Parents' Guide to

Under a Painted Sky

By Lucinda Dyer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Girls pose as boys in suspenseful, nontraditional Western.

Book Stacey Lee Historical Fiction 2015
Under a Painted Sky Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Stacy S.
Stacy S. Adult
April 25, 2017
age 14+

Difficult Material

My 13 year-old daughter bought this book because it had a Chinese character (like her) and horses (her passion). She was shocked at the rape scene, and abandoned the book. I read it and appreciated it, but the 12+ rating is off the mark. Full disclosure: we are a very liberal family and I am an ELA teacher.
Last Mango
Last Mango Adult
June 24, 2016
age 14+

Fun adventure for slightly older crowd!

I enjoyed this book thoroughly, but as your younger reviewers have indicated, twelve seems young for your age group. This is one of those rare books where it is more "adult" than "young" because of actual topic matter. Rapes, prostitution, murders, and "frolics" in the dirt are handled in a completely tasteful, almost charming way, but that's what they obviously still are. I loved the humor, action, voice, and sentiment in the book, but as a sixth/seventh grade librarian, this will stay on my home shelf rather than the school shelf.
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What's the Story?

Samantha and Annamae are girls on the run in UNDER A PAINTED SKY. Samantha has killed a man, and Annamae is willing to risk everything to escape life as a slave. Knowing they will be easily recognized -- Samantha is Chinese-American and Annamae African-American -- they decide to disguise themselves as teen boys named Sammy and Andy, flee Missouri, and travel West. Sammy hopes to catch up with a friend of her father who's already heading to California, and Andy is searching for her brother, who may belong to a notorious outlaw gang. A chance meeting with three young cowboys offers them both friendship and protection against the very real perils of the Oregon Trail. But both girls have a bounty on their heads and are in constant danger of their real identities being revealed.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (10 ):

Beautifully written and immensely readable, Stacey Lee's first novel puts an unexpected and richly detailed spin on Western fiction standards -- horses, cowboys, wagon trains, pioneers, outlaws. It deftly blends them with serious social issues like slavery, discrimination, and gender bias. Sammy and Andy, who could easily have become characters out of a cliché "switched identities" movie, are instead fresh and believable as wannabe cowboys. Lee's multicultural cast of characters lends authenticity (so often lacking) to a story about settling the West.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about friendship among teens who come from different ethnic backgrounds. How easy -- or likely -- is it for kids in your school or neighborhood to have friends of a different ethnicity?

  • What's your favorite movie or TV show about the American West? Were you surprised there were no gunfights or wagon trains being attacked by Indians in Under a Painted Sky? Did the book give you a different perspective on what life was like along the Oregon Trail?

  • Do you agree with the author when she writes that "maybe what matters is not so much the path as who walks beside you"?

Book Details

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