Racing the Clouds

by Sydney Dunlap

If thirteen-year-old Sage had done one thing differently that day last November, everything would be fine. Only she didn't, so she and her dad had to leave Philadelphia for a new life in middle-of-nowhere Virginia. Her dad has never actually said he blames her for what happened, but how could he not?

Sage is determined to push it all out of her mind, but then, just before summer vacation, she hears from the grandparents she’s never met. They want her to visit, and she realizes this could be her chance to mend the rift that’s kept everybody apart.

When she meets Grandmother Marion, though, Sage is sure her trip is headed for disaster. Except she wasn’t counting on making a new friend or rescuing a sweet stray dog. With them by her side, maybe she can find the courage to face what she's been avoiding all along.

From the award-winning author of It Happened on Saturday comes a heartfelt and empowering story that explores the complexity of family relationships, the value of forgiveness, and how to find your way forward in a tough situation with resilience and hope.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary, Fiction, Addiction, Family, Juvenile

256 pages, Hardcover

Published February 18, 2025

About the author

Sydney Dunlap is an award-winning author and former elementary school teacher who has worked extensively with youth facing challenging circumstances. She enjoys reading and writing heartfelt, hopeful books that explore tough topics not often addressed in middle grade literature. Her 2023 debut novel, IT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY, tackles social media safety and has received a Crystal Kite Honor, several medals, and is featured on multiple state reading lists. Her subsequent novel, RACING THE CLOUDS, received a starred review from School Library Journal and was praised by Highlights Foundation for its outstanding mental health representation. A lifelong animal lover, Sydney lives with her husband and their two dogs and three cats, all rescues. You can find her online at www.sydneydunlap.com.

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

You got me…

Crying and smiling and hugging my reading device more than twice!

The story deals with a thirteen year old girl whose dad is working hard day and night while her mom is in rehab. Her grandparents from her mom’s side suddenly invite her for the first time in thirteen years to visit them.

Her dad is a bit reluctant about it considering the past but she knows she will find answers about her mom, what happened to her, what happened between the grandparents and her parents which led to such complicated circumstances.

Things do not turned out as expected but you, who’s going to read this emotionally packed book, will know how wholesome the book gets as you read.

The sensitive issues are dealt with very amicably and I do feel this is a very important book on complicated family dynamics.

Thank you, North Star Editions, for the ARC.

[Susan Lefman · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by NetGalley

Sage reflects on the events of November 21st, imagining how things might have turned out differently if she had made other choices. After an accident, her family of three relocates from Philadelphia to the Pleasant Valley Trailer Park in Virginia. There, she quickly befriends Alejandro but avoids attending his family gatherings due to his large family and her own complicated family dynamics.

One day, Sage receives an unexpected letter from her maternal grandparents, whom she has never met. Despite her father’s objections, she decides to spend a week with them, hoping to reconnect with the family she doesn’t know and to learn more about her mother, all in an effort to create a better future for herself.

Through this visit, Sage discovers that her father was once an up-and-coming musician, but he gave up his career to care for his family when she was born prematurely. Tension over dating and eventually marrying a rock star led to a fallout between Sage's mother and her grandparents, resulting in years of no contact.

This is a compelling read for upper middle school students, particularly those who feel stuck in complicated family situations, or whose parents are grappling with mental health challenges and addiction. The Q&A section at the end offers a helpful list of resources for kids who might be afraid to seek help themselves.

[Maurine Tritch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sage has mostly made peace with the move to a trailer park in rural Virginia from her cozy apartment in Philly. Even if there are things she can’t stand to think about. Even if life with just her and her dad gets pretty lonely compared to the boisterous extended family of her friend Alejandro.

But a letter turns everything upside down. The grandparents she has never met want her to fly to Ohio and stay with them for a week.

Award-winning author Sydney Dunlap follows up her debut It Happened on Saturday with another compelling story that handles tough topics with care and compassion. Racing the Clouds delves into a fractured family and the effects of opioid addiction, but always from a place of resilience. Sage is an endearing heroine and the deft use of her memories throughout as she circles around what she can’t yet face makes you understand and root for her. But it’s the finely drawn characters of her family members and friends--both human and canine—that create a masterpiece of healing and hope for tweens (and grown-ups!) to devour.

