Sky [Hardcover]

Pamela Porter (Author), Mary Jane Gerber (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up

Eleven-year-old Georgia lives with her grandparents, Paw Paw and Gramma, on the edge of the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana. Spring comes, and it rains and rains until one afternoon the creek behind their house suddenly becomes a wall of water, washing away everything the family owns — their house, their barn, and even Daisy, the only stuffed animal Georgia has ever had. Through sheer determination, Georgia and her grandparents gradually rebuild their lives, but it's not until Georgia finds Sky — a foal that somehow survived the flood — that the family begins to heal and find meaning again despite their losses. Based on the true story of Georgia Salois and written in the haunting voice of a young child, Sky vividly describes the historic flood of 1964 and its effect on Georgia and her people. Their courage in overcoming disaster, poverty, and discrimination provides young readers with a compelling portrayal of endurance.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5–This simple tale elegantly showcases a girl's story of triumph over adversity. Georgia Salois, 11, lives with her grandparents in 1964 Montana, near a Blackfeet Reservation. After a spring of record rainfalls, a local dam bursts and a flood completely destroys the family's house and barn. Miraculously, the girl and her grandparents escape with their lives, car, and a few meager belongings. They stay in a shelter and with Georgia's uncle until they can find a new home. While searching through the wreckage of their old homestead, Georgia discovers a foal that survived the flood, adopts her, and names her Sky. As the family struggles to put their lives back together, she learns that caring for the animal can be a form of healing, too. Georgia tells her story in a straightforward manner. None of the harshness of her life is diminished, from the extent of the flooding to her difficulties in school to the prejudice the family experiences because of their Indian heritage. Lovely black-and-white illustrations bring the characters and events to life and add to the book's charm. For those interested in history or just a good story, this will fit the bill.–Kristen Oravec, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Strongsville, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 104 pages
• Publisher: Groundwood Books (September 9, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0888995636
• ISBN-13: 978-0888995636
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,723,328 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointment, October 31, 2004

By 

Mrs. Chaska - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sky (Hardcover)

I was so disappointed in this book. It had such potential as a hearwarming story, but it turned into a "poor me" story about how hard the Indians had it. I, too, lived through the 1964 flood on Birch Creek and I have a totally different view of the devastation the flood caused. I felt it was a time that all the people gathered together to help one another and look for so many missing people.
The part in the story about finding the colt was so good. The author should have spend more time writing about that.