The Sky Inside

by Clare B. Dunkle

Martin’s birthday arrives along with signs of spring in the neighborhood; the speakers produce pleasant music that some of the older neighbors call “birdsong.” At thirteen, Martin feels he is too mature for the childish present his parents give him, an Alldog. Large or small, sleek or fuzzy—all the dogs you ever wanted rolled into one! Little does Martin know that his dog—christened “Chip”—will help him discover the mysteries that suddenly pop up. A strange packet is arriving at his father’s job, and Martin’s little sister, a Wonder Baby, is being sent off to a special school that Martin doesn’t get a good sense about.
But what can a young boy and his toy dog and do against the powerful adults and their highly sophisticated bots? But with Martin’s stubbornness and a dog that is a lot more than a toy, it might be a lot more than you think.

Somehow I was not at all apprehensive when I learned that Ms. Dunkle’s newest book would be sci-fi. I knew she could do it, and do it very well, and she did. Just as with her previous novels, The Sky Inside easily transports readers to another world, this is one that is both alien and familiar. I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the Hollow Kingdom Trilogy or By These Ten Bones, I think just because this one was not quite as original a setting. With less romance and a bit more action than the author’s other books, The Sky Inside is appropriate and suited for younger children, but is very satisfying for older readers as well.

Look for the sequel coming in 2009, titled The Walls Have Eyes.