A Piece of the Sky

by David Patneaude

Russell's summer seems doomed. He's stuck in small-town Oregon without anything fun. Then a legend about an old meteorite envelops him and he makes a dangerous trip into the mountains to find the meteorite, rumored to be rare and valuable.

184 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

David Patneaude began writing seriously (more or less) in the 1980s. His first novel, SOMEONE WAS WATCHING, was published in 1993. His books have been named to dozens of state young readers' lists and honored by the New York Public Library, the Society of School Librarians International, the Winnetka (Illinois) Public Library's "One Book, Two Villages" program, and the Washington State Public Library. His latest was EPITAPH ROAD, a recent nominee for the Nebraska Golden Sower Book Award. But on June 1, 2018, his newest YA novel, FAST BACKWARD, launches. Check it out! When he's not in a coffee shop writing, or at a school or library or conference discussing writing, or out on the trail thinking about writing, he's home in Woodinville, Washington, with his wife Judy, a middle school librarian.

Reviews

[Traci Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read "A Piece of the Sky" in order to use it for the booktalks I give at work. I've been a fan of David Patneaude for quite some time and this is another winner. It's set in Oregon, which will appeal to the teens that I booktalk this to. It's got all the great elements of a popular teen novel -- mystery, adventure, and even some historical elements. While this isn't my favorite Patneaude, it is still definitely worth reading AND it's perfect for families to read together as it's completely clean -- no objectionable elements beyond some mild violence.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story idea about the search for the site of a lost meteorite. The juxtaposition of the 1856 find with the modern quest didn't quite seem to work, though. I also felt that the story ended with a lot of loose ends unresolved. This is probably what the author intended, but it left me with too many questions.

[Thomas K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great storyline, and an excellent plot and an excellent flashback book meant for tweens. This is the only book I have read and really actually liked the flashbacks. This is almost a more grown up Diary Of A Wimpy Kid. This book is set sort of in journal form, keeping everything nice and neat. The plot and ending bring in a history tie, something that went great with the book.