The Whole Sky

by Heather Henson

When a devastating sickness spreads through a thoroughbred farm community, a young horse whisperer is determined to find out why all the foals are dying in this tightly woven, tender coming-of-age novel from award-winning author Heather Henson.

Twelve-year-old Sky and her father are horse whisperers—their preternatural tenderness and understanding of horses, and Sky’s uncanny ability to actually understand what they’re saying become their livelihood during the foaling season at multimillion dollar horse farms. They’re sought after by the most prestigious farms in the country to keep pregnant horses calm and stress-free until they give birth. But this spring, something awful is happening…foal after foal is a stillborn, and no one knows why. And worse for Sky, who lost her mother only months earlier, her most beloved horse is about to have her first foal. In agony, Sky takes it upon herself to figure out what the vets are missing, and stop it before even more foals are lost.

Genres: Horses, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Fantasy, Family, Young Adult, Mystery

256 pages, Hardcover

First published August 22, 2017

Reviews

[S.M. Boren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from #kidlitexchange to read in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟The Whole Sky by Heather Henson. Sky Traveler is a 12 year old girl dealing with issues way over her head. She is a horse whisperer only not only can she talk to them she can hear them speak to her. As she works on a horse farm helping during falling season she is grieving the loss of her mother, stillborn goals, and a drunken father. Sky's favorite horse, Poppy is one of the last mares to give birth so after losing so many goals they send Poppy and a few others away to a clinic in hopes of saving the babies. Sky becomes angry more angry than she has ever been. Even when the investigators came to find a scientific reason for all the foals dying Sky can not stand the thought of being so angry. Soon Sky goes to the hospital to see Poppy and is urged to go see the baby. Sky helps nurse the baby back to health and soon the babies and Mares are going home. Sky becomes close with Dr. Nash and they work to help find the cause of why so many goals died this season. The results will change the way Sky sees her future and life as she knows it. This book deal with very real issues that while we hope children never have to deal with, unfortunately these issues are there. The concepts and solutions provided in this book are detailed enough to allow children to grasp the subject. Beautifully written. Review also posted on Instagram @jasonnstacie, Library Thing, Go Read, Amazon, and my blog at readsbystacie.com

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This touching story of grief is rooted in a real-life animal mystery that swept through the thoroughbred horse farms of Kentucky.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horse lovers in grades 4-7 will be drawn to the beautiful cover first and then will be pulled into the story of Sky, her grief over losing her mom to cancer, and in a different way, losing her dad as well. And when Sky starts losing horses, her entire world is shattered and it will take a whole ensemble of fairly well-developed characters to help her put the pieces together again. There's Archie, the rich kid with a passion for bugs, crusty Frank who keeps the horse farm running smoothly, kind-hearted Gaby who teaches Sky to whittle and helps tend to the brood mares, and, of course, Sky's dad, a loving man who is just as broken as his daughter. Even Poppy, Sky's favorite horse, is key to restoring hearts and lives. This is a thoroughly enjoyable read based on a very real catastrophe in 2001 Kentucky when over 500 Thoroughbred foals mysteriously were stillborn or died shortly after birth. I will be putting this one on book orders for my 4th and 5th grade libraries.

[Maria Mascalco · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Whole Sky by Heather Henson is a beautiful story that tells the story of Sky, a girl who can communicate with horses, as she battles through the different struggles she is facing. Although this book is considered fantasy, the only fantastical part is that Sky and her father can talk to horses. Most of the book has elements that I would consider realistic fiction, with most events being in the realm of possibility, making this book the best choice for students just beginning to get into fantasy. Not only does she have to deal with the grief she is experiencing with her mother dying, but she is also having to deal with the struggles of taking care of her father who has become an alcoholic. Throughout the book we go with her throughout her everyday experiences working on a horse farm, gaining into her insight not only internally but also with her job working on the horse farm as the horses give birth to their foals. The story is heartbreaking because not only did Sky loose her mom, but she is now losing all of the foals who are almost all stillbirths. This book would be a great thing to have students of upper elementary read because I feel like a lot of them could relate to the issues that Sky is going through, especially students that are grieving the loss of a parent or close relative. Because of the more mature content, I would make sure that students who were reading it were mature enough to understand the concepts. With all of the information about horses and caterpillars, I feel like this book is great not only as fiction but also as a way for students to learn more about different animals if there was an animal unit in class. This book would be especially fitting here in Lexington where horse farms are very prevalent. Overall, I feel this is an amazing book for not only children, but adults to read because it is a very endearing story that tells an important message, while also being educational.

