Much like Sydney's debut book, her second middle-grade novel "Racing the clouds" takes on a big, heavy topic and makes it relatable and approachable to y0ung readers. Sage is a thoughtful young girl who feels responsible for her mother's addiction. Her mom is away at rehab and as their reunion approaches, Sage is invited to spend time with her maternal grandparents who she has never met. What follows is journey of revisiting the past and trying to rebuild all the broken relationships, while also shining a light on how easily misunderstandings and fear can prevent us from being there for each other.

Although the story is about the effect of addiction on loved ones, it's also about moving past preconceptions and prejudices. A multi-layered story and an engaging read!

Racing the Clouds is a beautifully gripping book about a middle school girl , Sage, who deals with a heavy burden. Through intricate storytelling, and "what-if" scenarios, the author, Sydney Dunlap, details the precise thoughts and emotional baggage a child deals with when it comes to having a parent with an addiction problem. The story is told through Sage's eyes and her relationship with her Dad, Mom and estranged grandparents. When her grandparents, whom she has never met, send her a letter to visit them for a week, she grapples with the feelings of not knowing her family and a self imposed responsibility to "fix" everything. The story unfolds in her decision to visit the grandparents she has never met, in efforts for her to know her past and help their family be a real family again. I audibly gasped a little over halfway through the book, as the author shared more and more about the realities of Sage's life, and the complexities of family relationships burdened by addiction. The bright and realistic hope at the end of the story is one that will reach the heart of every reader who devours this story's pages. Thank you so much to the author and publisher for an early copy of this story, it was beautifully told, and heartwarming to finish.

I was lucky enough to read an eARC of RACING THE CLOUDS and my heart is currently filled to the brim with warmth after finishing such a beautiful story about difficult family topics. Sage was an easy protagonist to root for and so real in the way she desperately wanted to “save” her family while never knowing the perfect way to go about it (because she’s a KID after all!) I especially adored her relationships with Alejandro, Marla, and (of course) Nicky. I am always a sucker for a story with a rescue dog plot!

The overall message really hit home of how important it is to step inside someone else’s shoes to understand where they’re coming from and how it’s never too late to try to take accountability and fix things. I appreciated that in the end it was clear that no one person was at fault for the family issues, but that they must all work together to create a better future. RACING
THE CLOUDS is incredibly poignant and masterfully written. Sydney Dunlap is a must-read in the middle great space!

I loved this book! Sage's journey was compelling from the very first page. She is such a likable, relatable character. Her situation gives readers important insights into the realities facing families struggling with addiction. The story is told with compassion and the pace is just right. I couldn't put this book down and recommend it highly for middle grade readers as well as adults!

Excellent read! This is the story of Sage, whose life has been turned upside down since her mother's accident--an accident for which Sage blames herself. When she gets a letter from her estranged grandparents requesting that she come for a visit, Sage decides to go for it, hoping she can repair all the damage that her family has been through. The story unfolds in bits and pieces, making it an intriguing read that will keep young readers turning the pages as the details emerge--a great way to tackle the tough topic of a loved one's addiction and treatment. Sage finds allies in unexpected places, and she, as well as many of the other characters, learn about acceptance and forgiveness, and that sometimes no one is to blame. Hopeful, heartwarming, and realistic.

Another incredibly important book by Sydney. I think all of her books are going to be relatable must-reads.

Racing the Clouds by Sydney Dunlap is a heartfelt contemporary middle grade novel that follows thirteen-year-old Sage, who blames herself for the accident that led to her mother’s opioid addiction. When she’s invited to visit the grandparents she’s never met, Sage sees it as an opportunity to mend her fractured family. What she doesn’t expect is the complexity of her grandparents' story, the uplifting bond she forms with a new friend, and the rescue of a stray dog that brings her closer to her grandparents. In one week, Sage discovers the power of forgiveness, the intricacies of family relationships, and the courage to move forward with hope.

This novel is a delightful, engaging story that tackles heavy topics like family drama and a parent’s substance abuse in a way that is accessible and compassionate for young readers. It avoids being preachy or overly dark, instead offering a realistic and hopeful window into Sage’s life—one that many kids may recognize or relate to. The family drama, particularly with Sage’s grandparents, felt authentic and layered, and I appreciated how the story allowed space for healing and growth without forcing resolutions. Sage’s friendships with her peers added warmth and showed the importance of having a supportive circle during tough times. Sydney Dunlap has created a touching, well-balanced story that is both meaningful and empowering for middle grade readers. Five stars!

Sage's story grabbed me from the very first page. This book is beautifully crafted, with flashbacks seamlessly woven in as the main character grapples with a very tough situation and gradually allows herself to think about what she has been trying so hard to avoid remembering. There are many lighthearted moments with friends and a rescue dog, and more serious times as Sage finds her own resilience while seeking to repair an estrangement in her family that happened before she was born. The story should be helpful to any kid (or adult) going through a challenging experience. It should also help people understand a little better what it's like to have a family member with a drug addiction and enable those in that situation to potentially see some of their emotions and experiences reflected. So timely and important, and the back matter could truly prove life saving for young readers as it addresses the opioid crisis and fentanyl in a very age-appropriate manner. Would be a great community read.

Sydney Dunlap did a fantastic job at taking a really hard issue and making it accessible to young readers. Sage's mom is in rehab and Sage has to learn how to manage her new life without her. There is a lot of confusion, guilt, and uncertainty surrounding the situation. On top of that, Sage is invited to visit her maternal grandparents - people she's never met before or had anything to do with her. But she hopes the visit will somehow bring her family back together again. Include a couple of good friends and a stray dog and you have a deeply emotional story of what it means to not only forgive others, but how to forgive yourself.

