The Sky Blues

Product Description

Sky’s small town turns absolutely claustrophobic when his secret promposal plans get leaked to the entire school in this witty, “earnest, heartfelt” (Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author), and ultimately hopeful debut novel for fans of What if it’s Us? and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.

Sky Baker may be openly gay, but in his small, insular town, making sure he was invisible has always been easier than being himself. Determined not to let anything ruin his senior year, Sky decides to make a splash at his high school’s annual beach bum party by asking his crush, Ali, to prom—and he has thirty days to do it.

What better way to start living loud and proud than by pulling off the gayest promposal Rock Ledge, Michigan, has ever seen?

Then, Sky’s plans are leaked by an anonymous hacker in a deeply homophobic e-blast that quickly goes viral. He’s fully prepared to drop out and skip town altogether—until his classmates give him a reason to fight back by turning his thirty-day promposal countdown into a school-wide hunt to expose the e-blast perpetrator.

But what happens at the end of the thirty days? Will Sky get to keep his hard-won visibility? Or will his small-town blues stop him from being his true self?

From School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-High school senior Sky’s coming out led to his religious, widowed mother kicking him out. He now lives with his best friend Bree, and she’s helping him plan a “promposal” for his unsuspecting crush, Ali. Together, Bree and Sky write promposal ideas on the wall of his basement room, but when a picture of the wall gets e-blasted to seniors and parents, Sky goes into a tailspin. He is already kicked out, broke, unlikely to get even a community college scholarship, and now this? But more people have his back than he would have guessed. Bree, Ali, and many others decide to help Sky stand up to and expose the bully they know sent the e-blast-but in the end, is that really what Sky wants? Sky and Bree’s families are white, and Sky’s other friends and found family include characters who are Iraqi American, Black, autistic, and trans. In them, the author creates memorable, believable characters who inhabit vivid settings. Couch excels at crafting believable plot twists. This book includes mild swearing, sexual references, and high school partying. VERDICT This #OwnVoices story of a gay senior’s tumultuous last semester takes Sky from despair to resilience as he realizes he has more support than he thought. Recommended for fans of David Levithan.-Rebecca Moore, The Overlake Sch., Redmond, WAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

A JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION

“The author creates memorable, believable characters who inhabit vivid settings. Couch excels at crafting believable plot twists… Recommended for fans of David Levithan.” ―
School Library Journal

“Earnest, heartfelt, and sincerely moving. Robbie Couch writes with real honesty and compassion about love, family, and friendship in all their beautiful complexity.” ―
Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda

“Packed with twists, turns, and a whole lotta love,
The Sky Blues tugged at my gay-from-the-Midwest heartstrings. Ready for more from Robbie!” ―
Tyler Oakley, author of the New York Times bestseller Binge

”
The Sky Blues is the first book I’ve read that so fully encapsulates the dynamics of growing up queer during adolescence, without falling into the usual dramatic tropes – it’s a perfect snapshot. This story is so pure and filled with hope that I never wanted it to end.” ―
Kevin McHale, actor (“Glee”)

“This story is filled with shadows and light, struggles and wins, and with characters we can all relate to.” ―
Sarah Butland, Imagination Captured

“You’ll root for Sky… and have the joy of watching him overcome setbacks and find his own strength. This is a