Sky Ropes

Soderberg, Sondra. Sky Ropes
July 11, 2023 by Chronicle Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Breanna and her  mother have lived outside of Detroit for quite a while, ever since they left their close knit family in Mexicantown due to her father's addiction to Oxycontin and subsequent behavior problems. She's managed to make a couple of good friends, but is concerned about the middle school trip to a six day team building camp, where they will meet other children from neighboring schools. One of the features of the camp is the Sky Ropes, and since Breanna has a fear of heights instigated by some of her father's actions, she has deleted e mails from her mother's account and buried all of the flyers that came home. Parents can be wiley, however, and her mother has seen her do these things and scheduled her for the camp anyway. Breanna figures that at least she can create epic pranks with her friends Pascale and Niraj. She goes to a lot of trouble to try to sneak contraband items into her luggage, and even finds replacements for things her mother wisely removes. She reluctantly gets along with some of the campers, including several that enjoy softball as much as she does, and even has fun doing some of the activities like nature walks, telling ghost stories, and having water balloon fights. She is at odds with Cami, a mean girl who is determined to undermine Breanna at every turn. Breanna is so obsessed with the Sky Ropes (even though the camp goes out of their way to tell students that they do not have to do anything that makes them uncomfortable, to the point of having them practice saying "The Sky Ropes aren't right for me") that she makes a pact with another camper that they will NOT do the ropes together! Breanna even breaks into a tool shed with her friends in the middle of the night looking for a chain saw in hopes of damaging the course somehow, but when that doesn't work, several of them, including James, a boy she really likes, try to capture geese so that Niraj can hang signs on their necks with just 1,2, and 4, and set them loose in the mess hall. They are thwarted by the cook. After a disastrous wall climbing activity, Cami taunts Breanna, who decides that she has to do the Sky Ropes course. It doesn't go well, but Breanna learns something about herself, the power of friendship, and dealing with her past. 

Strengths: There is certainly a need for books about children who have to deal with parents who struggle with addiction, and I would have liked to know more about Breanna's experiences. The idea of going to a wilderness camp is very appealing, and the details about living arrangements and activities are well described. Breanna is a fierce character who is trying her best to retain frienships as well as her strong appearance, even as she struggles with maintaining it. I liked her interest in softball, and the fact that she was able to make new friends even though she didn't think that she could. I also liked that the camp didn't force children to do activities, even if they were required to be with the counselors for their own safety. 
Weaknesses: While there were some good camp details, most of the book concentrated on Breanna's internal struggles, which got to be a bit repetitive. The style of writing felt oddly disconnected. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Toalsen's The First Magnificent Summer or Winget's The In-Between. It is a longer and more contemplative novel.