The Day the Sky Went Away


Children - Social Issues
39 Pages
Reviewed on 11/29/2022
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite

The Day the Sky Went Away by Ellen Paton is a charming little tale about friendship, longing, and imagination. One day Huxley the bush baby wakes up to discover that the beautiful blue sky has disappeared. There are no clouds and sun during the day, and there are no stars and moon at night. He shares this particular concern with his friends Luella the hummingbird and Abel the fig tree. Huxley then writes a letter to the sky, stars, sun, and moon, asking them to come back because he misses them and that nothing is the same without them. Luella then delivers the letter high into the empty, white sky. While waiting for a response, Huxley comes up with a creative idea to make a likeness of the sky that he misses so much. Of course, it is not the same as the real sky, but the other creatures of the forest are there for him, and they will try to make it feel real for him. As for his letter, the news will travel through the forest and that will let Huxley know he is not alone in missing the sky.

This is a beautiful story that teaches children about love for nature, as well as the role of genuine friendship when you are feeling down and missing someone or something. Huxley’s friends provide him with that much-needed support group. If Ellen Paton’s objective in writing this story is to create helpful and hopeful books for children, then The Day the Sky Went Away certainly delivers. Of course, this review will not be complete without complimenting the beautiful watercolor artwork that Shayna Renee Olivier has provided. This gives the story warmth and allows its target readers to visually follow the tale as it unfolds in a great Australian outdoor setting, as well as its physically and facially expressive characters. Every school library and home with children should have a copy of this enchanting storybook.

Sarah Davis

A beautifully written and illustrated book that delicately handles the subject of loss for a young audience.