This one just didn't land for me. It felt forced and wooden at times and Sage's belief that it is her fault that her mother became an addict felt like far too much of a reach for a kid of her age. The inclusion of the dog felt random. The topic is certainly timely and I'm sure there are folks who will love it, but it just wasn't for me. TW: drug addiction, child neglect

RACING THE CLOUDS is a beautiful, heartfelt middle grade novel about family, forgiveness, regret, and so much more. And it’s made all the more powerful by an unexpected twist!! It’s a wonderful read for anyone, but especially for kids going through a rough time.

Wonderful middle grade realistic fiction to add to our library. Sage is a believable protagonist who is kind, smart, and troubled. Sent to live with her grandparents, our middle school readers will be rooting for her all the way!

It had a slow start but started picking up at the 25% mark. There was a big plot twist that I did not see coming around 2/3 of the way through. Overall a good story that I really enjoyed, fun characters and strong plot. I found the narrative a little repetitive at times; there are multiple chapters where the main character imagines different endings to a scenario and they all started with the same paragraph, I found myself growing bored of them after a while.

Racing the Clouds by Sydney Dunlap takes on the serious topic of prescription medication addiction. Still, it introduces it in a way that is easy for upper elementary/ middle school students can understand. The author also does a nice job of keeping the mystery of what happened to Sage's mom a secret until towards the end of the novel. The reader likely assumes that Sage's mom has passed away, but is surprised to find out that is not the case. The foreshadowing throughout the novel hints that there may be something more than the mom passing, which is a great mini-lesson for students in an ELA classroom.

My only critique is that I feel that the relationships between Sage and her grandparents seemed a little too "perfect" in the end. I also felt like when sage had her "aha moments" about Grandmother Marion, it seemed just really fast. For example, when Grandma Marion was super accepting of the Dog when she was not accepting of basically anything prior to that.

Overall, such a cute, light-hearted novel about finding family, going through hardships, and overcoming traumatic experiences.

P.S. It was infuriating (in a good way) when Grandmother Marion didn't let her finish the ping pong tournament!

Racing the Clouds is about a thirteen-year-old girl named Sage who wishes that she made a different decision last November. If she did, she believes everything would be fine. Because she didn't, she and her dad moved. Just before summer vacation, Sage receives a note from grandparents she has never met and wants her to visit. There was a falling out between her parents and them, but Sage believes she could learn more about her mom if she went. During her trip, she befriends a girl and learns about her grandparents. She also learns more about herself. This is a wonderful story of regret, resilience, forgiveness, and hope.

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

It was an honor and a privilege to read this touching, wonderful novel early. Kids will love this moving story, and parents/adults need to read it, too! This topic is so important, and the author handles things very thoughtfully and sensitively!

I read this book with my older grandchildren over the course of a few nights. It is such an emotional and touching book. As good books should, it started many difficult conversations that probably we would not have had if it were not for this book. A new classic.

Thank you so much to North Star Editions/ Jolly Fish Press and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

Sage leaves her school project to last minute, forcing her and her mom to go and get what she needs. Whilst out they are in a car crash, now her mom is addicted to her pain meds and is seeking help in rehab. That means that Sage is staying with her estranged grandparents she’s never met, but whilst there she hopes she will become closer to her mom.

This was a really touching, emotional and heartbreaking story but so beautifully written, on such a delicate storyline too. Sage blames herself throughout and struggles to forgive herself for what happened with her mom, believing her dad blamed her too. Spending a week with her estranged grandparents, it helps her learn so much and with her new friends and her stray dog she finds they help her to see another perspective of what was going on.

This a really great read it’s hard hitting and deals with some difficult topics from self blame, to addiction, to abandonment by parent, dysfunctional family dynamics, to meeting extended family member’s and strict controlling parenting. All these topics are handled incredibly well throughout, dealing with them appropriately.

This book would be a great read for many, but especially to children and teens going through a similar situation with a parent struggling with a drug addiction, the whole subject is correctly dealt with, shared and explained and I think that readers would really find it relatable and helpful. The book also kindly features resources, help and a Q&A with the author at the end to further help the reader, which I always appreciate in books and especially ones dealing with such difficult topics.

It is well-written and emotional. It's a wonderful story that can be read by young readers but also adults. It deals with addiction, reconciliation, and family issues and how young teens can react to these when they start having a voice and a relevant opinion. It can be relatable to those who have parents or kin in this situation, but it also is a great story to learn empathy and how to be a better friend to those living in such a sad situation. Sage does what she thinks best; she is trying to keep everyone's interests in mind and make things work, but even when trying to do good, one can make mistakes. I love the reminder of what it may be to be in someone else's shoes. There are plenty of great, valuable life lessons in this story.
After 13 years of never meeting her grandparents, she decides to accept their invitation, and those seven days will change everything.
The book includes resources and help. The Q&A with the author at the end offers a lot of good information about addiction, why, and how to act. The warnings are welcomed, and I hope this book has a lot of readers.

Real life is hard. When Sage is invited to her grandparents house, grandparents she has never met, she hopes it will answer all the questions she has about her mother and why they never wanted to be part of her and her father’s lives. This heartfelt story explores the complexity of family relationships and the value of forgiveness. This book deals with sensitive issues in a caring way. (Substance abuse, withdrawal, rehab, a very controlling parent, dysfunctional family dynamics, and parental separation.)