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Touch the Sky
Vern longed to be one of the kids who swooped until their toes touched the sky. He heads to the swings and desperately tries to pump his legs, but he just can't get it. A chance encounter with precocious (and hilarious) Gretchen gives him just what he needs to know, and he finally learns to soar. A story for every child on the cusp of learning something new who just needs an extra push to get there.
“Lucianovic demonstrates a keen, child-friendly understanding of what it’s like to master a new skill. . . The energetic, loosely drawn mixed-media illustrations zing with color. . . It’s swing, hit, and no miss with this rip-roaring charmer.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews
"... legitimately one of my favorites of the year ... Humor and heart. Beautiful art and a smart text. A familiar concept but unfamiliar in a picture book until now. Memorable writing ... It has accessed, by whatever means, the magic required to make a title go from merely good to great." —Betsy Bird, School Library Journal
“Lucianovic demonstrates a keen, child-friendly understanding of what it’s like to master a new skill. . . The energetic, loosely drawn mixed-media illustrations zing with color. . . It’s swing, hit, and no miss with this rip-roaring charmer.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews
"... legitimately one of my favorites of the year ... Humor and heart. Beautiful art and a smart text. A familiar concept but unfamiliar in a picture book until now. Memorable writing ... It has accessed, by whatever means, the magic required to make a title go from merely good to great." —Betsy Bird, School Library Journal
Hardcover
First published May 7, 2024
2 people are currently reading
244 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic
11 books101 followersStephanie has done a few things in life. She has sold women shoes and frozen yogurt as well as smelly, expensive body lotion and smellier, even more expensive cheese. She has worked on a Jacques Pepin cooking show and been a cookbook editor. She has written about books, food, parenting, TV, vampire dating habits, cocktail trivia, and picky eating.
She has lived in Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Ann Arbor, England, Boston, and San Francisco.
She has attended a swank ball at University of Cambridge with Prince Charles (not that he was her date or anything just that he was also invited) and rebuilt trails with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.
Now she writes children's books surrounded by a few kids, a few cats, and one husband. She loves reading books and watching television shows in equal numbers and thinks everyone should try pairing Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups with bourbon.
She has lived in Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Ann Arbor, England, Boston, and San Francisco.
She has attended a swank ball at University of Cambridge with Prince Charles (not that he was her date or anything just that he was also invited) and rebuilt trails with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.
Now she writes children's books surrounded by a few kids, a few cats, and one husband. She loves reading books and watching television shows in equal numbers and thinks everyone should try pairing Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups with bourbon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
August 19, 2024
I lovedddddd this! Not only do we get a wonderful story about patience, friendship, and perseverance, but Chris Park did an AMAZING job with the artwork. This is for every kid who loved to swing to the sky and beyond.
February 22, 2024
“How do you like to go up in a swing, / Up in the air so blue? / Oh, I do think it is the pleasantest thing / Ever a child can do!” - Robert Louis Stevenson, The Swing
Two opposite things can be true at the same time, when it comes to children’s books. For example, I often tell people that a truly great children’s author can take a subject that’s been done to death a million times before and bring to it something new and striking that’s never been seen before. You can make a truly great book for kids out of the overly familiar. That said, it is also true that sometimes the best titles for children are the ones that suss out a topic or truth about being a kid that has never been captured on the page before. Touch the Sky belongs firmly in the latter category, and for good reason. If you were to approach a children’s librarian, knowledgeable in the field, and ask for the quintessential swing-related picture book on their shelves, what would they hand you? Had you asked me, prior to seeing Ms. Lucianovic’s latest, I would have recommended the board book edition of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Swing as illustrated by Julie Morstad (long before she became the Kate DiCamillo-illustrating wonder we all know and love today). That book is good, great even, but sedate and serene. Its lyrical read mimics the effects of going up and down on a swing, completely ignoring the complementary thrill and rush. And the difficulty of learning how to pump? Forgettaboutit! For that, you’re going to need Touch the Sky and you’re going to need it stat. A book that truly exemplifies one of those key moments in a child’s life, fated to be forgotten.
For Vern, the park is the place he tends to go almost every day. Kids all have their favorite places to go in a playground, but for Vern there's no competition. He's a swing kid through and through. Usually the most he can do is fling himself onto a swing, belly first, or twist it up and then let go until he's dizzy. Why? Because Vern doesn't know how to pump his legs. And unless you know how to do that, you're grounded. Then one day a girl named Gretchen gives Vern a couple pointers. What follows isn't instantaneous success or fast learning. Vern wants to give up more than once, but he keeps at it and slowly, slowly, slowly it all starts to come together. Just Vern, the swing, and the sky.
Children are the sole occupants of only a couple spaces in this world, and playgrounds as a rule serve no real purpose aside from existing for kids and kids alone. As a result, they tend to crop up in picture books on a regular basis. Yet for all that, few remain in your brain for very long. I was just sitting here, trying to think up the greatest picture books set in playgrounds, but all I could think of was the aforementioned The Swing and the charming You Go First by Ariel Bernstein, illustrated by Marc Rosenthal. How strange that a place that exerts such a pull on a child’s early life (and occupies their adult caretakers as well) should be so little lauded on the page. Until now.