[Eileen Mccann · Rating 5 out of 5]

As 12 year old Sky deals with personal grief, the death of her mother and her alcoholic father, "on the job" grief follows her to Shaughnessy Farm. It is here that she and her father, James, come each year to assist in the birthing of thoroughbred foals on this Kentucky broodmare farm. Father and daughter share their love of horses as well as their secret. Both are horse whisperers which allows them to speak to horses and vis versa. Tragedy unfolds as foal after foal is stillborn. Her father's drinking reaches the point of no return. He leaves his anger-filled daughter for a rehabilitation facility in Lexington. Sky assumes added responsibility as she attends to the mares in the birthing stalls--50 stillbirths in all. Throughout the story, Sky takes note of a huge increase in caterpillars due to the mild winter. She and her new science loving friend, Archie Shaughnessy, grandson of the owners, research the possible reasons for the foal deaths. In addition to their research, Sky listens to the mares as they tell of the cuts in their mouths as they eat the the bluegrass ladened with prickly caterpillars. Their information is noticed by the scientists searching for a reason for foal deaths, 500 in all, and as it turns out, the caterpillars are the cause. The pall of grief begins to fade as Sky's favorite mare, Poppy, gives birth to her sickly foal. As Sky takes part in the long recovery of the colt, her father returns from rehab. Having felt totally abandoned by him, she begins to trust his love for her and the darkness of her path has rays of light.

Most girl/horse stories warm the heart but THE WHOLE SKY is a cut above the others with its depth of emotions--grief, hopelessness, trust and love and its gripping story line. Upper elementary and middle school students will journey with Sky as they relate these emotions to their personal lives.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Whole Sky" written by Heather Henson is a novel about a 12 year old girl with the ability to talk to horses. Sky Doran has recently lost her mother and her father has turned to alcohol to cope. As Sky goes through this tragic period in her life, she must also face the fact that a lot of the newborn foals are dying across the state of Kentucky and no one knows why.
Sky and her father has recently settled at Shaughnessy Farms, a prestigious breeding farm. Although her family has always moved a lot, this farm has always felt like home to her. Sky is relieved to be reunited with the horses that she has always loved, especially her favorite, Poppy, who is expecting her first foal. Sky and her father both share the gift of being able to telepathically communicate with the horses. Unfortunately, they are about to face a tragic year as hundreds of foals across the state are either still born or dying. No one can understand why this is happening. After Sky’s father shows up to a difficult delivery drunk, he decides to check himself into a rehab facility, leaving Sky on the farm. Fortunately, Poppy’s foal survives and Sky is able to find a way to heal while caring for the foal. Sky uses her gift to communicate and uncovers the causes behind the mysterious deaths.
This book is based on mare reproductive loss syndrome, which is a real disaster that happened on many Kentucky horse farms in 2001. This real life tragedy gives the setting to a story of loss, love, growth, and friendship. "The Whole Sky" is an inspiring tale of a young girl that must overcome tragedy and push through whatever hard times awaits. The cover is eye catching due to it's beautiful picture of a thoroughbred horse running with the sky in the background. I would highly recommend this book to any one, especially to any horse enthusiast Literary grades 3rd to 7th.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It flowed very nicely and made you want to keep on reading. Its a story a lot of kids can learn from about coming of age and overcoming loss and major obstacles in life. I would use this book for children grades 3rd-5th, it touches on a lot of major ideas that can be very important to teach elementary aged children. Like first person and how that impacts the story. Or how the book has fantasy in it and how that affects Sky's perception on life, and how the class may try to relate to sky and her life and how Sky has grown and changed over the course of the book. The book starts off with the death of Sky's mother, later she accompanies her father to the prestigious breeding barn where he works each year during foaling season. Sky’s family has always been moving around here and there, but Shaughnessy Farms feels like home, and Sky is relieved to be reunited with the mares she loves, especially her favorite, Poppy, who is expecting her first foal. Sky and her father share a secret family trait: they can talk to the horses telepathically. This year, to everyone’s horror and astonishment, the foals are born dead or dying. Hundreds of them in farms all across Kentucky. No one can understand why. Making matters even worse, Sky’s father, who has battled trouble with alcohol before, shows up at a difficult delivery drunk. He leaves Sky among friends on the farm while he enters rehab. When Poppy’s foal survives birth, Sky finds healing from her own wounds by caring for the fragile baby and uses her telepathy to uncover the reasons behind the epidemic. Mare reproductive loss syndrome, a real disaster stemming from 2001, forms the backdrop to a story of loss, growth, and friendship. Sky’s first-person narration rings true, as do the details of everyday life among horses.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

