The Weight of the Sky

by Lisa Ann Sandell

Sarah, like every college-bound junior, deals with constant pressure from teachers, friends, and parents. Besides that, she’s a marching band geek and the only Jew in her class. So when she gets a chance to spend the summer on a kibbutz in Israel, Sarah jumps at the opportunity to escape her world. But living in Israel brings new complications, and when the idyllic world Sarah creates suddenly shatters, she finds herself longing for the home she thought she’d outgrown.

This lyrical novel beautifully captures the experience of leaving behind a life that’s too small, and the freedom of searching for a place with a perfect fit.

Genres: Young Adult, Poetry, Contemporary, Fiction, Jewish, Middle East, Romance

292 pages, Hardcover

First published March 2, 2006

About the author

I was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, where I'm told that I was forever buried in books. I began scribbling my own short stories in a spiral bound notebook when I was six. Books and writing were--and still are--a haven for me, and I count myself so lucky that I have a chance to share my stories with others. I currently live and work in New York City where, when I'm not writing, I'm riding my bike, taking a sculpting class, or playing with my dog, Molly.

Reviews

[Amy Lou · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really did not click with this book. I had forgotten that it was written in verse, and although I often like books written in that style, it really did not work for this story. The verse did not feel intentional (more like she just hit enter every few words to make the book longer) and it didn't add anything to my experience. Aside from the style, the actual plot was pretty much the worst. There were a few random (read: confusing) time jumps, and I basically hated the main character. She was flighty and actually the worst human. I don't really want to say more about this one; I'm just really disappointed with it and I absolutely would not recommend it to anyone else.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Sarah has just finished her junior year at a high school in Pennsylvania. As a professed band geek and the only one among her friends who is Jewish, she is always on the outside looking in. When her parents announce plans to send her to Israel to spend the summer, she's shocked that they would make plans like that without consulting her. At least that's her initial reaction, because once she starts to really consider the idea, she realizes that might be just the thing she needs to find out who she truly is.

After a brief visit in Jerusalem with relatives, Sarah heads to the kibbutz, where she will spend the remainder of the summer. Shy and withdrawn, it takes a bit of courage for Sarah to find her place in the group of kibbutz residents and volunteers. Once she begins working in the fields, sharing meals with the others, and doing some exploring, Sarah finds she is more at home here than back in Pennsylvania. The land is beautiful and rich with her history and religion. But underneath the beauty is a violence between people that Sarah just can't quite understand.

Lisa Ann Sandell uses verse to take readers on this self-discovery type journey with Sarah. I could sense her appreciation and inspiration, yet also feel her confusion as she spends time exploring her native land and heritage. Thoughtful readers will find this a welcome addition to any library shelf.

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

I heard this author of young-adult novels written in verse speak at a meeting of English teachers. This first novel is a fictional representation of her own experience of a summer at a kibbutz. Now that I've read the book, I found it disappointing on several levels. The book is written as poetry, but that is mainly so because the lines are short. True poetry with imagery, thoughtful line breaks, careful choice of diction, or density is rare in this book. Not that the writing is bad; it isn't, but it's not poetry. The characters, except for the protagonist, are barely developed. And there's not much of a plot either. Sandell spoke so well and so feelingly of her life as a bookish child, I had thought I would see more of that here. It was mentioned, but you will learn little more than what I have written here. Despite my disappointment with this book, I still look forward to reading her second novel: Song of The Sparrow.

[Sesana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Israel is a somewhat unusual topic for YA. I can't think of any books other than this one set in Israel, in fact. The main character is an American Jewish teenager, who spends her summer on a kibbutz in Israel to try and find herself and her heritage. And she does, and more, and it's all in very lovely verse. The topic is not something that I would be predisposed to read, but I have a thing for verse novels that makes me read virtually every one I hear of. And I liked what I found here. What I love about verse novels is how a good one can give you an intense look inside a character's head, and mission accomplished here. Sarah is likeable and very, very real. I enjoyed getting to know her.

And how fabulous is the cover, by the way? It's one of the most beautiful covers that I've seen in quite some time.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another winner from Sandell! This novel in verse is about a Jewish American girl, Sarah, who feels isolated in her non-Jewish community and school, pressured on all sides to make decisions about her future that she's not ready to make, but who begins to find her identity and formulate an idea of what she wants when she spends a summer volunteering at a kibbutz in Israel. The author spent time on a kibbutz in Israel herself, so the details of life there feel authentic. I enjoyed reading this novel as much for the descriptions of the scenery and life there as for Sarah's blossoming and growth. I wish it were still in print so I could order it for my library! Highly recommended!