Speaking of those caretakers, it took me a read or two of this book before I realized that there’s one key component to swinging completely obliterated from the narrative. Which is to say, this title is a parent-free zone. You’re not going to find one of those overaged interlopers spoiling the purely kid-centric narrative here. You have to assume they exist, of course. Vern’s love of swinging high but without the requisite knowledge of how to pump is entirely contingent on some big person giving him a push on a regular basis. But for this book to have the right amount of emotional oomph, Vern needs to learn pumping entirely on his own. That means excluding any well-meaning but ultimately unnecessary grown-ups from the book. Don't worry. You don't even miss them.
How to make a truly great picture book? Step One: Fill book with great writing. Tall order, that. If every incipient picture book author was able to conjure up words that were both exquisite and chock full of truth, then it would make the lives of reviewers like myself much harder, I can tell you. There is a moment in every book, and it doesn’t matter if I’m talking about titles for babies or the geriatric, when the reader falls in love. It might not be on the first read. It might not even be on the fifth or fiftieth, but when it happens you will defend that book’s honor to the end of your dying days. For me, that moment happened on page ten with the appearance of Gretchen. The book explains that Vern only knew her because of her mom.
“Gretchen, stop licking your scab!”
“Gretchen, dig up your brother right now!”
“Gretchen – do NOT pet that cat with your cheese!”
That sequence is doing the duty of making you fall in love with the book, sure, but you’re also now firmly in the pro-Gretchen camp and you would follow her lead wherever she might go. Creative writing teachers should use this sequence with up-and-coming authors to show them how to create an instant rapport with an audience.
But clever wordplay is only half the battle. Lucianovic also has to nail home the whole concept of learning something new and hard. In doing so, she has to avoid The Elmo Effect. That’s a term I just made up. You see, once I was watching Sesame Street with my kids and it was a sequence where Elmo wanted to learn to play some kind of an instrument. This being contemporary Sesame Street (i.e. shorter than it was when I was a kid) the sequence plays out like this: Elmo tries and fails. Elmo tries and fails. Elmo tries and succeeds! The Elmo Effect. And I hate this sequence. As anyone will tell you, the odds of learning something new on a third try, while not impossible, is pretty darn low. But picture books, like 21st century Sesame Street sequences, are pressed for time. This book clocks in at a mere 32 pages, so it was enormously gratifying to find Lucianovic not only shows Vern’s frustrations (“Giving up felt easier than trying again”, “He could get off the swing now. Gretchen would never know he gave up”) but also just the sheer amount of work he has to put into the learning. Even when he gets it, it isn't slam-bang-whoopsie-doo-it’s-a-miracle all at once. Competence increases at its own steady rate. Beautifully done.
One of these days I’m going to shake up my normal writing format and mention the art right at the start of my reviews rather than near the end. That day, alas, is not today but not for a lack of respect for what illustrator Chris Park is doing here. Glance at the publication page and you read that the art of this book was created with “mixed media”, an all-encompassing term that tells you diddly over squat about Park’s process. That’s actually okay, though, since I’m a lot more interested in how Park managed to take what could have been an average playground book and made it, frankly, gorgeous. His medium resembles that of pastels and crayons (which are probably digital) but it’s his colors that set this whole enterprise apart. Specifically Vern’s hair. It’s long and luscious (still a rarity in books about boys) and filled with all these different blues, purples, and pinks. Gretchen’s hair? It seems to radiate purples and pinks almost from the inside out. Then you start looking at how Park shakes up his angles and the nuances of each page. Look at that shot of Vern on a swing from underneath, his body dark against the blinding light of the sun. Now look at the body language at play. The way Vern’s feet close in on themselves when Gretchen talks to him for the very first time. There’s even this fascinating sequence where the background becomes dark, and the scenes of Vern’s attempts become windows and even blobs. What could have been rote, nay, is almost REQUIRED by some books to BE rote, is made exemplary and magical thanks to one illustrator’s finesse.
The premise is good, the art fantastic, and the writing stellar but that could all be said of a lot of books. A truly great picture book needs that one extra added element to be stirred into the mix. That thing that lifts it, just one more step, above the hoard of hundreds of picture books published every year. In short, it needs heart. Real heart, TRUE heart. Touch the Sky has that heart in a single moment near the end of the book. Vern, at long last, has learned to pump and is filled to brimming with that knowledge. Now comes the moment of truth. So many kids (hell, adults too) when they have learned something new, will use that knowledge to lord it over the ones who still don’t know. In some alternate universe there is a version of this book where Vern turns to the envious little kid at the end of the book and rubs his newly acquired pump knowledge in that child’s face. Not this book. When the kid notes how good Vern now is, the response is an immediate, “It feels hard until you get it, and then it’s not . . . Do you want to learn how?” We never get to hear the first child's response, but I feel like Park’s endpapers, filled to the brim with words like “PUMP”, “AGAIN”, “SKY”, “TUCK”, “TIP”, and more, are the actual answer.