[Bonnie Grover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real life is hard. When Sage is invited to her grandparents house, grandparents she has never met, she hopes it will answer all the questions she has about her mother and why they never wanted to be part of her and her father’s lives. This heartfelt story explores the complexity of family relationships and the value of forgiveness. This book deals with sensitive issues in a caring way. (Substance abuse, withdrawal, rehab, a very controlling parent, dysfunctional family dynamics, and parental separation.)

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoughtful, approachable exploration of a really difficult topic, with an endearing protagonist kids will love to root for. Dunlap explores the complex dynamics of families caught in the struggles of addiction with nuance and heart. Although it covers a tough subject, this is also a quick read with lots of light moments, too, including an adorable subplot with a lovely rescue dog! :)

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

In IT HAPPENED ON SUNDAY, Dunlap tackles online predators and internet safety issues and in RACING THE CLOUDS, she gives middle grade readers sound messages on dealing with complex family situations, a drug-addicted family member and forgiving not only others, but yourself.

13 year old Sage is forced to move with her father from the Philadelphia she loves to a run down trailer in Virginia. Circumstances around the existence or condition of her mom is left deliberately vague and as she is able to face the reality, Sage begins to reveal more of the truth to her best friend as well as an unexpected new one. In an effort to help heal her family, Sage also agrees to spend a week with her mother’s estranged parents even though they are complete strangers to her. Grandmother Marion initially shows only an aloof, controlling personality while PawPaw seems more like the grandfather she always wished she had. But as most readers know, people aren’t always what they seem and with the help of a stray dog, a father who loves her deeply, two supportive friends, Sage discovers truths about herself and her family and maybe, just maybe, there will be joy again.

Dunlap’s book will feel all too real for many readers and others will get a look into life as they don’t know it but their peers do. Sage battles guilt over the accident that led to her mother’s drug addiction and entry into rehab and fears what kind of mother will return home or even if she will, but throughout the whole book, there are good things to hang onto-friends, her dad, newfound family, the comfort of a new pet. All in all, a hopeful story for readers in grades 4-7 and highly recommended. Text is free of profanity, sexual content and violence. Representation: drug addiction, Caucasian, Black and Hispanic main characters, diverse family configurations.

Thanks for the eARC, Edelweiss.

[Vicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sage hasn’t felt like part of a happy family, and when her grandparents invite her to visit for a week she decides to go. Sage wants to bring back something of her mom’s to help her mom find her way back to herself. Sage finds her grandmother very controlling, and when Sage is late to a party her grandparents were having they get mad. Well, Sage gets mad right back and tells them how she feels, how they never got to know her, how they didn’t like her dad, and where are her mom’s things? Dad shows up to bring her home early and the truth comes out. PawPaw says we have to forgive each other and try and do better. Sage finds out more about her mom and her problems. What happens now?
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Amina · Rating 2 out of 5]

✰ 2.5 stars ✰

“If we wait until everything’s perfect, it may never happen. We might as well just run.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I wish I could say that I felt that emotional tug at the heart for what Sage had to go through with not only her mother, but her grandparents, as well. But, honestly, I couldn't. For a thirteen-year-old, she was really pretentious, and quite frankly, rather rude and self-involved. I get that she has the right to be judgmental and dismissive of said grandparents who have ignored her existence her entire life, but the way she went about it was just so unflattering and rude that I could not bring myself to sympathize with her. 😒 Even the disobedience she showed against her father at the start - she, somehow, forgave herself for her transgression by making his disappointment about her decision - about herself! 🤦🏻‍♀️

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Maybe it was the author's intention to show that she was making mistakes to be quick to make rash decisions and make opinions without really knowing them. but the way that it was mentioned - so deliberately, with that 'wait, what?'. I can't imagine it possible to be so narrow-minded the way she was portrayed. At times, even when she was only thinking about herself, when she even saw it from another person's eyes - like her father or her grandmother, it was always in the context of something in her favor. If that makes sense. 🙄 That did not sit well with me. I found her very disagreeable. I understand that she has also witnessed a traumatic moment and that she is still harboring some of her own dark thoughts over her mother, but it was just very difficult to convince me otherwise. 🤷🏻‍♀️

