Blue to the Sky
A book that is infused with poetry, Blue to the Sky by Sylvia McNicoll is a story about perseverance and complicated allergies.
Ella has a lot of allergies. It’s what led to her mom homeschooling her until sixth grade. Now she is back in school with her best friend Zenia but still struggles to find her place. When Zenia signs up for the CN Tower climb for WWF, Ella decides to do the same, viewing completing the climb as a fresh start. She will finally have the confidence to share her poetry with her peers.
Blue to the Sky is the first book I have enjoyed featuring a main character with complicated allergies. I love how Sylvia McNicoll has chosen to feature a character whose life is very affected by the allergies. She describes the anxiety and the constant vigilance required of people with severe allergies as well as their families. Sylvia’s writing made it seamless to fall into Ella’s world and gain a better understanding of how these allergies can limit a person’s ability to easily exist in a world built for able bodies. We really don’t have a lot of quality reads that feature disability in the children’s lit space and it is wonderful to now have another story for readers to feel seen and heard.
I love how Sylvia McNicoll infuses the story with poetry, as a way for Ella to process all of the feelings she has about having allergic reactions and process the things happening in her life. The poems are thought provoking at times and light and funny at other times. The story feels hopeful. There is much to look forward to and while Ella still has to manage her allergies she does get back a bit of a sense of control. She begins to make friends and starts to shed the Allergic-to-Everything girl skin she has been wearing. She is able to show the world that her allergies are part of her but not the only thing about her.
I appreciated the references to places in Otario and the CN Tower climb for WWF. Just reading the passages where Ella is climbing the stairs, took me to the CN Tower and makes me want to try the climb one day. What an incredible accomplishment for those who participate. There are lovely moments throughout the climb and a suspenseful climax that is very satisfying.