Yeah, so I like it. Think it’s pretty good. I also think it’s a great example of all these different elements working together in tandem in just the right order and sequence. Humor and heart. Beautiful art and a smart text. A familiar concept but unfamiliar in a picture book until now. Memorable writing. All told, there are loads of picture books coming out every day that are perfectly fine. Completely decent. Downright nice. This book is not one of them. This book is better than those books. It has accessed, by whatever means, the magic required to make a title go from merely good to great. Best that you do a kid a favor and read it to them ASAP. They’ll be glad you did. You’ll be glad you did.
Two opposite things can be true at the same time, when it comes to children’s books. For example, I often tell people that a truly great children’s author can take a subject that’s been done to death a million times before and bring to it something new and striking that’s never been seen before. You can make a truly great book for kids out of the overly familiar. That said, it is also true that sometimes the best titles for children are the ones that suss out a topic or truth about being a kid that has never been captured on the page before. Touch the Sky belongs firmly in the latter category, and for good reason. If you were to approach a children’s librarian, knowledgeable in the field, and ask for the quintessential swing-related picture book on their shelves, what would they hand you? Had you asked me, prior to seeing Ms. Lucianovic’s latest, I would have recommended the board book edition of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Swing as illustrated by Julie Morstad (long before she became the Kate DiCamillo-illustrating wonder we all know and love today). That book is good, great even, but sedate and serene. Its lyrical read mimics the effects of going up and down on a swing, completely ignoring the complementary thrill and rush. And the difficulty of learning how to pump? Forgettaboutit! For that, you’re going to need Touch the Sky and you’re going to need it stat. A book that truly exemplifies one of those key moments in a child’s life, fated to be forgotten.
For Vern, the park is the place he tends to go almost every day. Kids all have their favorite places to go in a playground, but for Vern there's no competition. He's a swing kid through and through. Usually the most he can do is fling himself onto a swing, belly first, or twist it up and then let go until he's dizzy. Why? Because Vern doesn't know how to pump his legs. And unless you know how to do that, you're grounded. Then one day a girl named Gretchen gives Vern a couple pointers. What follows isn't instantaneous success or fast learning. Vern wants to give up more than once, but he keeps at it and slowly, slowly, slowly it all starts to come together. Just Vern, the swing, and the sky.
Children are the sole occupants of only a couple spaces in this world, and playgrounds as a rule serve no real purpose aside from existing for kids and kids alone. As a result, they tend to crop up in picture books on a regular basis. Yet for all that, few remain in your brain for very long. I was just sitting here, trying to think up the greatest picture books set in playgrounds, but all I could think of was the aforementioned The Swing and the charming You Go First by Ariel Bernstein, illustrated by Marc Rosenthal. How strange that a place that exerts such a pull on a child’s early life (and occupies their adult caretakers as well) should be so little lauded on the page. Until now.
Speaking of those caretakers, it took me a read or two of this book before I realized that there’s one key component to swinging completely obliterated from the narrative. Which is to say, this title is a parent-free zone. You’re not going to find one of those overaged interlopers spoiling the purely kid-centric narrative here. You have to assume they exist, of course. Vern’s love of swinging high but without the requisite knowledge of how to pump is entirely contingent on some big person giving him a push on a regular basis. But for this book to have the right amount of emotional oomph, Vern needs to learn pumping entirely on his own. That means excluding any well-meaning but ultimately unnecessary grown-ups from the book. Don't worry. You don't even miss them.
How to make a truly great picture book? Step One: Fill book with great writing. Tall order, that. If every incipient picture book author was able to conjure up words that were both exquisite and chock full of truth, then it would make the lives of reviewers like myself much harder, I can tell you. There is a moment in every book, and it doesn’t matter if I’m talking about titles for babies or the geriatric, when the reader falls in love. It might not be on the first read. It might not even be on the fifth or fiftieth, but when it happens you will defend that book’s honor to the end of your dying days. For me, that moment happened on page ten with the appearance of Gretchen. The book explains that Vern only knew her because of her mom.
“Gretchen, stop licking your scab!”
“Gretchen, dig up your brother right now!”
“Gretchen – do NOT pet that cat with your cheese!”
That sequence is doing the duty of making you fall in love with the book, sure, but you’re also now firmly in the pro-Gretchen camp and you would follow her lead wherever she might go. Creative writing teachers should use this sequence with up-and-coming authors to show them how to create an instant rapport with an audience.