“You’ve heard that saying about how you should never judge anyone unless you’ve been in their shoes? I think it’s important for all of us to think about that here.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Sage's Grandparents - I kinda sympathized with them; even with their old-fashioned mindset, they did care for their daughter, but simply chose to ignore their granddaughter for their discomfort with who their daughter married. Grandmother Marion's dismissive attitude felt, at times, a bit too caricature-like, but, I wonder whether it was intentional or not to have them at odds with Sage at first meeting, so that she would start to open her eyes and her heart to the good qualities about them. 😥 'How can my grandmother be nonexistent for my entire life until a couple weeks ago and then act all judgy?' I did like her relationship with her Pawpaw, and how he was more forgiving and understanding of Sage's opinions, as well as her decision not to be on a leash while on her visit.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Also, I am truly all about finding yourself and your identity; but, that conversation between Sage and Marla about attraction and crushes; it felt so out-of-place that I was perplexed at how it benefited - well, anything. I did like Alejandro. I liked his matter-of-fact personality and how he was such a helpful friend to her - never afraid to voice his thoughts without fear - 'you’re judging strangers without hearing their side.'. Marla, too, was a new friend who offered her own opinion and advice as someone not familiar with Sage's family history, which helped her try and see it in a different perspective, too.

“I thought I could fix everything. That I could just meet them and talk to them about everything, and they’d finally all be able to make up.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I did like the memories of running with her mother; it was a nice reflection of how it taught her to take things slowly in life - that life is not a race and she will get there when she gets there 'I know that now, and it’s okay. I’m learning to run along with them.' As much as her behavior bothered me, it was nice to see that through her visit to her grandparents in Ohio and revisiting the places that her mother grew up, as well as the memories she shared with her father, was something that brought her closer to them. 🥺 Sylvester was a welcome inclusion to her life, and it was nice to see how he helped build the bridges between Sage and her Grandmother.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ I do appreciate the message of the story and I am glad that it did leave on an unresolved note, since it would be doubtful that thirteen years of negative feelings could be erased within one week. I also appreciate how middle grade reads are approaching substance abuse and how its adverse effects affect the family. I felt Sage's troubled thoughts on her mother's tumultuous behavior to her drug dependency was believable, as well as her longing for the mother that she once was. Her guilt over the events that led to her troubles was heartbreaking and something that I could relate to. But, so many unpleasant emotions of my own radiated while reading that Sage's story that did not hit me as hard as it could have. 😔

*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sydney Dunlap did it again, folks, tackling a difficult topic in a way that not only made it accessible and poignant to kids but to adults as well.

The subject of addiction is handled with great care, empathy, and sensitivity. Dunlap showcases a diverse and relatable ensemble of characters, and I appreciated the way she tackled how addiction affects our loved ones, regardless of the season of their lives.

Sage is spirited, determined, and also vulnerable — a relatable trifecta for a main character any middle-grade reader can and will root for. Sage finds and heals herself with every run and risk she takes, and I wished I could run along with her (and Nicky, of course!). I loved her complex relationship with her father and their shared love of music, and I teared up more than once watching her form a lasting and memorable relationship with her grandparents.

Alejandro and Marla were a delight to read as well, bringing me back to some of my first best friends and the ups and downs we traversed together.

RACING THE CLOUDS is a must-read and buy for any middle grade library and home. We librarians, teachers, and parents owe it to our children to read and keep books like this on our shelves, ones that help them feel less alone if or when they come face to face with hard times.

Because, as Sage concluded, “no matter how much you care about someone, they’re going to make their own decisions. And you can try really hard to help, but you can’t control what they do.” 💛

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

[A.M. Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dunlap has done it again in her sophomore novel, Racing the Clouds! Sage is a wonderful MC who is just trying to figure out her place in the world after some tough family events have taken place and now she has a chance to meet the grandparents she never knew existed. This book handles tough topics with grace.
Another fantastic book. I can’t wait to see what Dunlap does next.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something happened that Sage feels responsible for. She was more interested in practicing the drums than doing her project for school, so waited until the last minute to tell her mother that she needed poster board. She keeps thinking of what she should have done differently. If only she had gone earlier. If only she had gone with her mother. If only.
Her maternal grandparents have had nothing to do with her life. Then, out of the blue they ask her to come and visit. She knows that if she could just go visit them, that perhaps things would be better, so she agrees, against her father’s wishes.
She figures that if she can find things that were her mother, that things will improve, but she doesn’t tell her grandparents that that is what she wants. She figures she can just find them.


