This book was a very emotional read because it touched on grief, loss, and the feelings those losses bring. The story was well written and drew the reader in from the beginning.
There were two brief statements concerning the police and the Black Lives Matter movement that seemed politically correct. These unneeded and shady remarks took away one star from my review.
Overall though, I thought it was a good read.

Thank you to Net Galley for the chance to review this book before its publication date.

Anyone who has experienced grief will feel this story as a gut punch and a loving hug. This beautifully written novel in verse examines the complicated feelings that come after losing someone you love. A moving read for kids and adults alike.

Written in beautiful, emotional verse, Watson has us following Sage, a 13-year old who has recently lost her best friend to a drunk driving accident on her birthday. Sage's stages of grief are expertly shown going from the anger and sadness of the initial loss to ongoing guilt over moving forward without her best friend. These stages are beautifully written and often occur at the same time or in the same poems showing how grief is an ongoing process. As Sage comes to better understand her grief, she's able to open up and move forward while still mourning a huge loss. A first recommendation for all tweens, but especially those looking to better understand grief or see it reflected in literature.

I could not put this book down, and that did not surprise me since I have LOVED everything by Renée Watson that I’ve ever read. She’s an incredibly talented writer with some serious range– writing young adult and middle grade fiction, a poetry collection, and this novel in verse. She’s amazing. I can’t say it enough.

Sage’s story drew me in from its first pages. Her grief is raw. You can feel it pulsing beneath the words on the page like a heartbeat. She feels guilty for unresolved parts of her friendship with her best friend. She envies others who got to say goodbye to their loved ones. Her feelings are moving and easy to understand.

I love the sense of community around Sage. She’s part of a grief support group for kids, and even though she feels closer to some kids than others, she learns different things from each of the kids in her group. She has meaningful relationships with adults in her life, too, beyond her parents.

The book includes an author’s note in which Watson shares that she lost 15 loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic and how this made her think about the losses that children were experiencing during that time.

All the Blues in the Sky offers hope amid the heartache and reminds us how much we need our connections to one another. I love this book and recommend it wholeheartedly.

Renee Watson has given readers so many wonderful books for both elementary and middle school and all have presented life realistically and, even in the troubled times, given their characters and those reading a strong sense of hope. Her Ryan Hart books are total joy from beginning to end. Not so with ALL THE BLUES IN THE SKY. Sage’s best friend Angel was killed by a drunk drive en route to celebrating Sage’s 13th birthday and grief is engulfing her. She attends a support group with 4 other girls, has family members loving her and doing all they can to help her find ways to express and cope with such a wide range of feelings coming at her all the time, even during the conclusion where usually some light, joy and hope is experienced. There is a brief respite when Sage and a classmate, Kofi, express their affection for one another and even exchange a few kisses, but the primary focus is living with the grief that can overwhelm.

Watson’s NIV is filled with emotions and they are expressed in a way that readers will feel them clearly. Teachers could consider this novel as a mentor text for developing mood and using figurative language and excellent vocabulary to effectively convey emotion. Some readers will take comfort in knowing they are not alone in their grief, others may gain the ability to empathize as they feel what Sage feels and use the experience to help and understand others.

Should libraries need books to help students look at the various shades of grief-related emotion, Watson keeps her book free of profanity, sexual content and violence. One kiss exchanged between Sage and Kofi is on the cheek and while the other is on the lips, it comes across as being very sweet and not anything that might raise alarms among ultra-conservative readers. Main characters are Black and the race of others important in Sage’s life, such as her Math teacher and support group counselor, is left up to the imagination of readers.

Target age: grades 5-8

This book was quick to get through and gave an honest look at grief. It was easy to get attached to the main character from the start, and I enjoyed seeing her grow. I particularly liked how the character's friend was only referred to as "my best friend" until the MC had developed more and gotten to a new perspective with her grief.

All the Blues in the Sky was a poignant narrative of the afterlife of loss and grief. As someone who experienced several incidents that were explored in the book I believe it was thoughtfully and well done. I really loved the ways she positioned the guilt associated with loss, particularly when "fault" is plausible, and you constantly feel like youre gasping for air in the wildest torrent. I listened via audio which enhanced the experience so much as I got to understand Sage.

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson was such a beautifully worn story.
This is an emotional middle-grade novel that I truly enjoyed reading.

I think this is one of the best books centered around grief that I’ve read in a long time. The way Sage came to terms with grief not being linear and that each loss is painful, whether expected or not was so beautifully done. I loved how it showed her sadness, anger and guilt while also showing us some happy moments like spending time with Kofi and her Flying Program. There were so many great ways to explain grief to children/young adults and I loved that it also brought up how grief is something that you’ll feel every day, but it won’t necessarily just be in sadness. I highly recommend this one for books on grief and friendship, especially for a younger audience.
CW: death, grief, racism, police brutality, murder, cancer

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Children’s Books for an advanced digital readers copy in exchange for an honest review!