But clever wordplay is only half the battle. Lucianovic also has to nail home the whole concept of learning something new and hard. In doing so, she has to avoid The Elmo Effect. That’s a term I just made up. You see, once I was watching Sesame Street with my kids and it was a sequence where Elmo wanted to learn to play some kind of an instrument. This being contemporary Sesame Street (i.e. shorter than it was when I was a kid) the sequence plays out like this: Elmo tries and fails. Elmo tries and fails. Elmo tries and succeeds! The Elmo Effect. And I hate this sequence. As anyone will tell you, the odds of learning something new on a third try, while not impossible, is pretty darn low. But picture books, like 21st century Sesame Street sequences, are pressed for time. This book clocks in at a mere 32 pages, so it was enormously gratifying to find Lucianovic not only shows Vern’s frustrations (“Giving up felt easier than trying again”, “He could get off the swing now. Gretchen would never know he gave up”) but also just the sheer amount of work he has to put into the learning. Even when he gets it, it isn't slam-bang-whoopsie-doo-it’s-a-miracle all at once. Competence increases at its own steady rate. Beautifully done.
One of these days I’m going to shake up my normal writing format and mention the art right at the start of my reviews rather than near the end. That day, alas, is not today but not for a lack of respect for what illustrator Chris Park is doing here. Glance at the publication page and you read that the art of this book was created with “mixed media”, an all-encompassing term that tells you diddly over squat about Park’s process. That’s actually okay, though, since I’m a lot more interested in how Park managed to take what could have been an average playground book and made it, frankly, gorgeous. His medium resembles that of pastels and crayons (which are probably digital) but it’s his colors that set this whole enterprise apart. Specifically Vern’s hair. It’s long and luscious (still a rarity in books about boys) and filled with all these different blues, purples, and pinks. Gretchen’s hair? It seems to radiate purples and pinks almost from the inside out. Then you start looking at how Park shakes up his angles and the nuances of each page. Look at that shot of Vern on a swing from underneath, his body dark against the blinding light of the sun. Now look at the body language at play. The way Vern’s feet close in on themselves when Gretchen talks to him for the very first time. There’s even this fascinating sequence where the background becomes dark, and the scenes of Vern’s attempts become windows and even blobs. What could have been rote, nay, is almost REQUIRED by some books to BE rote, is made exemplary and magical thanks to one illustrator’s finesse.
The premise is good, the art fantastic, and the writing stellar but that could all be said of a lot of books. A truly great picture book needs that one extra added element to be stirred into the mix. That thing that lifts it, just one more step, above the hoard of hundreds of picture books published every year. In short, it needs heart. Real heart, TRUE heart. Touch the Sky has that heart in a single moment near the end of the book. Vern, at long last, has learned to pump and is filled to brimming with that knowledge. Now comes the moment of truth. So many kids (hell, adults too) when they have learned something new, will use that knowledge to lord it over the ones who still don’t know. In some alternate universe there is a version of this book where Vern turns to the envious little kid at the end of the book and rubs his newly acquired pump knowledge in that child’s face. Not this book. When the kid notes how good Vern now is, the response is an immediate, “It feels hard until you get it, and then it’s not . . . Do you want to learn how?” We never get to hear the first child's response, but I feel like Park’s endpapers, filled to the brim with words like “PUMP”, “AGAIN”, “SKY”, “TUCK”, “TIP”, and more, are the actual answer.
Yeah, so I like it. Think it’s pretty good. I also think it’s a great example of all these different elements working together in tandem in just the right order and sequence. Humor and heart. Beautiful art and a smart text. A familiar concept but unfamiliar in a picture book until now. Memorable writing. All told, there are loads of picture books coming out every day that are perfectly fine. Completely decent. Downright nice. This book is not one of them. This book is better than those books. It has accessed, by whatever means, the magic required to make a title go from merely good to great. Best that you do a kid a favor and read it to them ASAP. They’ll be glad you did. You’ll be glad you did.
January 10, 2025
A kid learns to use a swing. Big whoop.
October 3, 2025
I just absolutely LOVED Touch the Sky.
This is definitely a parent has to read to their kiddo sort of book, because a decent amount of the language is pretty tough for most young ones. BUT I am thrilled to report that Touch the Sky also has a number of opportunities for young readers to join in as they learn some of the words!
It’s especially brilliant because of the way the illustrator has mixed in the words of the story with the illustrations. At times, you really can feel like you’re reading the experience of swinging on a swing thanks to how expertly this is done.
Speaking of the artwork, it’s exceptionally beautiful! The art is very chalk- and crayon-like in nature, expertly portraying the feeling of being a kid having an adventure outside. It’s popping and catching and just so perfectly engaging. I loved every second of it. This last bit might personally mean a bit more to me—but I’m hoping the children all love it, too—but I just adored the way the characters emotions can be read on their faces as the story progresses.
Even better, the writing and artwork are so complimentary in this regard! You really feel like you’ve gotten to know these beautiful kids with their unique personalities, interests, and goals.
And my goodness, how my heart just swelled with joy at the ending. That message of helping others and passing along freshly learned knowledge is just so extra perfect that I’m exceedingly ready to recommend this book for our learning center. I felt a slew of emotions reading this book—I laughed, I felt sad for the boy, I got excited, I was impressed.
