Georgie, a.k.a. “G-baby”, is an average eleven year old doing her best to manage above-average problems. Her parents recently divorced and she moved from her old neighborhood in the city to a new one in the suburbs.

Of course, it’s not just a new home that plagues her, but also navigating new relationships with her stepfather and stepsister. G-baby and her sister, Peaches, want nothing more than for their older stepsister to be like a “real” sister. Instead, Tangie spends all her time locked away in her room. Georgie and Peaches also gained a new stepmother, Millicent. She and their dad bought their old house in a gesture meant to bring them closer together. Instead, Georgie continues to resent Millicent and finds reason after reason to dislike her.

I enjoyed “Love Like Sky” because it felt real. As I followed Georgie’s journey it resonated with me; my parents divorced when I was young so I know what it’s like to move homes, blend families, and pack a bag every weekend. Georgie’s frustrations and struggles, particularly at her stage in childhood, are extremely relatable.

Georgie herself is another reason to love this book. She is kind-hearted, courageous, and loyal, even when it hurts. She believes the best in people while also seeing what’s really inside their hearts. Georgie wrestles constantly with how to do the right thing—how to protect someone she loves even when that means betraying their trust. She seeks justice, loves people even when they aren’t very likable, and goes the extra mile to make things right.

Overall, “Love Like Sky” was a fantastic middle grade story. My only concern was that it felt like the author was trying to tackle too many issues. With bullying, divorce, illness, first love, grieving, etc., there were many big things going on; it was a lot for one little girl and one middle grade story. However, I also appreciated the way these topics were handled and addressed. Empathy, forgiveness, and justice reigned in big ways throughout the story. I highly recommend this book and would excitedly add it to my own personal library for my kids to read in the future!

Love Like Sky is written perfectly for middle-school aged children. As the mother of both a 7 and a 9 year old, I’d be excited for my girls to read a story with flawed characters but boasts unbreakable bonds, love and resilience. I enjoyed this well-written work.

I received an advanced review copy (ARC) of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Synopsis from Publisher/NetGalley.com
Ages 8-12
"Love ain't like that.""
How is it then?" Peaches asked, turning on her stomach to face me.
"It's like sky. If you keep driving and driving, gas will run out, right?"
"That's why we gotta go to the gas station."
"Yep. But have you ever seen the sky run out? No matter how far we go?"
"No, when we look up, there it is."
"Well that's the kind of love Daddy and Mama got for us, Peaches—love like sky."
"It never ends?"
"Never."

G-baby and her younger sister, Peaches, are still getting used to their "blended-up" family. They live with Mama and Frank out in the suburbs, and they haven't seen their real daddy much since he married Millicent. G-baby misses her best friend back in Atlanta, and is crushed that her glamorous new stepsister, Tangie, wants nothing to do with her.

G-baby is so preoccupied with earning Tangie's approval that she isn't there for her own little sister when she needs her most. Peaches gets sick-really sick. Suddenly, Mama and Daddy are arguing like they did before the divorce, and even the doctors at the hospital don't know how to help Peaches get better.

It's up to G-baby to put things right. She knows Peaches can be strong again if she can only see that their family's love for her really is like sky.

Easy read for middle school with many current issues reflected in G-Baby's life. I found the main character a bit too dramatic for my liking but then again, most middle schoolers live in drama land. A solid choice for a middle school library with a decent budget.

After G-Baby's mother remarries, she and her sister Peaches are uprooted from their home and friends when they move in with their new step-dad. G-Baby has trouble blending in to this new extended family and misses her former neighborhood and friends. When tragedy strikes her family, everyone pulls together and G-Baby realizes what's really important.

I found this book to be rather slow-paced and the main character was a tad bit annoying but it also had a pertinent message about dealing with blended families and dealing with family illness that would be beneficial to a lot of young readers.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was drawn to Love Like Sky after seeing some other book reviewers and teachers recommend it on social media. I was also drawn the simple, yet elegant cover. I began reading and was immediately drawn in by the overwhelming sense of love between the two sisters, G-Baby and Peaches. As I read, I found myself laughing and crying. I found myself identifying with this very accurate portrayal of divorced families and how the children feel about step families. I had many of the same experiences with step families and divorced parents and really appreciated how the author intertwined this into the story. It felt real and was not overdone or unbelievable. I am definitely buying this book for my classroom library and will be recommending to many of my students and fellow teachers.

