Skyscraping

A heartrending, bold novel in verse about family, identity, and forgiveness

Mira is just beginning her senior year of high school when she discovers her father with his male lover. Her world–and everything she thought she knew about her family–is shattered instantly. Unable to comprehend the lies, betrayal, and secrets that–unbeknownst to Mira–have come to define and keep intact her family’s existence, Mira distances herself from her sister and closest friends as a means of coping. But her father’s sexual orientation isn’t all he's kept hidden. A shocking health scare brings to light his battle with HIV. As Mira struggles to make sense of the many fractures in her family's fabric and redefine her wavering sense of self, she must find a way to reconnect with her dad–while there is still time.

Told in raw, exposed free verse, Skyscraping reminds us that there is no one way to be a family.

 

Praise for SKYSCRAPING:

A 2016 NCTE Children's Notable Verse Novel
Booklist Top 10 LGBTQ Book for Youth title
A YALSA 2016 Best Fiction for Young Adults title
Booklist Essential LGBTQIA Book for Youth
A Los Angeles Public Library's Best Book for Teens


* "Exquisite free-verse poems...illuminating and deeply felt."Booklist *STARRED*

* "[An] exquisite coming-of-age novel in verse."—School Library Connection *STARRED*
 
“This book should be popular with fans of Sarah Dessen and would be a worthy addition to most high school library collections.”VOYA 
 
"Jensen's spare free-verse poems and accessible imagery realistically portray the fraught moments of adolescent identity formation with great empathy. Compelling snapshots of contemporary family drama and the AIDS epidemic as captured through a teen's eyes."Kirkus Reviews
 
"Written in straightforward, accessible free verse tinged with celestial metaphors, this story--set in a well-rendered 1993 NYC--is sincere, touching, and heartwrenching." —Horn Book 

"It left me speechless. Skyscraping is like a regular book with wings."—Becky Albertalli, author of National Book Award finalist Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
 
"In gorgeous poetic verse, Jensen captures the raw emotions and hard truths of a family dealing with forgiveness and love.... Your heart will soar and break and heal anew."—An Na, author of Printz Award winner and National Book Award finalist A Step from Heaven
 
Skyscraping is brilliant, sharp and bright. A stellar story. Jensen has written a powerful tale about love and loss, a story that will stick with readers long after they’ve reached the end. Her poetry is vivid, tangible, and visceral. She’s a rising star with a breathtaking debut. This is a novel made of star stuff."—Skila Brown, author of Caminar 

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Skyscraping

A heartrending, bold novel in verse about family, identity, and forgiveness

Mira is just beginning her senior year of high school when she discovers her father with his male lover. Her world–and everything she thought she knew about her family–is shattered instantly. Unable to comprehend the lies, betrayal, and secrets that–unbeknownst to Mira–have come to define and keep intact her family’s existence, Mira distances herself from her sister and closest friends as a means of coping. But her father’s sexual orientation isn’t all he's kept hidden. A shocking health scare brings to light his battle with HIV. As Mira struggles to make sense of the many fractures in her family's fabric and redefine her wavering sense of self, she must find a way to reconnect with her dad–while there is still time.

Told in raw, exposed free verse, Skyscraping reminds us that there is no one way to be a family.

 

Praise for SKYSCRAPING:

A 2016 NCTE Children's Notable Verse Novel
Booklist Top 10 LGBTQ Book for Youth title
A YALSA 2016 Best Fiction for Young Adults title
Booklist Essential LGBTQIA Book for Youth
A Los Angeles Public Library's Best Book for Teens


* "Exquisite free-verse poems...illuminating and deeply felt."Booklist *STARRED*

* "[An] exquisite coming-of-age novel in verse."—School Library Connection *STARRED*
 
“This book should be popular with fans of Sarah Dessen and would be a worthy addition to most high school library collections.”VOYA 
 
"Jensen's spare free-verse poems and accessible imagery realistically portray the fraught moments of adolescent identity formation with great empathy. Compelling snapshots of contemporary family drama and the AIDS epidemic as captured through a teen's eyes."Kirkus Reviews
 
"Written in straightforward, accessible free verse tinged with celestial metaphors, this story--set in a well-rendered 1993 NYC--is sincere, touching, and heartwrenching." —Horn Book 

"It left me speechless. Skyscraping is like a regular book with wings."—Becky Albertalli, author of National Book Award finalist Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
 
"In gorgeous poetic verse, Jensen captures the raw emotions and hard truths of a family dealing with forgiveness and love.... Your heart will soar and break and heal anew."—An Na, author of Printz Award winner and National Book Award finalist A Step from Heaven
 