Hands down one of the best children’s books I’ve ever read!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is definitely a parent has to read to their kiddo sort of book, because a decent amount of the language is pretty tough for most young ones. BUT I am thrilled to report that Touch the Sky also has a number of opportunities for young readers to join in as they learn some of the words!
It’s especially brilliant because of the way the illustrator has mixed in the words of the story with the illustrations. At times, you really can feel like you’re reading the experience of swinging on a swing thanks to how expertly this is done.
Speaking of the artwork, it’s exceptionally beautiful! The art is very chalk- and crayon-like in nature, expertly portraying the feeling of being a kid having an adventure outside. It’s popping and catching and just so perfectly engaging. I loved every second of it. This last bit might personally mean a bit more to me—but I’m hoping the children all love it, too—but I just adored the way the characters emotions can be read on their faces as the story progresses.
Even better, the writing and artwork are so complimentary in this regard! You really feel like you’ve gotten to know these beautiful kids with their unique personalities, interests, and goals.
And my goodness, how my heart just swelled with joy at the ending. That message of helping others and passing along freshly learned knowledge is just so extra perfect that I’m exceedingly ready to recommend this book for our learning center. I felt a slew of emotions reading this book—I laughed, I felt sad for the boy, I got excited, I was impressed.
Hands down one of the best children’s books I’ve ever read!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 28, 2024
A beautifully told and illustrated story about perseverance when your first attempt at learning a new skill doesn't go as smoothly as you'd like. I really loved this book and gifted a copy to a young person in my life.
July 30, 2024
Loved this book about not giving up while learning how to pump your legs on a swing. The reader celebrates with Vern as he accomplishes something he’s wanted for a while. The colorful illustrations are joyful and accompany the text well. Can see why this is on many Caldecott potential lists.
August 17, 2024
❤️ Gretchen's mom has her hands full. STEM possibilities for classroom. Love the pass-it-on of the book!
January 8, 2025
An interactive how-to on how to get that swing moving. As taught by one who can to one who can’t. The illustrations are packed with movement.
January 27, 2024
Wonderful picture book to instruct and inspire young readers/listeners to reach for the sky (on a swing). Vern loves the playground and all its great equipment, but more than anything, he yearns to pump his legs so hard and high on the swings that he could almost touch the sky but he just can’t do it. Then feisty Gretchen notices and spends time patiently teaching him just what he needs to do, gently encouraging him to keep on trying until he finally succeeds. Even little ones will understand the messages of helping others and practicing in order to be successful. Also easily grasped will be the humorous bits about Gretchen burying her brother and a few other funnies that are never at the expense of a child. Mixed media illustrations by Chris Park are beautiful with sweeps of color that convey the feeling of movement. A great choice for libraries of those in PK-grade 2.
Thanks for the print arc, Lerner Books/CarolrhodaLab.
Thanks for the print arc, Lerner Books/CarolrhodaLab.
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June 1, 2024*𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴*
Touch The Sky was a brilliant children’s book about the perseverance when learning a new skill doesn’t go as planned. The illustrations and writing in this flowed so well together and I loved the overall theme in this book.
The artwork is so eye-catching and brilliant. I feel like they brought the story to life. The message and opportunities this story portrayed had me so entertained. I would definitely recommend this for younger readers!
🛝 🌌 ✨ 🛝 🌌 ✨ 🛝 🌌 ✨ 🛝 🌌 ✨
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with access to read this book!
Touch The Sky was a brilliant children’s book about the perseverance when learning a new skill doesn’t go as planned. The illustrations and writing in this flowed so well together and I loved the overall theme in this book.
The artwork is so eye-catching and brilliant. I feel like they brought the story to life. The message and opportunities this story portrayed had me so entertained. I would definitely recommend this for younger readers!
🛝 🌌 ✨ 🛝 🌌 ✨ 🛝 🌌 ✨ 🛝 🌌 ✨
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with access to read this book!
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February 22, 2024Every once in a while I will request a picture book on netgalley with the intention of buying them for my niece and nephew. This book was adorable. It would be perfect for my 7-year-old nephew and I will definitely be getting a copy.
Not only is the story about learning to swing and perseverance really heartwarming, but the artwork is phenomenal as is the simple representation of having a boy with long hair. It shouldn't be revolutionary representation in children's books but it kind of is still. I know my nephew will really get a kick out of it since his hair ends up longer most of the time.
The general artwork is also great anda beautiful rainbow spectrum almost prism style illustration. I definitely think this should be in younger elementary classrooms and if you've got some kiddos in your life this is a great one to have on hand.
Not only is the story about learning to swing and perseverance really heartwarming, but the artwork is phenomenal as is the simple representation of having a boy with long hair. It shouldn't be revolutionary representation in children's books but it kind of is still. I know my nephew will really get a kick out of it since his hair ends up longer most of the time.
The general artwork is also great anda beautiful rainbow spectrum almost prism style illustration. I definitely think this should be in younger elementary classrooms and if you've got some kiddos in your life this is a great one to have on hand.