Description
"Love ain't like that." "How is it then?" Peaches asked, turning on her stomach to face me. "It's like sky. If you keep driving and driving, gas will run out, right?" "That's why we gotta go to the gas station." "Yep. But have you ever seen the sky run out? No matter how far we go?" "No, when we look up, there it is." "Well that's the kind of love Daddy and Mama got for us, Peaches--love like sky." "It never ends?" "Never." G-baby and her younger sister, Peaches, are still getting used to their "blended-up" family. They live with Mama and Frank out in the suburbs, and they haven't seen their real daddy much since he married Millicent. G-baby misses her best friend back in Atlanta, and is crushed that her glamorous new stepsister, Tangie, wants nothing to do with her. G-baby is so preoccupied with earning Tangie's approval that she isn't there for her own little sister when she needs her most. Peaches gets sick— really sick. Suddenly, Mama and Daddy are arguing like they did before the divorce, and even the doctors at the hospital don't know how to help Peaches get better. It's up to G-baby to put things right. She knows Peaches can be strong again if she can only see that their family's love for her really is like sky.

My Thoughts:
I am showing my age and upper elementary or tween readers do not know Judy Blume's work as well as I did at this age, but this book reminds me of a Judy Blume book because the perspective of the main character stays true to that age. Youngblood, like Blume does a great job of speaking to girl tween readers at their level. The author tackles the difficulties of fitting into a blended family, navigating the middle child issues, balancing love for both parents and step parents, loyalty, guilt, friendship, sisterhood, bullying and young love.

Love Like Sky legitimizes the complexities that even tweens go through. They are young but want to be old. They want to know what is going on and do not want to be treated like babies or "protected" from the truth.

This is both heartbreaking and uplifting -- always a good combination.

Last words:
We'll love her. . .like sky," I whispered, and wished for the wind to whisk my words straight up to heaven.

So first of all, the sentiment: a love like the sky, which never ends. I'm crying already.
Next, the cover: Georgie- a young girl with such a serious almost sad look in her eyes, the title written in strips of sky floating around her; her shadow which subtly shows the bond Georgie has with her little sister Peaches...Ugh! The cover is so good! I just adore Vashti Harrison's art!
Finally, the book itself: a realistic, heartfelt portrayal of a modern middle schooler- family strife, divorce, blended family, friendship trouble, social issues/racial justice...this book dealt with a lot, but it was perfectly balanced and felt organic & true- never forced.
Just lovely!

I had the opportunity to read a NetGalley digital ARC of this middle grade novel in exchange for a review. So many families experience stress when divorce occurs, and the original partners marry other people and bring different members together into what is called “blended families”. Children usually bear a large part of the burden when they have to adjust to two different households and build new relationships with stepsiblings. This realistic fiction story addresses that in a way that many middle grade students will be able to relate to.
Georgie reminds me of a lot of the fifth-grade students I used to teach. She is often in the middle of the drama of shifting friendships, peer pressure, and the beginning of interest in boys. But since her mother remarried and moved out to the suburbs of Atlanta, she is adjusting to a new neighborhood and a new, older stepsister that seems to dislike her intensely. But when suddenly her younger sister, Peaches, becomes critically ill, Georgie’s life is turned upside down. This book follows the whirlwind drama of Georgie trying to find a way to help her sister, help her best friend with a bullying situation, and get Tangie (the older stepsister) to like her.
The author does an excellent job of telling the story from Georgie’s point of view, using the authentic voice of an adolescent girl that is impulsive, argumentative, and immature. Middle grade readers will definitely recognize themselves in these interactions. There are some great learning moments for Georgie, as she learns just what family is and different ways of loving others. This book would be terrific for those who enjoy reading stories about all kinds of families.

In the opening scene of LOVE LIKE SKY, G-baby is entertaining her younger sister Peaches by repeatedly dancing the "Nae Nae" and the "Dougie." I defy anyone to read this and not smile. I believe that would be impossible.

LOVE LIKE SKY is set in the town of Snellville, Georgia, where eleven-year-old G-baby, her younger sister Peaches (real names - Georgiana And Patrice) and their mother have moved to a new town after their mother's marriage to their new stepdaddy, Frank. G-baby had initially been excited about the marriage because it meant she would be gaining a big sister. However, she has since discovered that her new stepsister wants nothing to do with her or Peaches. On top of all the other changes, G-baby misses her best friend Nikki, whom she left behind in Atlanta.

G-baby becomes obsessed with trying to get her new stepsister to pay attention to her. This leaves baby sister, Peaches at loose ends and feeling left out.

When Peaches gets really sick, neither her parents nor her doctors know how to make her better.

G-baby is convinced that she knows how to make Peaches better. She just has to figure out how to convince her that her family loves her as much as the sky is wide.