[Strix · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow! Never have I read such an unlikable FMC. Among other things, she thinks it's a good idea to bring up her wanting to live in Israel to Nadav right after she learns that his best friend was killed in the army by a suicide bomb not too far away. She constantly thinks about how she's not a tourist/playing pretend, but she acts like one for sure.

Also, the only other female characters are either distant (her best friends, she remarks they're probably playing duets without her somewhat resentfully), catty bimbos (the local, perfectly tanned, Blondes, which are treated as the standard for girls, not like our NLOG hero), or catty bimbo cheerleaders.

I couldn't stand a single character besides Nadav.

[T · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute, touching, honestly a really wistful read. Made me feel all fuzzy inside blekh. Although i cannot technically relate to Sarah (bc i’m egyptian and muslim lmao) i still somehow relate to her? It’s weird but idk, yes her character resonated with me. ok that is all lol.

[Holly]

Read in July 2021: https://hollograms.blogspot.com/2021/...

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Weight of the Sky

The Weight of the Sky was most definitely not what I was expecting. Based on my countless experiences with novels geared to teenagers, I had come to the sad conclusion that the majority of these novels are devoid of deeper meaning. It seems as though teen fiction must contain the mandatory shallow and superficial aspects that appear to please teen readers. The Weight of the Sky proves this theory of mine wrong.
Author Lisa Ann Sandell made the bold decision to write her first novel in freestyle prose, which is not a typical style of writing used in teen fiction. However, this decision paid off because the reader was able to easily connect with the story.
I think that what teens can connect to most are the issues the main character, Sarah, struggles with throughout the novel. First off, she is the only Jew in her Pennsylvania high school. Needless to say, she feels like somewhat of an outsider. She also hates the image everyone has of her as an insecure and unappealing band geek. Add to that the incessant pressure her parents put on her about college applications, its no wonder she chooses to spend her summer away from it all volunteering on a communal farm in Israel.
Once there, all of her problems seem to disappear. She instantly feels at home in Israel. “I’ve only just arrived, I know, but I am part of this humming, this living. And there has been life here for so long. Jewish life. Life that nursed me and cursed me, leaving me marked in school.” (44)
After getting accustomed to the ways of the farm, Sarah’s stay is blissfully peaceful, following a typical routine of a couple of hours of hard work, followed by nightly adventures with a group of fellow teenage volunteers. It seems as though a safe little bubble forms around the farm, sheltering Sarah from the harsh reality of life in war-torn, violent Israel.
This bubble is shattered when a friend of hers, who was an Israeli soldier, was killed while on duty. She faces the harsh reality that life in Israel was not the same as the blissful and idyllic life on the farm. She realizes that she, being an American, does not truly understand the fighting going on in Israel. She realizes that it is not her war, and she returns home to Pennsylvania.
However, this trip to Israel was not all for nothing. Sarah comes home a more mature young adult who has experienced both the good and the bad that life has to offer. She realizes that Israel changed her, and that she does belong there. This leads her to decide to attend college in Israel.
I think that The Weight of the Sky touches on a lot of issues that many teenagers deal with in today’s society. Sarah deals with the insecurity that accompanies identity issues, as well as the pressure her parents put on her about her future. Both of these are things that teen readers can actually relate to. I think that this novel successfully deals with common teenage issues in a style that is unusual yet deeply satisfying. I would recommend this novel in a heartbeat.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah just finished her junior year high school, but feels out of place as the only Jewish girl in her school. Often picked on for her clothes, weight, and religion, Sarah seeks a place where she can truly belong. With a nudge from her parents, Sarah chooses to work on a kibbutz (a farm) in Israel. Here, she learns that there is a world far beyond the small confines of her small-town life back home.

This book is a verse novel, in which the narration is told entirely through poems. Due to this format, it was a quick read. I love this format, and I have been a fan of Sandell since I was in high school, myself. I could definitely feel the age gap, however, as there were parts where I found myself rolling my eyes, dismissing it as mere high school drama. While consistent with the characters, some plot lines felt too young for me; petty disagreements and miscommunication seemed to come out of nowhere throughout the dialogue.

