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.)

I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to add it to our collection. This story is so crucial to kids who have family members struggling with addictions, and helping other kids understand how to be supportive friends to those in need. Thank you net galley!

This book was packed with emotions and a great read for kids 11 and up. Racing the Clouds follows 13-year-old Sage as she moves to the middle of nowhere Virginia from Philly. Suddenly her grandparents on her mom's side invite her to come visit them in Ohio and with that invitation comes the idea of learning more about her Mom, what happened with her grandparents, and what led to such complicated family dynamics. I loved the friends in the book, Alejandro and Marla, who surrounded Sage and were able to speak the truth about her when she could not see any other perspective. Don't even get me started on Sylvester. The approach the author took on some of the harder topics in the book was done with such grace. This would be a great read for those kids who feel stuck in complicated family matters, or who have parents struggling with addiction and mental health issues

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I’m reading by this author and she has such a power with words and talking about hard topics for young readers. She does not shy away from big things that happen to children in real life and creates beautiful stories that are engaging and also open conversations.

Racing the Clouds by Sydney Dunlap is a heartfelt and moving tale that brilliantly shows how addiction impacts the entire family system. Through thirteen-year-old Sage’s journey, we see how guilt and unspoken pain can fracture relationships. Dunlap captures the complexity of family dynamics as Sage navigates her strained bond with her father and tries to reconnect with her estranged grandparents.

With touching moments of friendship and healing—and a cute rescue dog!—this book beautifully illustrates the resilience it takes to overcome family challenges. A must read sophomore novel from the author of It Happened on Saturday.

Something happened that Sage feels responsible for. She was more interested in practicing the drums than doing her project for school, so waited until the last minute to tell her mother that she needed poster board. She keeps thinking of what she should have done differently. If only she had gone earlier. If only she had gone with her mother. If only.
Her maternal grandparents have had nothing to do with her life. Then, out of the blue they ask her to come and visit. She knows that if she could just go visit them, that perhaps things would be better, so she agrees, against her father’s wishes.
She figures that if she can find things that were her mother, that things will improve, but she doesn’t tell her grandparents that that is what she wants. She figures she can just find them.


It is a heartbreaking story, because we don’t know the whys and wherefores, just that Sage blames herself for something that happened. Telling what it was, would give away part of the story, so suffice it to say it is a shock when we do learn. But, as is always true with any story, if people just talk they can also solve so many problems. Communication is ever so important.


Didn’t make me cry, but it did make me second guess what I thought I knew.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.. This book will be published on the 18th of February 2025.

A heartbreaking middle grade story of grief and forgiveness where a girl must come to terms with her mother’s opioid addiction to move forward with her own life. 13yo runner Sage blames herself for the car accident that led to her mother needing pain killers and plays the day of the accident over and over in her mind, each time making a different decision that she believes wouldn’t have led her mother to be in the intersection when her car was side-swiped. In clear and compelling prose, Sydney Dunlap helps us feel Sage’s anxiety and yearning for something to hope for in this new normal where her cherished parent is in rehab and her entire life has been turned upside down.

Racing the Clouds goes on my must-read list! Author Sydney Dunlap provides a touching, important story of courage, family, friendship, and forgiveness. The plot engages the reader, and the characters are realistic, especially the grandmother - she is next level! I definitely recommend this book. Great for ages ten to fifteen.

Sage doesn’t want to talk about that fateful day. If only she had done one thing differently . . . if only. But when her grandparents who she’s never met ask her to spend a week with them, this is her chance to repair their family’s relationship. But when Sage arrives, she realizes this is a mistake. Can she find the courage to face her past, forgive, and move forward when her world is falling apart?

Thank you for the ARC Jolly Fish Press and NetGalley. Opinions are my own.