Blended families are more common than not which means that many readers will be able to relate to the struggles that G-baby and Peaches face. The topic of blended families is only one of the many themes explored in this amazing debut novel. Other themes include:
- Divorce
- Parents fighting
- Death of a sibling (not Peaches, so don't think I am giving away any plot points)
- Moving to a new town
- Leaving friends behind and trying to make new ones
- Hospitalization and siblings with a  serious illness
- Growing up and a girl's changing body and feelings
- Racial inequality
- Peaceful protests
- Trayvon Martin and the shooting of unarmed young, black men
- Parents getting remarried and jealousy of the new spouse
- and many more.

The author does an incredible job of making the characters feel real. For instance, G-baby's father has remarried and his new wife's name is Millicent. Instead of thinking of her by her given name, G-baby has nicknamed her "Millipede." This is a very typical tween way to rebel against the new spouse. She is too young to conjure up any truly mean-spirited nickname, yet still needs a way to express her jealousy at what she sees as the reason her beloved Daddy doesn't spend as much time with them as he used to.

The author's gift for creating believable and unique characters is displayed in one of my favorite scenes - which captures the fierce loyalty six year old Peaches has for her mother. This scene takes place when G-baby comments about Tangie's cooking and says it is better than their mother's. "Peaches eyes widened. 'Nobody cooks better than Mama.'" I loved this scene. In the grand scheme of the book, this scene is minor, but it is so believable that I found it memorable for it's simple, yet powerful portrayal of familial loyalty.

If I had to choose a single theme to describe this book, it would be EMOTION.

"Why we gotta jump when he's ready? What about the times we waited on him and he didn't come? I bet he doesn't keep Ms. Millicent Parker waiting for nothing. She's his 'best girl' now."

Kids with divorced parents will easily relate to the characters in this excellent middle-grade novel. Author Leslie Youngblood understands just how perceptive kids can be. This is clearly demonstrated in the following scene:

"Just like Mama, he didn't know that I could tell a fake smile from a real one. Mama and Daddy's separation made me an expert, especially when we'd have family dinner and they'd wear their mannequin smiles."

I apologize for the length of this review, but I felt compelled to explain why I am giving this book the highest rating possible which is 5+ OUT OF 5 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. I realize that it is technically impossible to give a rating higher than 5 out of 5, but this book deserves to be in a category above all others.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Beautiful middle grades novel about a blended family learning to love and cope after and during a crisis.

I absolutely love the novel and will highly recommend it to my students.

A really sweet story about blending families and finding out the true meaning of what it means to be a sister and friend.

I was provided a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Love Like Sky felt like a warm hug. It has been quite a long time since I've read such a heart warming book. Georgiana G-baby Matthews reminded me of myself when I was a child.

G-baby and her little sister Peaches were adjusting to their new families. Both of their parents had remarried. Their stepdad Frank, was a stepparent that any child could hope for. There was a hiccup with his daughter, Tangie. I am glad the author didn't make the family dynamics all sunshine and roses.

My favorite part of this book is when G-baby was trying to explain love to Peaches. Peaches was afraid that their father wouldn't have enough love for them since he had a new wife. G-baby told her baby sister that love isn't like gas, it does run out. Love like sky, it never ends. That just got me right in the center of my heart!

I could go on and on about this book. G-baby's cast of friends were great too. Her best friend Nikki had me rolling my eyes. G-baby, in my opinion was a much better to Nikki. There was also Tammy and Kept Back Kevin.

Everyone pulled together during Peaches health scare. Which is what families do in times of crisis. I will be purchasing copies for my library and recommending to everyone.

This is a great book for young adults who are struggling to find themselves. I think it would be especially helpful to those dealing with divorce or new step families. It deals with a lot of tough issues in a way that I would be comfortable recommending this to a lower middle school audience.

Love Like Sky felt very real. Leslie C. Youngblood’s middlegrade novel about a young girl navigating the tumultuous experiences that come alongside the divorce of one’s parents as well as their remarrying. G-baby, or Georgie, is working through the vast array of emotions as she deals with a stepsister who doesn’t seem to like her and a stepmother that she personally does not like herself. And when her younger sister, Peaches, suddenly comes down with an illness that lands her in the hospital, G-baby’s world implodes from the inside out. Meanwhile, G-baby’s best friend Nikki is having her own struggles, the kid in their class who was held back a year blends his world with Georgie’s, and stepsister Tangie has her own sad past and struggles.

Where Love Like Sky does exceptionally well is its characters. They are all impressively developed, each with motivations and backstories that meld into individual plots for each one. You truly feel that you get to know these characters, even the ones who are only there for a short period of time. G-baby’s voice is masterful in its storytelling, bouncing from each character in order to tell the pieces of their story and blending them together in a skillful manner that manages to perfectly mirror the very blended family that its main character finds herself having recently joined. Each character goes through a great deal of development. Not only do they all navigate their own stresses throughout the story, but they each come to a sort of resolution that requires some sort of growth as well.

