Watch the Sky

Life has taken strange turns ever since 11-year-old Jory’s father ran off and his mother remarried. Jory’s stepfather Caleb, a veteran “of a desert war Jory didn’t know much about,” has instituted many rules in the name of protecting Jory, his mother, and his siblings. From what, they are not sure. Caleb insists they watch for “signs” (which could be just about anything), always wear work boots, trust no one, and remain reclusive to avoid “the Officials” he claims are trying to regulate their lives. After Caleb announces that a meteor shower is the sign they’ve been waiting for, he insists the family begin to dig a hole in the canyon behind their farmhouse. Readers will recognize long before Jory does that Caleb is paranoid and dangerous, but also realize how little power Jory is able to exercise. In a haunting, tense, and moving story, Hubbard (Wanderlove) spotlights the unpredictability of life with someone suffering from mental illness. Jory’s efforts to safeguard himself and his family will stay with readers, as will his tender relationship with his unspeaking, adoptive sister, Kit. Ages 8–12. Agent: Michelle Andelman, Regal Literary. (Apr.)