There is a heavy theme of war within the book, and mentions of tensions between the Arab and the Jewish peoples. One quote did not sit well with me, as the main character describes a burqa as look “un-American.” However, I recognize that the perspective of this book is an American teenager in a world simultaneously familiar and foreign to her, and this line of thinking would be consistent with her narrative based on how she grew up. She doesn’t understand the new world around her just as much as she claims her newfound friends don’t understand her American world.

There was a lot of girl-bashing in this book. The “blonde girls” in the story were known to be either flirtatious, easy, or cheerleaders. There was also a lot of “I’m not like other girls” – stated not only by Sarah herself, but also from the love interest, on multiple occasions.

At one point, Sarah put tiny braids in her hair “like an Indian/ because [she] is a lady of the land” (p. 219). This part didn’t sit well with me, either. This is possibly due to the misnomer, or the idea that to work with the land is to be synonymous with a Native American, and so one needs braids?

The imagery described in this novel was beautiful: the howling wolves, becoming one with the sea, smelling the earth and sky as coffee is boiled seven times “like the Bedouins.”

Overall, I think I would have enjoyed this book more in high school, and I wish I had read this book back then. While I am over the age of the target market for this book, I enjoyed and appreciated it. It was a beautiful story of a teenager discovering her religious identity through Judaism.

Meanwhile, the cover is absolutely gorgeous. I love the color scheme.

[Bianca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about Sara, who is pressured by her peers and parents daily about her grades, college, etc. In the summer, she goes to Israel to work on a kibbutz. She goes through many changes and meets new people, and finds another side of herself.

I learned a lot of things from this book: You need to enjoy things while you have it, and appreciate what you have in life. Also, do what you feel you need to do.

I really like the form of this book, as well. It is written in free-verse, poetry form. I thought this was really cool, because it made me pause as I went down a line, and think about what I was reading. It was almost like poetry too, because it was well-written and described almost everything as clearly, and serene, as it could possibly get.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being the only Jew in her class, Sarah feels trapped inside of her small town in Pennsylvania. So when the opportunity arrives for Sarah to spend her summer volunteering on a kibbutz in Israel, Sarah grabs at it. A foreigner in her own religious country, Sarah feels alone. Not being able to speak the language, Sarah feels very isolated. But the advantage? Nobody in Israel knows anything about her, where she comes from, and who she is. Sarah is given a clean slate and a chance to shed the weight of her past. Finally comfortable in the kibbutz, Sarah develops friendships that will last her a lifetime and memories that will always have a place in her heart. I loved this book and read it in one day! 100% recommended.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

As Sarah, a Jewish band-geek from Pennsylvania, is put on a plane to Israel for the summer she is not sure what to expect from the kibbutz she is going to be volunteering at. But, as the story progresses Sarah seems to be deeply. Throughout the story Sarah falls in love, meets new people, and has a life changing experience. Overall the story was OK. Despite the amazing poetic like writing, that Lisa Ann Sandell is known for, the plot line seemed easy, and expected. Overall it was a quick unmemorable read and was not as good as some of her other books. I do love the style of writing though and am definitely going to read some of her other books.

[Sarah Moustafa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was magical. I loved the unique way it was written - in poetic form, but still story-like. I also loved Sarah, and could relate to her and her experiences. School is tough for her, she doesn't belong, she is made fun of, and she has never felt comfort and true happiness. When she travels to Israel, she finally finds her niche among her family and friends, and also love. For the first time, Sarah feels what it's like to really laugh, really smile, and truly love. The plot of the story is simple, but beneath it is a moral that teaches us to chase our dreams, and not waste a minute of our lives being unhappy, because after all, it doesn't last forever.

[Allen Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

very rarely do I find a book that I enjoy, learn, and can relate to on so many levels. This was the best book I've read this year.
Sarah, Was never comfortable in a school that was oppressive against non-poplar people. She is a Jew and decided to work on the Kibbutz for summer break of her jr-sr year. Traveling from Pennsylvania to Jerusalem was a life changing event to try to find where she fit in. The decriptions of the landscape & the food were excellent. The feelings the character had; you could tell were real and felt deep inside the readers. We've all experienced fist love, disappointment. this was all told well.