The pacing of the story feels a little draggy at times, leading the reader to feel somewhat bored during certain portions of it. But overall Love Like Sky was a well written novel with distinct voices and characters. The characters are unique and relatable all at once and Love Like Sky addresses a multitude of issues that many young girls may experience at some point in their lives, even bringing to light some of the struggles that African Americans face every single day. I think this is a fantastic novel for those middlegrade is geared to and while I think it might need a little pick up during the somewhat dull portions, the fact of the matter is that Love Like Sky was a wonderful and eloquent novel that is on an entirely different level than most middlegrade novels I’ve read thus far.

This is a sweet story about Georgie or G-baby, and her life at 11 years-old. She has a lot going on in her little head about her newly blended family, friends at school, her best friend, and a boy down the street. But when her little sister gets deathly sick and has to go stay in the hospital she realizes just how much her little sister means to her.

This is a lovely family story about very relatable events for a child. Relationships in blended families are so hard to navigate and when a loved one gets sick, you realize all the things that truly matter. After her little sister becomes ill, Georgie’s step sister starts opening up and they begin to build a friendship, something Georgie has wanted all along.

Georgie wasn’t sure if her sister’s health would ever improve, or if her family would stay as connected once the family emergency has past? I wasn’t sure either until the very end.

Thank you to Disney-Hyperion, NetGalley and the author Leslie C Youngblood for this ARC. This book will be released November 6th, 2018 and all my opinions are my own. You can find this book on Amazon at the link below.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

A charming tale told through the eyes of a young girl dealing with the divorce of her parents and their subsequent remarriages. In today’s society, so many families must learn to navigate the “blending” of two families, step-siblings and step-parents and rarely is a book written that truly seems to come from a child’s point of view.

LOVE LIKE SKY by Leslie C. Youngblood is told through the Georgie’s eyes and heart as she tries to deal with a stepmother she doesn’t care for, a stepfather who goes out of his way to make her feel comfortable and the new big sister she always wanted.

Things don’t always go as Georgie would like, as she feels the pain, insecurity and confusion of a complicated life she struggles to navigate without the faintest idea of how to do it. Will her kind heart show her the way?

When a family crisis brings her precarious house of cards down, Georgie will learn the meaning of family, siblings and most of all, the power of love to build a firm foundation in life.

Leslie C. Youngblood has given an honest and heartwarming tale life with her brilliant characters, events and the hurdles of growing up in ever-changing times!

The perfect gift of reading for anyone, whether they are facing a blended family situation or not, this story will grab at the heartstrings of everyone. A must read for all readers, no matter their age!

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Disney-Hyperion!

Tsis middle school age book, has a mix of all the contempory issues of today's society, blended family members all trying to make the best of the new family they have brought together. Great narrator,

I really enjoyed this middle-grade novel about Georgie and her struggle to find her place in her newly "blended-up" family. It's a realistic portrayal of family, friendship, growing up, and I would highly recommend it to readers of realistic fiction.

This was a wonderful book about the different people that can make up a family and what it means to be a family. It addresses divorce and blended families in a realistic but appropriate way for children. It also had enough exciting events and some adventures to keep the story moving forward well. I am not a huge fan of non-fantasy books, but I really enjoyed this one.

Yes yes yes to this book. Recently divorced parents, a newly blended family, a serious health scare, sustaining a positive best friendship, standing up to a bully... there’s so much for Georgie to navigate and she does her best sorting it all out with her best friends, little sister, and new step sister. Her older step sister’s character beautifully allows for introduction to some more complicated conversations for younger humans reading this book (protests, the pain of seeing/hearing about black youth your own age being hurt, dealing with loss.. etc). In this way, this book may seem a little heavier than one might expect for middle grade, but it’s still perfectly (read this as EXACTLY) appropriate for middle grade. It tows this line beautifully and it has lightness and a youthful voice. This one should be an easy, perfect one for middle grade teachers to pass to their realistic fiction readers with confidence this year! It would also be a great class read aloud or book club book— especially if you’re looking for entrypoints in how to talk about kindness, friendship, BLM, or all the ways families can look and be:). There’s plenty of relationships to become invested in, as well as some suspenseful moments that will make you worry and not want to put the book down.

This book also has the best cover I’ve seen in a long time— it’s just gorgeous. I know, I know, a cover isn’t everything, but middle grade teachers know that covers really matter when you’re handing a third grader a book you think they might like (especially a resistant reader!).

I’ll say it again, yes yes yes to this book.

Thanks to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for the ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.