It is a heartbreaking story, because we don’t know the whys and wherefores, just that Sage blames herself for something that happened. Telling what it was, would give away part of the story, so suffice it to say it is a shock when we do learn. But, as is always true with any story, if people just talk they can also solve so many problems. Communication is ever so important.


Didn’t make me cry, but it did make me second guess what I thought I knew.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.. This book will be published on the 18th of February 2025.

[Erin Downing · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an honor and a privilege to read this touching, wonderful novel early. Kids will love this moving story, and parents/adults need to read it, too!

[Cheyanne Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Racing the Clouds by Sydney Dunlap is a heartfelt contemporary middle grade novel that follows thirteen-year-old Sage, who blames herself for the accident that led to her mother’s opioid addiction. When she’s invited to visit the grandparents she’s never met, Sage sees it as an opportunity to mend her fractured family. What she doesn’t expect is the complexity of her grandparents' story, the uplifting bond she forms with a new friend, and the rescue of a stray dog that brings her closer to her grandparents. In one week, Sage discovers the power of forgiveness, the intricacies of family relationships, and the courage to move forward with hope.

This novel is a delightful, engaging story that tackles heavy topics like family drama and a parent’s substance abuse in a way that is accessible and compassionate for young readers. It avoids being preachy or overly dark, instead offering a realistic and hopeful window into Sage’s life—one that many kids may recognize or relate to. The family drama, particularly with Sage’s grandparents, felt authentic and layered, and I appreciated how the story allowed space for healing and growth without forcing resolutions. Sage’s friendships with her peers added warmth and showed the importance of having a supportive circle during tough times. Sydney Dunlap has created a touching, well-balanced story that is both meaningful and empowering for middle grade readers. Five stars!

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is well-written and emotional. It's a wonderful story that can be read by young readers but also adults. It deals with addiction, reconciliation, and family issues and how young teens can react to these when they start having a voice and a relevant opinion. It can be relatable to those who have parents or kin in this situation, but it also is a great story to learn empathy and how to be a better friend to those living in such a sad situation. Sage does what she thinks best; she is trying to keep everyone's interests in mind and make things work, but even when trying to do good, one can make mistakes. I love the reminder of what it may be to be in someone else's shoes. There are plenty of great, valuable life lessons in this story.
After 13 years of never meeting her grandparents, she decides to accept their invitation, and those seven days will change everything.
The book includes resources and help. The Q&A with the author at the end offers a lot of good information about addiction, why, and how to act. The warnings are welcomed, and I hope this book has a lot of readers.

[Cynthia Timoti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the wonderful opportunity of reading an eARC of this book. It's an emotional and powerful story that tackles difficult family topics, but Sydney Dunlap manages to do it in such a graceful, thoughtful, and entertaining way. Sage is such a relatable main character, and you can't help but root for her as she tries to mend broken family relationships and comes to terms with her mother's addiction. Racing the Clouds is perfect not just for young readers, but also for adults!

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced copy.

It was a little slow in the beginning and a little rushed at the end. Teachers, add this title to your libraries!

[Susan McGilvray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful middle grade realistic fiction to add to our library. Sage is a believable protagonist who is kind, smart, and troubled. Sent to live with her grandparents, our middle school readers will be rooting for her all the way!

[Amanda Prunean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Racing the Clouds was a story about a young girl navigating her place within a family with many unknowns. Sydney does a great job weaving big topics into an overall positive story. Should you choose to read this, and you should, work through the slow start. The story, and character development comes in strong after the halfway point.

Thank you NetGalley, Sydney Dunlap and North Star Editions for the opportunity to preview this novel. The opinions shared are my own. This novel is set to come out February 18, 2025.

[Margaret McGuire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling to the very end
Racing the Clouds is a perfectly paced middle school read. I liked how Sage and her Dad love each other even when things are hard.

Thanks to NETGALLEY for the opportunity

[Jan Raspen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good novel for middle schoolers about a 13-year old girl, Sage, who is in a dysfunctional family. Her mom is addicted to drugs, and her dad is a long-distance truck driver who is rarely home. As the book opens, a past event that changed everything for Sage's family is alluded to, but we don't find out what it is right away. Sage and her dad are living in a trailer park in Virginia, and she gets a note from her mom's parents (whom she has never met) to come visit them in Ohio.