January 24, 2025
Wow!! Brilliant book on perseverance and the joy of being a kid.
September 28, 2024
This picture book is bursting with summer colors and energy as a young boy tries and tries to learn how to pump his legs to get his swing to move. When he finally triumphs, his joy is tangible.
January 10, 2025
I can remember learning to pump on a swing and this book does not do justice to how hard it is, how long it took, or how automatic it becomes (making it difficult to teach), and how empowering it is for a child who likes to swing once you know how. Also, a dedication or someplace mentions underdogs (or underducks) and I was very disappointed to not see a single underdog in this book. This disappointment called my attention to another lack in this book - no pushing. No one gets the strong desire to learn to pump without being pushed on a swing at least once.
March 7, 2024
You can see all my reviews here: Books Are The New Black
The cover of this book is stunning and we downloaded it just because of the cover. To my surprise, the inside was a lesson we have been teaching Ollie! This one is about never giving up and to keep going.
I loved the illustrations so much. They are stunning on every page! This book is about never giving up but also helping others. Vern just wants to touch the sky when he's swinging. You know that feeling, it's the best! Oliver has been trying to learn to do the same thing. I was really excited that I could immediately apply it to real life. One of the best things about this was that a girl on another swing helped teach Vern how to pump those legs. When we were finished, Oliver said that he wanted to do the same thing and teach others too. Great lesson!
Not only is this gorgeous but the messages are great! Not only do we not give up, but it's great to help others. The fact that my kid got it right away was very cool to see. Books are the best!
Many thanks to Lerner Publishing Group and Netgalley for an e-ARC. All thoughts an opinions are my own.
The cover of this book is stunning and we downloaded it just because of the cover. To my surprise, the inside was a lesson we have been teaching Ollie! This one is about never giving up and to keep going.
I loved the illustrations so much. They are stunning on every page! This book is about never giving up but also helping others. Vern just wants to touch the sky when he's swinging. You know that feeling, it's the best! Oliver has been trying to learn to do the same thing. I was really excited that I could immediately apply it to real life. One of the best things about this was that a girl on another swing helped teach Vern how to pump those legs. When we were finished, Oliver said that he wanted to do the same thing and teach others too. Great lesson!
Not only is this gorgeous but the messages are great! Not only do we not give up, but it's great to help others. The fact that my kid got it right away was very cool to see. Books are the best!
Many thanks to Lerner Publishing Group and Netgalley for an e-ARC. All thoughts an opinions are my own.
February 19, 2024
Is there anything better than being in a swing, going higher and higher, pumping faster and faster, your feet towards the sky?
This is a book about that, yes, but also a book about how you have to *try* because no one learns things instantly. And thus, half of this picture book is about the frustration of having to learn something that everyone else seems to know. Vern tries and tries, and fails and fails. But what is the saying? Fall down seven times, and get up eight?
Vern keeps trying, until he is swinging the way he has seen others do it.
And the best part, he then sees a child who is having the same problem he was having, and so he passes on the knowledge.
Delightful story, and the pictures are fun as well, as they show the motion of swinging as he gets it right.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. The book is being published the 7th of May 2024.
This is a book about that, yes, but also a book about how you have to *try* because no one learns things instantly. And thus, half of this picture book is about the frustration of having to learn something that everyone else seems to know. Vern tries and tries, and fails and fails. But what is the saying? Fall down seven times, and get up eight?
Vern keeps trying, until he is swinging the way he has seen others do it.
And the best part, he then sees a child who is having the same problem he was having, and so he passes on the knowledge.
Delightful story, and the pictures are fun as well, as they show the motion of swinging as he gets it right.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. The book is being published the 7th of May 2024.
March 14, 2024
This book is wonderful visually. I felt like the words were a bit forced, and often took away from the illustrations which are themselves very engaging. I love the idea of this story, but feel like it has some rough edges left to sand out. The book follows a child who wants to swing but doesn't know how; their friend Gretchen empathizes by talking about how hard it can be to learn something new, and shares the secret to swinging! But even knowing all the steps, learning new things can take time and practice. Once you've figured it out though, there is the great joy of being able to help someone else learn too. All of that is absolutely amazing, the essence of the story and the illustrations are why I give it 4 stars. The specific wording is why it is not five.
September 18, 2024
Joyous ode to becoming an independent on the swings that also tackles the power of perseverance, encouragement and kindness.
October 16, 2024
Loved the premise of this book, so colorful and encouraging for young students, learning to do something, but also showing the desire to teach others.
September 13, 2024
Today's book is SO kid-centered and beautiful and NOT AT ALL jealousy-inducing. (Sure, I may be punching down on each of my keyboard keys VERY HARD to type, but it's because of the crumbs in my keyboard--not my mental anguish. And the wadded-up Kleenex and sniffling is...because of El Niño, or something.)
"Touch the Sky" by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic and Chris Park is so, so, so very good. And not just because I involuntarily snorted through the part where we learn why Vern knows Gretchen's name.
