Stand on the Sky, written by Erin Bow, reviewed by Caroline Rabideau

Summary: In Erin Bow's Stand on the Sky, Aisulu's brother is injured, opening up her awareness of an ongoing problem. Serik is sick. When she makes the decision to tell her parents against his wishes, he is whisked away to the closest town, their parents leaving with him, and Aisulu is left behind to live with her aunt and uncle. She is unsure of her place in her nomadic family, unsure of how she fits in, what role she should play, and what direction her life will go in now that her family left her, with no word of when they might return. When her uncle takes in a small, frail baby eagle, Aisulu's role in her tribe starts to become clear. But will her tribe accept a girl as an eagle hunter? That is not customary. When Toktar, the eagle, chooses Aisulu over her uncle, it is apparent that Aisulu will become an eagle hunter, whether it is accepted or not. She begins the difficult process of training, with the goal of competing in the eagle hunter festival at the end of the summer. Throughout her journey, she builds relationships with her aunt, a woman from the city shrouded in mystery, Nursultan, the oldest eagle hunter, as well as many other characters in her family, her tribe, and other nomadic tribes. She has to find enough courage within herself to overcome gender and age stereotypes and show the world how talented and strong she really is.

Straight Talk for Librarians: I can not praise Stand on the Sky enough. Complete with themes such as female empowerment, family, courage, self-empowerment, and defying stereotypes, Erin Bow created a story that will touch the hearts of generations now, and for years to come. Bow creates trial after trial for Aisulu, a young girl in a nomadic tribe where girls are not allowed to be eagle hunters. Though women have the very important job of milking the herd, and that milk is relied upon for the tribe's survival, Aisulu wants more and works so hard to reach her goals. Bow challenges her character constantly, using Aisulu to illustrate that, no matter how challenging life becomes, you should never give up on your goals. When training to be an eagle hunter is physically demanding, Aisulu wants to give up, but she realizes she needs to continue because of her eagle, Toktar needs her. When her family supports her, other tribes shun their tribe, making trading and migration difficult, but they continue to work together. When her family leaves her suddenly, she has to build new relationships with her aunt and uncle who she doesn't know well. When her family is reunified, Aisulu has to overcome fear and hurt to rebuild those relationships. Though Bow often puts Aisulu in situations where it seems there is no good solution, she inspires Aisulu to think about what is right and follow her heart, helping her solve each problem with grace and kindness.

I can't stop talking about how wonderful this book is, and it has shot to the top 5 books I have ever read in my life. I will be handing this out to each one of my students that asks for a recommendation, boys or girls. While I think the text might be challenging for some 4th-5th graders, I think it could be given to advanced elementary readers. Stand on the Sky will find it's comfortable home in a middle, or even a high school. This would be a great book to read with a class if you were discussing Eastern Asia and trying to assist your students to understand how they live their lives. It would be great as a lit circle book, or a female-empowerment book club book. At the end of the day, this book is going to be loved most as a choice-read. The cover is beautiful (that's why I picked it up). It will attract the attention of students, and the story of Aisulu will hook their hearts. Action and adventure scenes will capture those interested in sports or survival. Family life and emotion will entice those who love realistic fiction. My only wish for this book was that it included some pictures from Erin Bow's trip to Mongolia. I often googled words early on, such as ger (a Kazakh home), aul (or a group of gers), or shapan (a coat worn by an eagle hunter). I have since printed pictures and attached them to the inside cover for students to reference when imaging scenes throughout the book. I think it would be beneficial to readers to be able to see real images from the writer's journey so that they had something to connect to. Stand on the Sky is a book with minimal flaws or challenges. It is beautifully written and would be a wonderful addition to any library, classroom, school, or home bookshelf.

The last thing I want to say about this book is, from chapter one, I felt like I was there beside Aisulu. I knew before ever reading the Note to the Reader section that Erin Bow must live in Mongolia, yet her author biography in the back of the book says she lives in Canada. I completed the book before reading the Note to the Reader, in which she discusses her lengthy visit to Mongolia, where she and two friends lived the lives these nomadic people live each day; a life built on milk, family, and survival. I didn't cry while reading Stand on the Sky, but when Erin Bow discussed her relationship with a young girl named Kumsai, who lived in the tribe Bow was visiting and who served as Bow's main inspiration for the character Aisulu, I cried. I hoped that Kumsai would have the strength and determination that Aisulu had to pursue her dreams. I prayed that she would find support within her own family, and they would help her overcome her challenges. And then I thought of my own students. Girls who are brilliant (my opinion of them), who will go on to live successful, wonderful lives. I pray that they find someone like the Fox Wife, who will defy the odds to support them, who will encourage them in the right direction, and who will give them endless, unwavering love. This book is so beautiful. Each page is woven with magic, caring, and kindness. It is the hope we wish for our daughters, success, love, family, and friendship. It will forever hold a place in my heart, and I know it will touch the hearts of young readers for years to come.