All the Blues in the Sky

November 4, 2024
Sage is left reeling after her best friend is killed in a hit-and-run accident. And since she was on the way to celebrate Sage’s 13th birthday, Sage blames herself for the event. At school, she starts attending a grief counseling group where she meets DD and Ebony, whose loved ones also died unexpectedly. With the help of her new friends, her crush Kofi, and her beloved aunt Ini, Sage learns more about the grieving process. All the while, she struggles to move forward and grapples with regret over not having the chance to say goodbye. Alternating verse and prose depict Sage’s present-day navigating new and uncomfortable experiences while going back and forth between her divorced parents’ homes alongside memories with her best friend and the imagined future she wishes they had together: “We would be fantasizing about first kisses, first loves/ Dreaming about going to high school one day.” These brief yet poignant vignettes drive home the immediacy of Sage’s grief as well as the importance of remaining attune to one’s emotions in this tender and heartbreaking interpretation of loss. Sage is Black; supporting characters are racially diverse. Ages 10–14. Agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio.

Starred review from January 1, 2025
In the Newbery Honor-winning author's latest, a Harlem teen copes with overwhelming pain while learning how to open up. Sage's 13th birthday was the worst day of her life; it was the day her best friend, Angel, was killed after a hit-and-run. In the wake of Angel's death, Sage takes part in grief counseling with four other students; she connects with Ebony and DD, whose losses were sudden as well. Sage grapples with conflicting emotions, but the person who could help her sort them out is gone forever, leaving her convinced it was her fault. She wishes her life had concrete answers, like the math problems she enjoys. Instead, new friendships and a possible romance raise more questions. Finally, all her pent-up anger and sadness spill over, and Sage can longer hold in her feelings. Much to her surprise, speaking honestly helps lift the veil of sadness and sets her on a path toward healing. Watson has crafted an achingly beautiful novel that masterfully captures the realities of loss--the constant reminders of what life used to be like, the guilt that haunts Sage, and the anguish of "talking about someone you love in past tense." Sage's voice, rendered in a mix of prose and free verse, is visceral and wholly authentic, while the supporting characters are also richly and fully realized. Characters are cued Black. A heartfelt portrait of the complexities of grief and the indomitable human spirit. (author's note, resources)(Verse fiction. 10-14)

COPYRIGHT(2025) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from January 1, 2025
Grades 5-8 *Starred Review* Thirteen-year-old Sage's birthday will forever be known for two things: the day of her birth and the day her best friend died. When readers meet Sage, she is learning to manage her grief and new reality by participating in the grief group at school. Told in lyrical verse, Sage's story shows that grief is not linear; there are moments of happiness that break through periods of extreme sadness. Sage struggles with guilt, both worrying that she somehow had a part to play in the death of her friend and feeling uneasy building new friendships without her best friend. Sage has an amazing support system in her grief counselor, family, and grief-support-group friends. Her grief counselor, Ms. Carver, is a valuable support person who provides wisdom to Sage and all the members of the support group. There is also romance, as a boy that Sage has a crush on takes the time to listen and patiently help her work through her grief. With all of the support given to her, Sage begins to hope for the future while remembering all the special moments with her best friend. Sage is Black, with secondary characters of implied diverse ethnicity. A phenomenal and realistic portrayal of a teenager experiencing the loss of a loved one for the first time. A must for all middle-grade collections.

COPYRIGHT(2025) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 1, 2025
"I didn't know / best friends could die." From the very first line, Watson takes a deep dive into the intricacies of grief and healing. On her thirteenth birthday, Sage is looking forward to spending the day with her best friend; instead, she receives news that her friend has been killed by a drunk driver. Her parents and aunt provide Sage with as much support as possible, even as she observes that adults don't always know how to discuss death with one another, much less with children. She attends an afterschool grief group, where she connects with Ebony and DD, who understand "how death comes suddenly and without warning." She also finds herself drawing back from loved ones as her emotions vacillate among sadness, anger, and guilt. Her attempts to streamline those emotions prove pointless, while interactions with friends, family, potential crushes, and even her beloved math class ("where everything makes sense") show Sage there are no linear or concrete solutions in life, including in healing. Watson makes the wise choice to avoid neat resolutions to Sage's process. An author's note detailing her own recent experiences with grief adds impact to the idea that "the sadness & anger & laughter / don't wait their turn." A poignant story for all and a valuable resource for those experiencing grief and loss. Eboni Njoku

(Copyright 2025 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)