Skyscraping is brilliant, sharp and bright. A stellar story. Jensen has written a powerful tale about love and loss, a story that will stick with readers long after they’ve reached the end. Her poetry is vivid, tangible, and visceral. She’s a rising star with a breathtaking debut. This is a novel made of star stuff."—Skila Brown, author of Caminar 

8.99 In Stock
Skyscraping

Skyscraping

by Cordelia Jensen
Skyscraping

Skyscraping

by Cordelia Jensen

eBook

$8.99 

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Overview

A heartrending, bold novel in verse about family, identity, and forgiveness

Mira is just beginning her senior year of high school when she discovers her father with his male lover. Her world–and everything she thought she knew about her family–is shattered instantly. Unable to comprehend the lies, betrayal, and secrets that–unbeknownst to Mira–have come to define and keep intact her family’s existence, Mira distances herself from her sister and closest friends as a means of coping. But her father’s sexual orientation isn’t all he's kept hidden. A shocking health scare brings to light his battle with HIV. As Mira struggles to make sense of the many fractures in her family's fabric and redefine her wavering sense of self, she must find a way to reconnect with her dad–while there is still time.

Told in raw, exposed free verse, Skyscraping reminds us that there is no one way to be a family.

 

Praise for SKYSCRAPING:

A 2016 NCTE Children's Notable Verse Novel
Booklist Top 10 LGBTQ Book for Youth title
A YALSA 2016 Best Fiction for Young Adults title
Booklist Essential LGBTQIA Book for Youth
A Los Angeles Public Library's Best Book for Teens


* "Exquisite free-verse poems...illuminating and deeply felt."Booklist *STARRED*

* "[An] exquisite coming-of-age novel in verse."—School Library Connection *STARRED*
 
“This book should be popular with fans of Sarah Dessen and would be a worthy addition to most high school library collections.”VOYA 
 
"Jensen's spare free-verse poems and accessible imagery realistically portray the fraught moments of adolescent identity formation with great empathy. Compelling snapshots of contemporary family drama and the AIDS epidemic as captured through a teen's eyes."Kirkus Reviews
 
"Written in straightforward, accessible free verse tinged with celestial metaphors, this story--set in a well-rendered 1993 NYC--is sincere, touching, and heartwrenching." —Horn Book 

"It left me speechless. Skyscraping is like a regular book with wings."—Becky Albertalli, author of National Book Award finalist Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
 
"In gorgeous poetic verse, Jensen captures the raw emotions and hard truths of a family dealing with forgiveness and love.... Your heart will soar and break and heal anew."—An Na, author of Printz Award winner and National Book Award finalist A Step from Heaven
 
Skyscraping is brilliant, sharp and bright. A stellar story. Jensen has written a powerful tale about love and loss, a story that will stick with readers long after they’ve reached the end. Her poetry is vivid, tangible, and visceral. She’s a rising star with a breathtaking debut. This is a novel made of star stuff."—Skila Brown, author of Caminar 


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780698172562
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date: 06/02/2015
Sold by: Penguin Group
Format: eBook
Pages: 336
File size: 784 KB
Age Range: 14 Years

About the Author

Cordelia Jensen was Poet Laureate of Perry County, PA in 2006 and 2007. She holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and teaches creative writing in Philadelphia, where she lives with her husband and children. Follow her on Twitter @cordeliajensen.

Read an Excerpt

A UNIVERSE AWAY
 
I drop my backpack. Run.
Don’t wait for the elevator.
Chase the stairs down, like a slide.
Run past Jimmy, out onto Riverside.
I make it to the water.
Yell at a boat on the Hudson,
beg it to take me away, under a bridge,
out to the ocean, vast and wide,
beg someone to make me blind,
take me out of this shady city,
to a country, a continent,
 
a universe away
from here.

 
BLURRED
 
My eyes blur,
I don’t know what I’ve just seen.
 
My legs shake,
the earth has shifted.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher


Advanced praise for SKYSCRAPING:
 
Skyscraping is brilliant, sharp and bright. A stellar story. Jensen has written a powerful tale about love and loss, a story that will stick with readers long after they’ve reached the end. Her poetry is vivid, tangible, and visceral. She’s a rising star with a breathtaking debut. This is a novel made of star stuff.”
Skila Brown, author of Caminar
 
“In gorgeous poetic verse, Jensen captures the raw emotions and hard truths of a family dealing with forgiveness and love.... Your heart will soar and break and heal anew.” –An Na, author of Printz Award winner and National Book Award finalist A Step from Heaven

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