Anyhow, it's quite fitting that this book is about swinging back and forth, because remember the Ratatouille scene where Chef Skinner tries the ratatouille dish on the quiet, at a side table next to Ego? (Well, let's pretend you do.) As I read, I was Chef Skinner, alternating between intense enjoyment and irrational jealousy. Reading it felt like the duo rummaged around in my core playground memories, brought out stuff I had ignored or forgotten, and used the supplies to make something I had always wanted to make but hadn't had the vision for. (DARN YOU, STEPHANIE AND CHRIS!! )
That doesn't keep me from loving it, though. And you will, too--because:
* the writing is so stellar
* the art is incredibly joyful and (literally) moving
* the page turns are also annoyingly perfect
* the blue spread was so teleportational, my stomach actually flit-lurched
It's a book full of genuine highs and lows, and the joy of mastery (and that goes for the creators, too, who clearly HAD FUN making this book).
Most tellingly, I am confident that I will always think of this book when I swing on swingsets for the rest of my life. And if that's not an appropriately high note to end on, what would be?
"Touch the Sky" by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic and Chris Park is so, so, so very good. And not just because I involuntarily snorted through the part where we learn why Vern knows Gretchen's name.
Anyhow, it's quite fitting that this book is about swinging back and forth, because remember the Ratatouille scene where Chef Skinner tries the ratatouille dish on the quiet, at a side table next to Ego? (Well, let's pretend you do.) As I read, I was Chef Skinner, alternating between intense enjoyment and irrational jealousy. Reading it felt like the duo rummaged around in my core playground memories, brought out stuff I had ignored or forgotten, and used the supplies to make something I had always wanted to make but hadn't had the vision for. (DARN YOU, STEPHANIE AND CHRIS!! )
That doesn't keep me from loving it, though. And you will, too--because:
* the writing is so stellar
* the art is incredibly joyful and (literally) moving
* the page turns are also annoyingly perfect
* the blue spread was so teleportational, my stomach actually flit-lurched
It's a book full of genuine highs and lows, and the joy of mastery (and that goes for the creators, too, who clearly HAD FUN making this book).
Most tellingly, I am confident that I will always think of this book when I swing on swingsets for the rest of my life. And if that's not an appropriately high note to end on, what would be?
January 14, 2025
Touch the Sky written by Stephanie V. W. Lucianovic and illustrated by Chris Park is an encouraging picture book about Vern and his attempts at learning to pump on a swing. Every day Vern plays on the swings but it wasn’t until Gretchen decided to swing next to him that he was able to practice and eventually learn to swing by pumping on the swing. Vern tries and tries again with Gretchen’s encouragement. All the while that he tried, he wondered if he should just give up. I have never read a picture book like Lucianovic’s Touch the Sky. She centers the entire story on the swingset and takes the reader to a time when they were attempting to learn to swing by themselves. Then there’s the moment when practice and many attempts pay off and you feel as though you can touch the sky! Lucianovic’s writing is concise, full of action, and the story’s climax is palpable and really accurate. Park’s illustrations were created with mixed media. The colors and lettering of the words that are part of the illustrations pop off the page with their vibrant hues. The mood of the artwork draws readers in to the time and space of this story of perseverance and determination. The story and illustrations work cohesively and have great appeal to readers both young and old. Touch the Sky is the perfect read aloud for any child who is learning to swing independently. Highly recommended.
July 23, 2024
Picture book. Vern loves the swing, but unfortunately he does not know how to pump his legs. So he is stuck with swinging on his belly or spinning in circles when he really wants to touch the sky. Soon Gretchen comes over to the next swing and graciously offers to help Vern. They don't know each other, but he has heard her Mom yelling at her. Gretchen imparts knowledge along with encouragement "It feels hard until you get it, and then it's not." Vern tries to follow her instructions with varying degrees of trouble-- missing the swing, falling on the wood chips, barely moving. And finally, that magical moment the reader was waiting for: "When he tipped his head back, all he saw was sun and sky and blue, blue, blue."
This book is very easy to relate to as many kids struggle with getting the correct rhythm to swing. Seeing it broken down piece by piece here could help some kids, but might also reassure them that it is a bit complicated and they don't have to get it right away. Vern models persistence, even continuing after Gretchen leaves the park. And the ending is beautiful. The illustrations here remind me of oil pastels but the art note is very vague. The kids' hair reminds me of the Troll dolls-- vibrant, colorful, lush. Definitely recommend.
This book is very easy to relate to as many kids struggle with getting the correct rhythm to swing. Seeing it broken down piece by piece here could help some kids, but might also reassure them that it is a bit complicated and they don't have to get it right away. Vern models persistence, even continuing after Gretchen leaves the park. And the ending is beautiful. The illustrations here remind me of oil pastels but the art note is very vague. The kids' hair reminds me of the Troll dolls-- vibrant, colorful, lush. Definitely recommend.
