All the Blues in the Sky
by Renée Watson
Middle School    Bloomsbury    208 pp.
2/25    9781547605897    $17.99
e-book ed.  9781547605903    $12.59

“I didn’t know / best friends could die.” From the very first line, Watson takes a deep dive into the intricacies of grief and healing. On her thirteenth birthday, Sage is looking forward to spending the day with her best friend; instead, she receives news that her friend has been killed by a drunk driver. Her parents and aunt provide Sage with as much support as possible, even as she observes that adults don’t always know how to discuss death with one another, much less with children. She attends an afterschool grief group, where she connects with Ebony and DD, who understand “how death comes suddenly and without warning.” She also finds herself drawing back from loved ones as her emotions vacillate among sadness, anger, and guilt. Her attempts to streamline those emotions prove pointless, while interactions with friends, family, potential crushes, and even her beloved math class (“where everything makes sense”) show Sage there are no linear or concrete solutions in life, including in healing. Watson makes the wise choice to avoid neat resolutions to Sage’s process. An author’s note detailing her own recent experiences with grief adds impact to the idea that “the sadness & anger & laughter / don’t wait their turn.” A poignant story for all and a valuable resource for those experiencing grief and loss.

From the March/April 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.