Review of "Earth to Skye," by Diane Sherry Case

Review of

Earth to Skye, by Diane Sherry Case ISBN 9781943492237

Five out of five stars

 This is a book narrated from the perspective of a teenage girl with typical teen problems of identity. Her name is Liv and she has been best friends with Skye since they were in pre-school. They are now sixteen and becoming adults. While the recent divorce of her parents has created some problems for Liv, they are minor compared to that of Skye.

 Liv is an only child while Skye has two younger sisters. Liv has some problems with her parents but that is almost insignificant compared to the problems Skye has. Skye’s parents are inactive as parents and much of life, forcing Skye to serve as the surrogate parent to her siblings. Skye has a boyfriend, but he is a homeless junkie, providing even more instability in her life.

 Tragedy strikes, Liv is devastated and she struggles to face life. Her mother is an award-winning maker of documentary films and she is now involved in some charity work for two girls in a remote Himalayan village. The village is so remote that the only way to get there is to walk trails for days that are sometimes narrow and treacherous.

 With a Tibetan monk that has an annoying attitude that all will be well, Liv’s mother is planning on traveling to the village, leaving Liv with her father. He is a traveling musician and is never in town for extended periods of time. Therefore, Liv demands that she be allowed to accompany her mother and after sufficient pleading, plans are made for the both of them.

 The trip is challenging, yet there are rewards, such as seeing an unadulterated sky with stars brighter than she has ever seen. Liv takes an astronomy book with her so she can study them. When they arrive at the village, Liv and her mother are faced with an unexpected challenge and suddenly their issues with each other are gone.

 This book is another in the category of tragedy leading to life changes that make a positive difference in the principals and the world. It is well written and will tweak the hearts of teen girls that are struggling to find their way in a world they don’t yet understand. Adults will also appreciate the story of triumph and recovery.