#partner@kidlitexchange
Whole Sky
By Heather Henson
Thank you to @kidlitexchange for sharing this title. All opinions are my own.
Sky has a secret that only her father knows, but others close to her suspect. Sky can talk to horses. If a horse wants to chat, they come to her. If they need help, they come to her. If they are in pain, they come to her. She, along with her father, have this special gift. They travel the country going from million dollar farm to million dollar farm during foaling season, but Shaughnessy Farm in Kentucky is her favorite, where she feels the most at home, where her favorite horses live and where the owners consider her family. However, this spring is different. Her mom has just passed away in Florida from cancer, so she and her dad arrive by themselves, but it helps that they are “coming home”.
I am not a horse lover, so I wasn’t certain how I would feel about this story. I actually found myself fascinated by the thought that Sky could communicate with the horses. I would love to communicate with my dog and I’m always lamenting the fact that she can’t talk, but maybe she is. Maybe I just need to be a better listener as Sky is with all of the horses! I also admired Sky’s strength and compassion as she dealt with the loss of her mother, her father’s depression, becoming friends with someone who is very different from herself and the terrible disease that struck the mares of Shaughnessy.
Finally, the description of the farm, the rolling hills and the fields of horses made Kentucky come alive for me. I felt as if I was right there with Sky as she flew across the fields riding bareback on her favorite mare. I highly recommend this middle grade book to anyone looking for a heartwarming story, and it will be an extra special treat for horse lovers.

[Victoria Ouellette · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Whole Sky is the fantastic tale of a young girl with an extraordinary gift! She is able to understand horses and speak with them to understand exactly how they are feeling. This gift in itself is incredible but when an epidemic of stillborn foals breaks out in Kentucky, her gift is used to help everyone understand what caused this. Heather Henson’s novel is a truly inspiring story that shows the complexity of one girl’s life. Although it is not stated out in plain text, I believe that The Whole Sky is a story about following what you do best and not caring what others think of you and what you do. Sky is brave and reveals what her gift is to many, revealing “The Whole Sky”, and knows that whether people believe her or not, it is what is true and what makes her so special.
This is not a true story as there was no girl who could talk to horses that solved the mystery of the catastrophe in 2001 of the stillborn foals but the story is still true; five hundred foals were born dead or did not survive long after birth and the cause was found to be the infection from cuts that the mares got after eating the caterpillars.
Heather Henson chooses to magnificently weave in some fantasy aspects into this story that features some non-fiction aspects seamlessly. It is a great way to tell this story that many do not know about without having one read an article. Overall, this is a great read and I would recommend it to fourth graders and above. It could be used as a supplement to a science lesson since there are so many scientific items introduced into the text.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heather Henson’s The Whole Sky is a slightly magical coming of age story set against the gently rolling hills of a Kentucky horse farm. Young Sky has spent her short life working in the horse industry with her family. The story starts out just after her mother’s passing. Sky and her father head back to their favorite farm to help bring this year’s batch of foals into the world, and figure out what life looks and feels like after her mother’s death.

