Imagine an idyllic island paradise where life is beautiful but challenging. If you’re not willing or able to hunt, fish, forage for food and build shelter from the elements, you won’t last long in this complex world of interconnected human and environmental relationships. Now imagine a bustling, noisy metropolis where food and shelter are abundant but human connection is missing; it’s a world brimming with convenience but with an emphasis on the individual as opposed to community.

Searching for Sky is the story of a young girl’s journey from the first world to the second; from the simple innocence of paradise to the manic cacophony of the big city. Our heroine’s struggle to navigate an incomprehensible and alien world reveals a compelling tale of resilience, love and survival and allows us to see things we take for granted through fresh eyes.

With so many young adult books these days set in a dystopian future, Searching for Sky asks the question: is the dystopia we dread the one we already have? Highly recommended for ages 13 and up.

Athina Clarke