassuring. Chris Sherman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (April 9, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 038572960X
• ISBN-13: 978-0385729604
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,009,048 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars C'mon mom just a couple more minutes, November 21, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Halfway to the Sky (Paperback)

When I picked up this book I couldn't put it down. I guess it maybe because I love to hike. Well any how this book was great. Dani has real courage and strength. I know this review is short because you have nothing else to say but "WOW". If you start this book make sure your mom will let you stay up late because like I said you cant put this book down.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read, November 30, 2004

By 

Carol Cohen (Piedmont, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Halfway to the Sky (Paperback)

I bought this book for my 9 year old daughter without knowing anything about it because she had enjoyed other works by this author (Ruthie's gift and Weaver's daughter). It was a surprise to me when my daughter suggested I read it too. I did, and was stunned to learn the brother had died of muscular dystrophy, as my son (her brother) has this disease as well. It spurred a probably long overdue discussion of his prognosis with my daughter--something I had not really ever done but I guess she was ready for. I cried through most of the book because it hit home to me how life threatening diseases affect the other children in your home (especially genetic ones). She was unusually nice to him for a few days, then went back to the normal sibling rivalry. The author handles the subject of disability, death, divorce, remarriage etc. incredibly well, at a level that's very appropriate for children.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Book Review of Halfway to the Sky, January 23, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Halfway to the Sky (Paperback)

Book Review of Halfway to the Sky

It should not be so easy for a twelve-year-old girl to run away, Dani Brown thought. But it was in the book, Halfway to the Sky, by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. This book is all about Dani who runs away because of problems in her family. She doesn't go to a place that you'd think she'd go though (if you want to find out where she goes, keep reading). In my opinion the book, Halfway to the Sky is one of the best books I've ever read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading.
In this heartwarming novel the theme of determination makes it very suspenseful. One of the most suspenseful parts is when Dani helps her hurt mom get out of a blizzard. If you want to know what happens, read the book. The theme of determination also comes into play many other times in this book. The theme in this book will make you not want to put it down.
In this book you will get to know Dani Brown and the struggles she went through. Dani Brown's real name is Katahdin, named after the mountain at the end of the Appalachian Trail. Her dad just left her and her mom to get remarried and her brother just died. Dani goes through some pretty tough times in this book. You can really relate to Dani and her struggles easily.
Even though the characters and the theme of the book are really important parts of the story, the setting is equally important. The story mainly takes place on the Appalachian Trail, that's where Dani runs away to. If you read the book you'll find out how the setting is a significant part of the story. The setting brings the whole story together.
Overall this book is touching and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading. The theme of determination makes this story very suspenseful and you won't want to put it down. It also has realistic events and characters that you can relate to. Also it's great description makes it all the more interesting. In my opinion Halfway to the Sky is an excellent story with details that bring the story to life.