Watch the Sky

February 2, 2015
Life has taken strange turns ever since 11-year-old Jory’s father ran off and his mother remarried. Jory’s stepfather Caleb, a veteran “of a desert war Jory didn’t know much about,” has instituted many rules in the name of protecting Jory, his mother, and his siblings. From what, they are not sure. Caleb insists they watch for “signs” (which could be just about anything), always wear work boots, trust no one, and remain reclusive to avoid “the Officials” he claims are trying to regulate their lives. After Caleb announces that a meteor shower is the sign they’ve been waiting for, he insists the family begin to dig a hole in the canyon behind their farmhouse. Readers will recognize long before Jory does that Caleb is paranoid and dangerous, but also realize how little power Jory is able to exercise. In a haunting, tense, and moving story, Hubbard (Wanderlove) spotlights the unpredictability of life with someone suffering from mental illness. Jory’s efforts to safeguard himself and his family will stay with readers, as will his tender relationship with his unspeaking, adoptive sister, Kit. Ages 8–12. Agent: Michelle Andelman, Regal Literary.

Starred review from April 1, 2015

Gr 4-6-Jory's family has secrets. Not exciting we're-wizards-or-superheroes secrets, but ominous something-bad-is-coming secrets. "Signs are everywhere," says his stepfather Caleb. But signs of what? Twelve-year-old Jory and his younger siblings aren't given an explanation. Caleb's paranoia isolates the family through grueling preparations for a catastrophic event just as a new friend and a caring teacher open up Jory's world. He learns to think for himself and begins to question the well-intentioned secrets that have dominated his family's life. Caleb's tightening grip is on a collision course with Jory's expanding views and reaches a crisis in an emotionally charged standoff at the novel's climax. Which man, Jory or Caleb, knows what is best for the family? Strong characters drive the carefully crafted novel and readers feel and understand their conflicts. Caleb is no villain but a sympathetic, tragic figure, misguided but sincere in the desire to keep his family safe. It's clear why Jory's mother, loving but fragile, married him. Sister Kit, an enigma to everyone but her brother, embodies the novel's otherworldly feel. Readers can't help but root for Jory as he warily lets his guard down, discovering the simple joys of friendship and that the outside world isn't something to be feared. Hubbard's sparse, elegant prose captures the rural landscape's desolate beauty as well as its dangers and palpably expresses the family's escalating tensions. VERDICT Unanswered questions will intrigue readers in this atmospheric, ultimately hopeful novel.-Marybeth Kozikowski, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2015
Grades 5-8 Twelve-year-old Jory knows his family is different. His mother cannot handle crowds, preferring to stay home and care for her family, and his sister, Kit, joined the family the day she showed up in their pumpkin patch. She and Jory are close, in spite of Kit's muteness. But what definitively sets the family apart is Jory's stepfather, Caleb. Caleb is a veteran of an unnamed desert war who is suspicious of anyone outside the family, taking seriously his responsibility to keep the family safe. When Caleb begins to see Signs of the impending Crisis, he leads the family to dig out a bunker in the canyon behind their house. Jory's friendships suffer, his grades plummet, and, worst of all, his trust in Caleb begins to waver. Hubbard gets Jory's emotions just right: curious in school, wary of bullies, careful in navigating friendship, protective of Kit and his mom, and wanting to be thought brave and capable by Caleb. The pacing moves smoothly, balancing the everyday with the impending Crisis, and the ending ties up every loose thread. An excellent choice for discussion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)