Sky and her father share more than grief; they share a family trait that allows them to communicate with horses. As the story unfolds, each mare loses their foal, Sky’s dad becomes overwhelmed with heartache and starts drinking and Sky is left to pick up the pieces. There’s a nice cast of characters to help round out the story, Frank the farm manager and Archie the owner’s grandson, but Sky is the focus and it’s told from her perspective. Henson does a wonderful job of describing Sky’s world on the farm, it’s like you could open the book and walk through barn doors, and her prose is delightful yet to-the-point. The cover of the book is warm and inviting, with a representation, I assume, of Poppy, Sky’s favorite horse, and you’re basically dropped into a grazing meadow. This book does deal with some difficult topics, so I would recommend it for more advanced readers. It might also be good for a child who’s facing the loss of a family member or friend, and of course any horse-loving kids.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Henson, Heather The Whole Sky, 235 pages. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2017. $17.00. Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

Sky is a horse whisperer. Shortly after she arrived at the Shaughnessy farm in Kentucky, the mares started complaining of prickly feelings in their mouths and swollen tongues. She did not know how to help all of her favorite mares who were foaling. Normally, she would turn to her father for advice, he too is a horse whisperer, but he had changed ever since Sky’s mother died a few months prior. He had turned to alcohol. This left Sky, a twelve-year-old girl, to grieve for her mother alone; care for her favorite horse, Poppy; become friends with Archie, the bug loving grandson of the owners of the farm; and deal with her alcoholic father when she needed him the most.

I enjoyed reading this book. The author really made me believe that Sky could be a horse whisperer. Her character was real to me. She was not a brat like some characters in books portray to be when faced with trials. She was strong and bold and did not give up. I am excited to read it with my daughter who loves horses. The book is based on true events that happened to foaling mares in Kentucky in 2001.

EL, MS - OPTIONAL. Reviewer: Candice Woolley
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sky and her father work on a Kentucky horse farm that breeds top-notch thoroughbred horses. Her mother died of cancer recently and both of them are feeling the loss in their lives. Her father has returned to drinking. It's foaling season and there's excitement in the air at Shaughnessey Farms, but it's been an unusually warm winter and with it a scourge of tent caterpillars. The horses can't help ingesting them with their food. When the first foal arrives, it is stillborn. And the next. And the next. Finally the number of stillborn foals across Kentucky reaches 500. Shaughnessy Farms will pay any price to save their foals.

This is another good book for the horse-loving crowd. Two things I liked about...1) It's based on a true event that happened during the Kentucky foaling season of 2001, and 2) It covers the foaling process in detail. Sky is part of the team that helps birth the foals. Her father is absent when the first mare goes into labor, so Sky is the one who has to reach inside to be sure the foal is in the right position to be born. This is a must read for teens who have an interest in horse medicine.

Note: Sky and her father have an ability to hear the horses' thoughts. I personally did not care for this. Some people consider this a fantasy book because of it, but since it's not the focus of the story, I still consider it realistic fiction.

[Sara Stelmach · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fantasy novel “The Whole Sky” is a thoughtful and mystical story of a young girl and father’s ability to telepathically communicate with horses. During this time many horses are birthed dead or dying in Kentucky. This ability helps her bond with her father. However, her father has a drinking problem. Her father is sent to rehab and she copes by taking care of young foal who is one of the few born alive. This foal is the key to her solving the mass problem in Kentucky of foals being still born. She uses her telepathy to solve this epidemic. She uncovers it is Mare reproductive loss syndrome killing all the foals. This syndrome actually did cause in epidemic in 2001. This story is full of ups and downs and was so hard for me to put down. Further, this novel would be great to use in the classroom because you could use for multiple subjects. I would personally use this book when learning about the history of Kentucky because the novel gives accurate information about Kentucky. Further, I would use this when learning about fantasy novels. This is a great example of something supernatural happening, her telepathy, that could not happen in real life. I would recommend this for middle grades but, it could be read aloud to mature children.

[Isabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

An accessible, moving, lyrical take on girl/horse YA novels. "The Whole Sky" is an important drop in the bucket of books for children about all kinds of tragedy, and how to move in and through it. Sky is a charming protagonist, and I appreciate that the story is all about her learning how to feel all her feelings, and to be her true self, not just the presentable version. Heather Hayer's prose is absolutely sparkly in places. I can't wait to see what she writes next.

Usually, YA stories concerning tragedy after tragedy tend to veer into melodrama, and this book dips its toe in every so often. But, I think it kind of earns it in how long we spend with the "personal" tragedies of the story, rather than being completely wrapped up in the mystery of the stillborn horses. I do think that the physical communication with horses—and the side character's full-throated acceptance of Sky's gift—borders on cutesy sometimes, but it's a story written for kids, not for 24-year-old me. I think this book could be a great tool to talk about character choice/action or figurative language in a fourth or fifth grade classroom, or even as outside reading for a particularly interested or advanced third grader.

[Leah Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Whole Sky" by Heather Henson is about a girl named sky who can talk with horses. Sky is going through a lot of grief like her mother dying and her father being an alcoholic. Her job is to work on the horse farm and it is birthing time for many of the horses. Many of the baby horses are still births. She must figure out why this is happening and still deal with all of the drama that is in her life. Using her special ability, she is able to discover what the problem is.
I think this novel would be good for students just starting to read fantasy. Everything in this book is realistic beside her being able to talk with horses. I would recommend this book to fourth through sixth grade, because this book has more mature content I would make sure students are old enough to read it before giving it to them. There is a lot of information about horses in this novel so this would be an interesting way for students to learn about animals. Although some parts of this novel are heartbreaking, students may be able to relate to sky though and the changes she is experiencing. Topics like alcohol abuse are introduced.

[Apopofpage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sky is a twelve year old girl who is still getting over her mother's death. Both her father and her have a tight connection with horses and can actually understand them, making them valuable members of the million dollar farm they work on. But when a devastating sickness spreads across all the farms in the state, she tries to get to the bottom of it to ensure that her horse friends are safe. In the process, she copes with a lot of other things going on in her life, and finds that she has a group of people who have her back, and realizes that she is stronger than she ever thought she was.

I enjoyed every page of this book. I was a really good read that had me captivated and took me on it's journey. The main problem was actually a true one, even though Sky and her father are not real characters. I enjoyed the way Sky's friends supported her like family when she had no one to lean on, and the way she struggles with the stuff going on in her life is really felt through the way the author writes. Her relationship with her horses is so beautifully depicted that it pulled me into the story, thus providing a couple hours of pure bliss. I would really really recommend this book.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book from start to finish! The Whole Sky is set on a thoroughbred horse farm in central Kentucky during an outbreak of Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome. Over 500 foals were lost that year in a devastating blow to the horse industry. This story follow Sky, a 12 year-old girl who has recently lost her mother to cancer, as she travels to Kentucky with father to work at Shaughnessy Farms during the foaling season. Sky and her father have a special gift of being able to talk to and understand the horses; to hear what they actually say. It is this gift that helps solve the mystery surrounding the foals' deaths.

Sky not only experiences the loss of her mother, but a temporary loss of her father, both emotionally and literally, and a loss of her favorite horse Poppy when she goes to the veterinary hospital. Sky has a lot of trust issues but we see her working through those in her relationships with Archie, Gaby, Dr. Nash and eventually her own father.

I would recommend this story from ages 9 and up, and I think it would be a good read-aloud for 4th and 5th graders.

