Common Sense Media Review
By Joly Herman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Moving story of girl adjusting to being in blended family.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In LOVE LIKE SKY, 11-year-old Georgie Matthews is doing everything she can to help her 6-year-old sister, Peaches, get used to living in a new house with a new stepdad and stepsister. Georgie does goofy dances, plays beauty shop with her, and lets her sleep in her room. But Georgie is even more interested in gaining acceptance from her new stepsister, Tangie. As an 11-year-old, Georgie wants to know things that a teen big sister would know about friends, guys, and looking and acting cool. But Tangie is still grieving the loss of her little sister and resents the intrusion of two stepsisters she doesn't want in her house. When an emergency occurs, Georgie blames herself, and she defies the rules when she tries to make it better. This story of loss, healing, and renewal explores the meaning of family -- along with mean friends, crushes, and making things right.
Is It Any Good?
This moving story tackles divorce, illness, and loss head-on, and kids will appreciate the story's realness and the characters' slightly risky adventures. The loss and change that the girls undergo is heartrending, and the friend drama is very intense. That said, after all of the name calling, the reconciliations feel a little chaotic and flimsy, considering the things that have been said. And when friends threaten to abandon one another and flip their switch at any imagined slight, it feels less like friendship and more like danger.
Still, the sense of family bonding and community connectedness is upbeat and hopeful, even though adults and kids alike fight with as much passion as they love. Fewer brand mentions and more delving into the sensory world would have helped the story truly take flight.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about blended families in Love Like Sky. What shows or movies depict healthy blended families? Which illustrate difficulties among stepparents and stepkids? How do you think some of the challenges can be overcome?
How important are brands to you and your friends? Georgie's friend Nikki kept a pair of Nikes in her locker for Georgie so she wouldn't be teased mercilessly about her "cheap shoes." Does that matter in your school and with your friends?
Music is really important to Georgie and her family. How can music bring back memories or make memories? Do you have certain songs or entertainers that you listen to as a family?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Coming of Age
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship , School ( Middle School )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Disney-Hyperion
- Publication date : November 6, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 18
- Number of pages : 304
- Available on : Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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