This Opening Sky

Historical fiction at its finest! A sweet and sensitive, accessible middle grade novel in verse, following an unlikely friendship in the aftermath of the American Civil War.

Aurelia, the daughter of a once-flourishing plantation, must till the land herself to keep herself alive. Libby, a freed slave, is working her way north to live a better life. Together they form an unlikely bond of friendship and help each other find common ground and reach their goals through unexpected ways. Smart and relatable, this novel in verse cuts to the heart of young emotions, while illuminating what love and division look like through a child's eyes.

Excerpts from the This Opening Sky:

Aurelia

My hands are no longer the hands of a young lady.

I drop my hoe and unwrap my bandaged fingers.

They are torn,

blistered and bleeding.

Nails, once perfectly manicured, now dirty and broken.

The hands of a field worker.

Libby

??I must find someone who will barter

some eggs

or a loaf of bread

or a piece of meat for a day’s work.

Trouble is, most plantations are either abandoned

or already have too many mouths to feed.