Add to that the incessant pressure her parents put on her about college applications, its no wonder she chooses to spend her summer away from it all volunteering on a communal farm in Israel. She also hates the image everyone has of her as an insecure and unappealing band geek. Needless to say, she feels like somewhat of an outsider. First off, she is the only Jew in her Pennsylvania high school. I think that what teens can connect to most are the issues the main character, Sarah, struggles with throughout the novel. However, this decision paid off because the reader was able to easily connect with the story. The Weight of the Sky proves this theory of mine wrong.Īuthor Lisa Ann Sandell made the bold decision to write her first novel in freestyle prose, which is not a typical style of writing used in teen fiction. It seems as though teen fiction must contain the mandatory shallow and superficial aspects that appear to please teen readers. Based on my countless experiences with novels geared to teenagers, I had come to the sad conclusion that the majority of these novels are devoid of deeper meaning. The Weight of the Sky was most definitely not what I was expecting. Thoughtful readers will find this a welcome addition to any library shelf. I could sense her appreciation and inspiration, yet also feel her confusion as she spends time exploring her native land and heritage.
Lisa Ann Sandell uses verse to take readers on this self-discovery type journey with Sarah. But underneath the beauty is a violence between people that Sarah just can't quite understand. The land is beautiful and rich with her history and religion. Once she begins working in the fields, sharing meals with the others, and doing some exploring, Sarah finds she is more at home here than back in Pennsylvania. Shy and withdrawn, it takes a bit of courage for Sarah to find her place in the group of kibbutz residents and volunteers. At least that's her initial reaction, because once she starts to really consider the idea, she realizes that might be just the thing she needs to find out who she truly is.Īfter a brief visit in Jerusalem with relatives, Sarah heads to the kibbutz, where she will spend the remainder of the summer. When her parents announce plans to send her to Israel to spend the summer, she's shocked that they would make plans like that without consulting her. As a professed band geek and the only one among her friends who is Jewish, she is always on the outside looking in. Sarah has just finished her junior year at a high school in Pennsylvania.
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for
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