[Mendell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Whole Sky is a beautiful fantasy tale, that could arguable fall into many other categories. I couldn't help but fall back to a time, when I was a young kid getting into fantasy reading the Harry Potter series. In fact, many times Sky and her story reminded me of young Harry Potter. The Whole Sky centers on a young girl Sky who learns she can speak with horses. With her mother's death imminent, she must learn to deal with this at the same time many horses around her are dying. I'm reminded of Harry Potter, because just as he learned he was a wizard, he had to also deal with the loss of his parents, and save the wizarding word. I believe that the Whole Sky is a great introduction into the world of fantasy for students. It's got all the aspects of a great story and is sure to have students in all the feels. Living in Kentucky, this book may also be a great way for students to learn about horses, particularly thoroughbreds which our state is known for. Growing up in Louisville, I can't say I learned to much about horses and this book was definitely helpful.

[Madeline Vines · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is nothing more Kentucky than a horse book. I remember my first time in Joseph Beth seeing this book on the shelf labeled "horse crazy". I was so excited to read this book because I remember when this tragedy happened not too long ago. This fantastical realistic fiction book has the perfect compromise of complete truth and overwhelming dreamy imagination. Although this book obviously has a very specific audience in mind the concepts and themes are relatable to to all students. Not everyone has dealt with the loss of a parent but surely every kid has gone through some type of loss. Often times young children feel an incredibly strong connection to their pets. Although Sky's character takes it a step further, young readers will definitely understand her feelings. I also enjoyed the amount of very accurate information on horses. Being in Pony Club growing up I felt I had the upper-hand in knowledge. Henson does a really good job of portraying the knitty gritty parts of a horse farm. This is a wonderful book for the children of the bluegrass.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a true story, this novel has a lyrical and subtle joy running through every page. Many girls go through a horsey period in their lives, a desire to be among horses, to care for and ride them. But Sky is a Traveler, someone with the unique gift of being able to communicate with horses. She can hear and understand their speech and they can hear and understand hers. Her love of horses makes them the center of her life…almost.

With a loss in the family, Sky is thrown into a mire of misery and despair and even her beloved horses isn’t enough to stave off her inner pain. The novel plumbs the depths and scales the heights of her emotion and credibly weaves this fictional character’s personal crisis and mystical power into the true history of the murrain that afflicted hundreds of Thoroughbred mares in 2001. It’s a tremendous tale, filled with emotion and drama. It also contains incidental details about what it takes to care for equines, those beautiful and noble creatures that have trotted by mankind’s side for over five millennia.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sky returns to Shaughnessy Farms, one of the finest Thoroughbred broodmare farms in Kentucky, for the foaling season. But a plague hits Shaughnessy and the other farms in the area, and the foals are stillborn. Sky begins investigating the cause to try to save some of the foals of the late-foaling mares.

This book tackles many heavy topics—the dying foals (500 in the area!), Sky’s grief over the recent death of her mother, and Sky’s father’s new drinking problem. It’s best for the older elementary school readers, who are ready to explore these types of issues.

Horse-crazed readers will love Sky’s ability to talk to the horses—and to hear their responses! Those who are scientific-minded will be drawn to Archie, Sky’s friend and a budding entomologist. Archie shares many facts he has learned about different bugs. There is something for everyone in this book!

I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

[Robyn Carroll · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Whole Sky is a story about a girl named Sky and her father who are horse whispers. Both her and her father are able to hear what the horses that they are caring for are feeling. This ability helps sky figure out why so many horses are having still births. It turns out that the reason why the horses are having these still births is because they are eating these caterpillars that are cutting the horses' gums and causing infection in the horse. The infection doesn't hurt the adult horse but hurts the baby horse. I love how Sky's backstory made the book more relatable, and it just made the book better since you could relate to her in some way. The book would be perfect for 4th or 5th grade students due to the text being long and the complexity of the plot. I would use this book to help teach part of Kentucky's history to my future students since the part about the horses having still births is true.

[Marissa Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the novel The Whole Sky. Heather Henson did a great job integrating a piece of fantasy into realistic fiction, with a lot of historical fiction as well. All three of those aspects worked really well together to help create a world in the novel and the overall message. This book is about a special girl, Sky, who can communicate with horses by being able to hear what they are saying. By having this special ability, she is able to figure out why all these foals had been dying. This book is very uplifting but also very relatable and tears on the heart strings, but the challenges Sky goes through would be good for Elementary schoolers to read and relate to. Sky lost her mom, is losing all these foals due to stillbirth, and has to take care of her dad who is an alcoholic. This novel is very complex but Henson did an amazing job tying all the elements together and making this an appropriate and really good read for children.

