Synopses & Reviews
In Tess Hilmo's Skies Like These, twelve-year-old Jades perfect summers have always been spent reading and watching TV reruns, so shes not happy when her parents send her off to Wyoming to her aunts house. She meets a boy who calls himself Roy Parker—just like the real name of the legendary rebel cowboy Butch Cassidy. Roys dads hardware store has closed because a chain store has opened up in town, and Roy thinks it is just like the big cattle barons in Butchs day who put the local ranchers out of business. He wants Jade to be his Sundance Kid and help him pull some stunts worthy of Butch Cassidy. Sabotage the big store? Outsmart the stores owner by doing reconnaissance on his ranch? Jade wants to be a good friend, but shes not so sure about Roys schemes.
Review
"Drawing on rich Western lore and creating characters as gritty as the earth itself, Hilmo paints a picture of a town where everyone is connected . . . A heartening, comforting story with enough tension to keep readers hooked." - Kirkus Reviews "A robust cast of well-developed characters and a delightful, swiftly moving plot will leave readers wishing for Jade to extend her stay in Wyoming." - School Library Journal
Review
"This novel succeeds in its celebration of the west . . . puppy-lovers will enjoy the four-legged background characters whose names and personalities imbue this novel with a little spirit." - BCCB "In Hilmo's second middle-grade novel, a 12-year-old city girl spends a month in Wyoming and finds big skies, a boy who idolizes Butch Cassidy, and her own sense of adventure." - Booklist "Hilmo's small-town setting is affectionately portrayed, as are her characters - all of whom, even the owner of the new big-box home improvement store, turn out to have hearts of gold." - The Horn Book "Drawing on rich Western lore and creating characters as gritty as the earth itself, Hilmo paints a picture of a town where everyone is connected . . . A heartening, comforting story with enough tension to keep readers hooked." - Kirkus Reviews "A robust cast of well-developed characters and a delightful, swiftly moving plot will leave readers wishing for Jade to extend her stay in Wyoming." - School Library Journal "Writing with humor and heart, Hilmo gently reminds readers of the benefits of being shaken out of one's routine, especially the sense of perspective gained by traveling to new places and trying new things." -Publishers Weekly
About the Author
Tess Hilmo lives with her husband and three children in Highland, Utah. Her first book, With a Name Like Love, received three starred reviews and was a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year and a 2011 ABC New Voices title.