[Ang · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading Sarah's journey of her time in Jerusalem and the kibbutz. The book is told from her perspective in the style and format of free verse poems. It helps to emphasize her journey of trying to find her place in the world, while also exploring her life outside of her comfort zones and home. The scenery, the smells, tastes, joys and hardships are written so well that the reader can feel, taste and smell all that is happening in the story. It's bittersweet, humorous, heart wrenching, and exciting all in one. You can really feel Sarah grow up in the short time frame that takes place in the book.

[Alexa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the second book I've read by Lisa Sandell, and I was a little disappointed. I really liked this book, but I thought that A Map of the Known World was a lot better. I've only read a few book written in stanza's and I thought it was a little annoying at the beginning, but by the end, I was used to it. I liked how I could relate to the main character. Like Sarah, I am a Jew who doesn't know her roots well. I liked how all of the little things in the book ultimately changed Sarah. I liked this book, but I felt like it was a fast read.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I literally fell in love with the writing and felt like i was in Israel. Told with a refreshing perspective of an American who goes discovers her roots and how it is being Jewish, she feels like she belongs, but at the same time an outsider as well. This relates alot to myself as well growing up American, yet the foods I eat are Salvadorean. However, it is much more than that. Culture and language make it even more evident that your a different person. Funny how that is your an outsider to your own country and to your hometown.

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful book. Sarah goes to Israel to hopefully learn aobut her culture, her Jewish side. She feels like no one at her school understands her. When she gets to Israel she meets Lior, but that is short lived. She works at a commune and finds out that she loves her homeland. However, something changes and she finds out she really doesn't know what she wants.

The book is wonderful for struggling readers. The book is written in verse and easy to understand. A wonderful written story by Sandell.

[English Education]

This novel is about a young Jewish girl, Sarah, who travels to Israel for a summer. At first she is not pleased about the idea of the trip, but she soon realizes that this may be exactly what she needs to find herself. Through her travels, Sarah learns about her religion, culture, and history. The novel also takes the readers into some of the conflict that surrounds Israel. Many Jewish students would be able to relate to Sarah’s experience, but other students may also connect with Sarah’s struggle to find herself. This novel would be a great addition to a unit about religion.

[Laura Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is about a girl who's an outcast in her high school as a member of the band and one of the only Jewish students. Then her parents send her to Israel for the summer, where everything changes for her... So I liked this book ok; however, I wasn't really attached to the character at the end of the story, and that's a must for me to really get into a book. I normally like novels in verse but wonder if this one could have been better developed if it'd just been written in prose instead.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

i finally got a copy of this book. its been out of print for a while and my mom and dad bought this book off ebay. i really, really liked this book. Lisa did a very good job creating this storyline. Sarah seems like a typical girl trying to fit in. The ending, hwever, is sad. i wont put any spoilers in this review so if you want to know why the ending is sad read the book for yourself!

[Maurizia Calo · Rating 5 out of 5]

much deeper of the majority of adolescents books, it gives an usual prospective on an experience otherwise described in a banal way. The use of free verse gives strenght and melody to the story. Touching. Can't wait to read the writer's new book.

[Donato · Rating 5 out of 5]

The atmospheres recreated by the author is something really unique. Reading the book is just like going through a real experience. It was like I could really feel the weight of that wonderful Israeli sky described by Lisa Sandell. Just great!!!

[jade cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much! An American jewish girl that goes to Israel for the first time to work on a kibbutz and gets to experience a different life. She also feels like she fits in for the first time in her life.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cool format, with the poems and all. It was more than just poems though, it not only sounds lyrical but also told an interesting story.

I liked the contrast the main character gives to the reader. It was very enticing to learn about a new place.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a gentle coming-of-age/self-discovery book - easy to read, lyrical and sweet. Sarah's life-changing summer volunteer trip, connection with the land and desire to return transcend the specifics. The names of the cultures and countries could be changed to just about anything.

[Jennifer Katz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never been a huge free verse poetry lover, and I read this one for a prooject. I didn't expect a fabulous book, and I didn't get a fabulous book. It wasn't bad, it wasn't good. If you have nothing better to do, you should read this book just to pass the time.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story of Sarah, a shy American high school girl who spends a summer at a kibbutz in Israel, is filled with wonderful details - a tattoo on a baggage handler, a lychee orchard, the howling of wolves. A lovely and melancholic novel.

[Sarah♥ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like or agree with everything that happened. I still think the writing style is unique, and I like that, as well as some of the personal insight it gave into a look of Israel. Now I want to go eat pizza "with a view" and have some local hummus.