Where the Sky Lives

As a former artist-in-residence at Zion National Park, Dilloway (Five Things About Ava Andrews) displays her deep love of Utah’s landscapes in this introspective story. Twelve-year-old pale-skinned Tuesday is grieving the sudden death of her beloved uncle Ezra and fixated on the meaning of his riddle, the last gift he left her. His death has caused her tan-skinned mother Dana, an archeologist and park ranger, to withdraw into her work, leaving Tuesday longing for connection (“At least, I tell myself, we’re together”). Their already tumultuous lives—plagued by furloughs and park overcrowding—are further unsettled when a company buying up a bordering preserve threatens to encroach on park land. With the help of a visiting social media celebrity, Tuesday is determined to stop the development and to solve Ezra’s riddle. Tuesday’s aversion to change, dislike of touch, literal interpretations, and heightened observational skills (“ ‘Have you been crying?’ I blurt out”) make for a detail-oriented narrative about learning to forge ahead in the face of uncertainty. Readers will feel like Tuesday’s trusted confidante as she delves into the park’s beauty, adventures, and secrets in this bighearted and leisurely paced novel. Ages 8–12. Agent: Patricia Nelson, Marsal Lyon Literary. (Mar.)