[Mrs. Mounce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy Release Day to, The Whole Sky, by Heather Henson!
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for this free advanced digital copy. All opinions are my own. 🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎/5
This is a story about 12 year old horse whisperer, Sky. Sky has been dealing with some very heavy things, her mother's passing, and her dad not being himself. But now she is back at the horse ranch she loves. Back around the horses who she understands and they understand her, especially her favorite mare, Poppy. It's spring time on the horse ranch and the mares are all about to give birth. It's Sky's favorite time of the year. But when tragedy strikes again, will Sky be able to help the horses that she loves so much?
I really enjoyed this book! Sky is only 12 and has been dealing with some very tough situations. It's a story of true heartbreak, but learning to push through it. 🐎👧🏻

[Zora · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely MG book.

Sky is a 12 year old girl who can hear horses thinking. She and her father work a circuit every year, bluegrass farm, race tracks, etc., moving around. Her mother gets cancer and dies quickly, and she and her father are devastated. Her father turns to booze to numb his pain. Sky is effectively orphaned.

At the same time, her favorite job on the bluegrass farm presents a real problem. Foals are being delivered dead. This part (not the fantastical listening to horses' thoughts) is based on a real event from 2001. And the solution to the mystery of why is kept intact.

Sky befriends a grandson of the horse owner, and a vet, and her father finally gets himself into rehab. There's a happy ending but there are some really emotional moments before that. Your MG daughter will likely adore it but will be crying too.

[Beverly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a wonderful story that any young adult who cares anything about animals...in particular horses....would love. It also had a couple of interesting twists to intensify the story. A strange disease was affecting the horse breeding community and Sky, a true horse whisperer, is determined to discover what is causing the deaths of so many of this years' just born foals. Although her father is also able to read horses, the recent death of her mother has put him into a low spot in his life. The low spot has lead to increased drinking so he is certainly not being supportive to her cause. Over all, a sweet coming of age story about a determined young girl who is dedicated to helping her friends, the horses she is so close to.

[Julie Overpeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a pleasant surprise. Although I have ridden some, I have never been a “horse girl” and was a little dubious about starting this book. I was rewarded with a good story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I learned a lot about the care and keeping of horses, but I also fell in love with Sky. Her awkwardness at making friends and ease around animals is completely believable. The characters in the story all change for the better, and Sky learns some things about her father that she didn’t know before.

According to the author’s note, the disastrous foal season is based on an actual event. That she wove a bit of magic among an actual researched occurrence made me love it even more.

[Kevin Bottom · Rating 5 out of 5]

From cover to cover this book had my attention. Even though I had to read the book for a class, if I was in a book store I would have picked this book because the front cover is truly amazing. The book had an excellent plot that hit close to home. As a horse lover, I found the book very entertaining. The book was extremely well written and was fun to read. There is excellent use of literary elements throughout the book that I feel like could become a future lesson in the classroom. I recommend this title for all young adult readers. Go Kentucky!

[Rachel Dooley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Whole Sky is a sweet story of a young girl’s love and dedication to the horses in Kentucky. Sky and her father share a special gift of being able to speak to horses, and spend their time taking care of the animals and helping birth new foals. After her mother passes away and her father takes up drinking and disappears, Sky is on her own to figure out the reason behind the stillborn foals all across Kentucky farms. This fantasy is a magical twist to a large part of Kentucky’s history, and will surely have kids sucked in!

[Bees · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love these books, but like the last book I read, VIP Battle of the Bands,it had mystery!! Luckily, the mystery was different then I thought. I won't say what, but I was slightly proven wrong!!! Very happy, I love how it was BASED off true events,(even though there was no horse whisperer IRL) and there are reference links in the back and research books!!! <3 <3