All the Blues in the Sky, by Renee Watson

         The latest book by award-winner Renee Watson, and a book getting a lot of pre-award buzz the last couple of months (the American Library Association is set to announce this years' book awards on Monday, 1/26...the newest Newbery's, Caldecott's, Belpre's, Coretta Scott King's, Prinz Awards and more will be announced that morning! The presentation isn't very exciting, but learning who this year's winners are will be!). Watson is herself already a Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award winner, so she knows how to put together a better-than-average story. All the Blues in the Sky is no exception, but not what I was expecting.

    The books is the story of Sage, who, on her 13th birthday, lost her best friend to a drunk driver. This book is Sage's processing this tragedy, in depth, in verse, in very realistic terms. In other words, it is very heavy and sad, especially at the start, which isn't a bad thing, but a very, very heavy thing, which made it tough to continue with after the first 40 pages or so. In fact, I had to make myself keep going with the story - it was so depressing I just didn't really look forward to reading more like I usually do.

    Don't get me wrong, All the Blues in the Sky is well-written, and a very real and important topic. We all have, or will, know someone who dies, and it can be terribly difficult and sad. What Watson does well is show how living through such a tragedy is not predictable, nor does it follow a prescribed pattern, nor is it easy. Sage experiences all the stages of grief, in random order, and sometimes at inopportune times. She handles it as well and as poorly as anyone would. But I don't recall reading a book where this process is the entire story as it is here. I was relieved after about two thirds through the book that Sage started to be a more complete person again. I've read stories where someone dies, sometimes a main character, but I don't recall ever reading an entire book dedicated to this topic, or this process. In this book, it works both for and against the story.

    Watson dedicates this book to "everyone who has lost a loved one, for everyone who will". I know this book will help young people along the way who are trying to navigate someone's death, and for that I recommend it. At the same time, I had hoped several times while reading it that Sage's grief was part of the book instead of all of it. But now you know - grief is all of this story, or a large portion of it. If you choose to read Sage's story, know this is what you are signing up for, and embrace the feelings she experiences. 4 paws.