I love books where kids are forced to be more adult than the actual adults, which is definitely the case in this book. Usually there is one adult who shows up for the kid, and I suppose Sage's grandfather fills this role, although she needs much more in her life. Really, every adult in this book had huge communication issues which they then passed on to Sage, who was keeping all kinds of secrets herself. UGH. I ultimately didn't love the arc of this story because of the lack of self-awareness of any of the adults or their capacity to become better communicators.

There were a bunch of elements to the story that needed either futher fleshing out or to be eliminated from the narrative completely: Sage's heart issue, moving from PA to VA, the stray dog, the mom's imminent return to their lives... I also felt sometimes that Sage acted much younger than a typical 13-year old, which might affect the appeal of this book to middle grade readers.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, the main character gets an unexpected invitation to spend a week visiting grandparents she has never met and to attend their 50th anniversary party. She agrees to go even though her dad, who recently moved them to a new place so he had a more stable job to cover the loss of her mother's income, said no. The main character has never met her mother's parents who disapproved her her dad and her parent's relationship. After arriving in Ohio, she discovers so much more about what caused that rift and seeks a way to bring these two parts of her family together before her mom gets out of rehab. Yes, this book also has a main character dealing with a parent with an addiction although Dunlap crafts the narrative in a different way than I have seen thus far. I appreciated the care that she took with the gradual reveal and also how Dunlap emphasized the multilayered causes behind addiction. I definitely recommend this one

[Jamie Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sage Prescott (13) lives in a Virginia trailer park with her dad after an incident her mother. She never talks about her, not even to her best friend Alejandro, and she avoids his big family gatherings because they make her feel ictchy, unsettled, and the need to run, something she got from her mother. Declan, her father, is trying his best, but doesn't talk to Sage about her mother either. Out of nowhere, Sage's maternal grandparents, whom she has never met, invite her to spend a week with them in Ohio for their 50th wedding anniversary, and Sage is determined to go, no matter how her dad feels about it. Maybe she can learn things about her mother's past, find a way to fix the mistake she made, and bring her family together. On the plane ride to Ohio, she makes friends with Marla and tells her more about her family than she has anyone, and they stay in touch, even meeting in Ohio because Marla is only a ten-minute drive away. The story is interspersed with Sage's sleuthing to find things about her mother, memories of what happened after her mistake, and all the ways she could have changed what happened. Things are tense with the grandparents, Sage unable to see how they couldn't accept her kind, talented father, until she finds a stray dog the whole family falls in love with. The book is a good exploration of family secrets, prejudices, histories, and forgiveness. Complex emotional journies and the struggles of young teens trying to understand their family issues are relatable. Give to fans of The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

EARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Sage is a runner, and while readers don’t know a lot about her unexpected move or why exactly she feels compelled to visit her grandparents, she finds solace in running while she’s there. I loved how her circumstances unfold and the satisfying conclusion.

[OpenedBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sydney Dunlap’s Racing the Clouds is an emotionally powerful novel that explores trauma, resilience, and the complexities of family relationships through the eyes of thirteen-year-old Sage. From the very beginning, Sage’s inner turmoil is palpable, making her a relatable and deeply human protagonist. Her story is one of loss, guilt, and the difficult process of healing—an experience that will resonate with many readers, especially those who have faced hardship within their own families.
Sage’s life is upended by a tragic car accident involving her mother, an event that forces her and her father to relocate to a trailer park in rural Virginia. The story unfolds in a way that slowly reveals the depths of Sage’s pain, particularly her feelings of responsibility for what happened. Through fragmented memories and interactions with her father, we begin to understand that her mother’s struggles with drug abuse played a significant role in their family’s instability. The weight of this trauma is evident in Sage’s attempts to reconnect with her estranged maternal grandparents, hoping that by doing so, she can mend what has been broken.
Dunlap handles the topic of addiction with incredible sensitivity, highlighting its far-reaching impact—especially on children. Too often, the effects of substance abuse on young people are overlooked, but Racing the Clouds offers an unflinching yet compassionate look at how deeply it can shape a child’s sense of self and family. Sage’s journey toward understanding that she is not to blame, and that healing is possible, is both heartbreaking and uplifting.
Despite the heavy themes, the novel is not without hope. Sage’s newfound friendship and the bond she forms with a stray dog provide moments of warmth and connection. These relationships serve as a reminder that healing doesn’t happen in isolation—it requires support, kindness, and the courage to face painful truths.
Once again, Sydney Dunlap proves her ability to tackle difficult subjects with grace, making them accessible for young readers while never diminishing their significance. Racing the Clouds is a beautifully written, thought-provoking story that sheds light on an important issue, offering solace to those who need it and awareness to those who have yet to understand it. A must-read for anyone looking for a heartfelt, realistic portrayal of resilience in the face of adversity.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mild spoilers:

Racing the Clouds is a beautifully gripping book about a middle school girl , Sage, who deals with a heavy burden. Through intricate storytelling, and "what-if" scenarios, the author, Sydney Dunlap, details the precise thoughts and emotional baggage a child deals with when it comes to having a parent with an addiction problem. The story is told through Sage's eyes and her relationship with her Dad, Mom and estranged grandparents. When her grandparents, whom she has never met, send her a letter to visit them for a week, she grapples with the feelings of not knowing her family and a self imposed responsibility to "fix" everything. The story unfolds in her decision to visit the grandparents she has never met, in efforts for her to know her past and help their family be a real family again. I audibly gasped a little over halfway through the book, as the author shared more and more about the realities of Sage's life, and the complexities of family relationships burdened by addiction. The bright and realistic hope at the end of the story is one that will reach the heart of every reader who devours this story's pages. Thank you so much to the author and publisher for an early copy of this story, it was beautifully told, and heartwarming to finish.

[Corinne · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's almost summer vacation when Sage receives a letter and invitation from grandparents she's never met. Sage and her dad live quietly on their own, so the prospect of family--and meeting her mom's parents--is a powerful draw for a 13-year-old. Sage travels to Ohio with a plan, but the trip brings more to the surface than she had expected. Author Sydney Dunlap is a master at weaving big issues and emotions into an age-appropriate middle grade story that young people can relate to and understand. Dunlap has worked this magic once again in RACING THE CLOUDS. The messy emotional life of families, in this case involving estrangement and addiction, and the guilt, blame, and shame that can accompany family rifts, is gently dealt with in this book. Hope and love (and a subplot involving a friendly dog) are present throughout, too, because in real life light is usually there alongside the shadows. The story provides a way forward toward forgiving and taking responsibility. Young readers as well as adults will find plenty to learn from and hang on to in this excellent new book.

[Veronica Valdez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great read. Whether you are in a difficult family situation or want to better understand what genuine friendship and forgiveness look like, this is a must read.

[Thushanthi Ponweera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much like Sydney Dunlap's debut book, her second middle-grade novel "Racing the clouds" takes on a big, heavy topic and makes it relatable and approachable to young readers.

Sage is a thoughtful young girl who feels responsible for her mother's addiction. Her mom is away at rehab, and as their reunion approaches, Sage is invited to spend time with her maternal grandparents, whom she has never met. What follows is a journey of revisiting the past and trying to rebuild all the broken relationships while also shining a light on how easily misunderstandings and fear can prevent us from being there for each other.

Although the story is about the effect of addiction on loved ones, it's also about moving past preconceptions and prejudices. A multi-layered story and an engaging read 👏🏽

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced copy.

[Lisa Roppel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Racing the Clouds was a compelling story of a young girl who is trying to make sense of family dynamics and the story of estranged family members. She is a typical child, but she is dealing with adult issues in middle school. Her family connections and friendships will be relatable for middle schoolers and adults alike. Sydney Dunlap wrote this novel in a way that you really wanted to know what had happened in the past in a way that felt a bit like a mystery novel. This was my first of her novels and look forward to reading more as her character development was well done.
This would be a perfect addition to any public, school or personal library.

Thank you NetGalley, Sydney Dunlap and North Star Editions for the opportunity to preview this novel and the opinions shared are my own.
Racing the Clouds is expected to be released Feb. 18, 2025.

[Tracey Vince · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second Sydney Dunlap book and oh boy I love how she handles such tough subjects like Drug Addiction in such an eloquent way you know that she will write something that the reader or readers will be able to discuss such an important subject.

For me Sage was the perfect main character for this book she was strong but also knew that she needed her family around her even if it was nigh impossible.

Another talent Sydney has through her descriptive writing areas like Blue Ridge Mountains became more like a character and I was able to see them.

For me without any doubt Racing the Clouds receives 5 stars.