October 1, 2024
Vern goes to the park every day. He loves the swings -- but he doesn't know how to pump. One day, Gretchen offers to teach him. Oops. His first attempt ends up with a bit of a fail - and a fall. Ouch! He and the wood chips become good friends. He tries and he tries but he just can't get the hang of it. Finally, Gretchen stands beside him and coaches every step and suddenly -- he's soaring! There - in the background - is another kid sitting on the swing, head low. He praises Vern's ability to pump and Vern, of course, says - Do you want me to teach you?
Wow! What a great book! The illustrations are magnificent and the message is just stellar. Pumping a swing seems like an easy thing - unless you don't know how to do it! There's a lot to coordinate. But once you learn, you never forget. I loved the kindness in this book. And the persistence. And the joy! Not to mention the pay it forward message. But I especially loved Vern's message to himself - yelling at yourself never works.
Wow! What a great book! The illustrations are magnificent and the message is just stellar. Pumping a swing seems like an easy thing - unless you don't know how to do it! There's a lot to coordinate. But once you learn, you never forget. I loved the kindness in this book. And the persistence. And the joy! Not to mention the pay it forward message. But I especially loved Vern's message to himself - yelling at yourself never works.
February 28, 2024
A joyful and visually stunning vignette about a boy learning how to pump on the swings and "touch the sky." The illustrations so perfectly capture the universal childhood joy of swinging so high you feel like you're flying, which is made even more satisfying by the lead-up of frustration and repeated failure before the exuberant success. Bonus points for depicting a boy with long hair (not relevant to the plot, just nice representation you don't see very often). A great story of perseverance and kid-to-kid playground wisdom, this book will prompt some good discussion as well as an immediate desire to go find a swing!
4.5/5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 17, 2024
This book both tugged at my heartstrings and made me laugh out loud! Every kid will relate to Vern and his roller coaster of emotions as he tries and tries and tries to pump his legs on the swing. Lucianovic has skillfully woven subtle life lessons throughout this tale in a way that will make kids feel seen, not preached to, and Park's vibrant and dynamic illustrations make you feel part of this ultimately joyful ride. Vern has my heart for sure, but Gretchen, the scab-licking kid who gives Vern just the encouragement he needs might just be one of my favorite picture book characters in recent memory! A read-it-again delight.
May 9, 2024
Touch The Sky is a wonderful story about trying and failing, and never giving up. It’s about having patience when teaching someone how to do something new. And about paying it forward by showing someone else what you’ve just learned. In this story, a young boy, Vern, yearns to swing high enough so his feet touch the sky. He’s unable to until a girl at the playground, Gretchen, teaches him how to pump his legs hard and soar. (I loved how the author introduced Gretchen.) The illustrations are beautiful and vibrant throughout, and capture the thrill of swinging high on a swing. It brought back fun memories from my youth. This book is perfect for all libraries and I highly recommend it!
May 20, 2024
This is a cute, colorful, and funny picture book that children will love. Although I didn't quite understand why the boy struggled so much with learning to swing, it was thoroughly entertaining and inspiring to read about his journey. I loved how he found a friend to help him. She was patient, encouraging him to keep trying until he succeeded. The story conveys wonderful messages about perseverance, helping others, and never giving up. The illustrations are beautiful and stunning, with vivid colors and artwork that resembles crayons or chalk. It was very engaging and fun to read. Highly recommend!
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.
July 3, 2024
I love Gretchen in this story! Everyone needs a friend like her! This story reminded me of learning to water ski in my 30s. I could NOT get up! Everyone was telling me to "relax" and "just let the boat pull you up". I tried and tried until I was exhausted. I really wanted to give up. But the next day, when it was quieter and I was rested, one of the people we were with kept offering encouragement, and I finally relaxed and let the boat pull me up. And it worked! Now it's like riding a bike. We all get hung up on trying to learn a certain thing, and when it clicks, it's the most wonderful thing in the world! Great illustrations.
September 2, 2024
Touch the Sky wonderfully captures the magic and mystery of learning how to "pump" on a swing for the first time. We all remember struggling with it as kids, or trying to teach our own kids, and Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic's text brings the experience to life. The frustration, the trial and error, and then that unforgettable moment when it all clicks. The illustrations burst with colorful energy that mirror the thrill of finally soaring high. A wonderful read, especially for kids who are just figuring out how to master something new. This will bring back memories for parents and inspire kids to keep trying.
December 14, 2024
Vern does not know how to swing, so he feels like he touches the sky. He is obviously frustrated until another child helps him with the vocabulary and process of swinging. He is not quickly successful, but he is diligently trying to overcome the failure of his first attempts. The illustrations are bright, but I am not sure they will grab my students in my schools. I will highlight the words on the end pages when I share it to try to engage more readers.
This is a sweet story of working to a goal despite mishaps along the way. I especially like that the children on this playground are kind to one another.
This is a sweet story of working to a goal despite mishaps along the way. I especially like that the children on this playground are kind to one another.
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