Coming Feb 4, 2025! Renee Watson's emotional new novel in verse, "All the Blues in the Sky" centers around Sage, a 13-year-old Black girl whose best friend died in an accident on her way to Sage's birthday celebration. Although she's participating in a support group for kids who have suffered loss, Sage still struggles not to drown in guilt and grief, especially as she feels like everyone else's loss is so different from hers, nobody could understand. As she works towards healing, Sage begins to understand her fellow bereaved peers, and to let go of some of her crushing guilt. She also discovers that talking with a kind boy in her neighborhood helps, too. A moving and transformational book about grief and recovery, and the validity of your feelings regardless of circumstances. Perfect for older middle-grade and younger YA readers - although, let's be real: it was an impactful read for me as an adult, too. Thank you @netgalley for the ARC.

13-year-old Sage is experiencing immense grief after her best friend dies. Watson mixes verse with prose to write this quick but powerful story. Although sad, this book also has hope and happy young teen experiences. This might not be the right book for those experiencing similar grief, but it is a strong choice for 5th-8th grade readers who might want to understand friends struggling with grief after losing a friend or relative.

Watson always weaves magic with her verse novels. And while the grief is heavy in the book, I can see where plenty will take comfort. It would be a perfect companion to [book:Mid-Air|176442928].

Main character Sage has lost her best friend in a tragic accident and the grief is overwhelming. How can she move on when her friend is dead? People try, like her aunt but attending a support group and thinking about the grief are necessary to helping her figure out her feelings. It's about what comes after the grief that Sage is trying to find and that might be in the form of an adorable budding relationship and reconnecting with others. It's emotional and thoughtful and shows a super sweet relationship between an aunt and her niece.

This beautifully written story is told by Sage, a middle schooler. She is part of a counseling group for kids dealing with grief. Sage's best friend was killed by a drunk driver and Sage blames herself. There are other kids dealing with grief and Sage tries to differentiate between her grief and theirs, which doesn't go well. The story is written in free verse and prose so the story flows easily and Watson's writing style is very accessible so lots of students are going to be able to benefit from this book. In the author's notes, Watson explains that a lot of the feelings from the book come from her own losses and that authenticity definitely shines through. This would be a great book for middle graders dealing with grief. There are themes of dealing with a loss (no matter how that loss happens) and the stages of grief, friendship and understanding, forgiveness and how coping with a loss looks different for everyone. This isn't an easy read from an emotional standpoint, but I think this one is going to be an essential part of any middle grade library.

I Felt This in My Bones

Wow! This book took me through a myriad of emotions. Sage’s grief journey felt very authentic. Her sadness mixed with guilt and confusion was so relatable. I loved getting her innermost thoughts. It’s rare that we think about the grief that comes from losing a best friend. Sage’s loss was especially profound because her best friend was a preteen. I appreciated that the story included Sage attending a support group to help her to process her feelings. Her family and friends were so supportive. She even found a sweet boy to bring some light back into her life.

This book was really special. I’d absolutely recommend it to any young person that has experienced the death of a peer or loved one. The author did a great job of addressing such a tough issue while keeping it age appropriate.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bloomsbury Children's Books, and Renée Watson for this advanced copy for me to review.

#AlltheBluesintheSky #NetGalley

This was heartbreaking but also beautiful. So many feelings for the main character to work through, including guilt. I think it would be helpful for any other kid who's been through a similar experience.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Children's Books for the digital arc. Verse and prose document 13year old Sage's painful journey as she navigates the trauma of losing her best friend in a traffic accident . She is devastated, and blames herself for the accident. Through a grief counseling group at school, she meets other girls also working through the stages of grief. It is not an easy road, and Sage has many trials, but she slowly starts to resurrect her life. This book is well written, and I wholeheartedly recommend to those interested in the social dynamics of middle and high schoolers.

Short, swift read about grief that focuses on a middle school girl's feelings of anger, guilt, and sadness following the death of her best friend. TW: for death (obviously), grief, police violence (in passing, not depicted), and cancer. This one didn't speak to me much, but it certainly depicts grief exceptionally well.

All the Blues in the Sky is a beautifully told novel in verse about a girl grieving the death of her best friend. The reader goes on a journey with the protagonist, Sage, as she feels guilt over what happened and copes with her grief. This is an important novel for any reader who has lost someone. Grief is different for everyone. Watching Sage go through it shows that it is a hard process, but you grow from it and heal. This was a wonderful story about grief, resilience, and the power of friendship.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This beautiful novel in verse offers a raw perspective on grief, but also on friendship, hope, and love. As an adult, I found myself sharing so many quotes from this book, as they are helping me through an anniversary of significant loss. I can relate to Sage and her anger, her guilt, and her tears. But I also appreciate Renee Watson's glimmers of hope and happiness, despite such tremendous loss. This book would be an amazing support for any young person who has lost someone significant to them, but can also be a window into that loss for their friends and loved ones. Watson has taken a tough topic and turned it into something relatable. I will absolutely recommend this book to students and add it to our library collection!

Watson's writing is always a gift and I appreciated the new territory she is entering with this short novel. It starts after the death of the main character's friend and shows how she grieves and carries on with life. Despite a sad topic, I didn't find it to be a tear jerker. For middle grades but relatable for adults as well. ARC from NetGalley