Racing the Clouds

Gr 4-7–Dunlap’s latest novel is another approachable yet realistic and empathetic stories about children whose lives have been immensely impacted by addiction issues in their immediate families. This work follows 13-year-old Sage as she spends the summer with her grandparents, whom she has never met before. At first, all readers understand of Sage’s situation is that she lives with her frazzled father and that there was an incident with her mother some months ago, and now Mom is no longer around. With the help of a rescue dog named Nicky, Sage bonds with her grandparents. More the truth of Mom’s situation unfolds, as well as years of hurt and betrayal within her family. Dunlap manages to keep the story breezy while never ignoring the emotional depths of the situation, letting Sage—and possibly readers—come to a place of healing at just the right time. The back matter includes a Q&A that addresses age-appropriate information on opioids meant to keep readers informed and safe.