ARC Review: “Partly Cloudy” by Tanita S. Davis

“Partly Cloudy” by Tanita S. Davis

Publishing Date: September 17, 2021

Genre: Middle Grade, Fiction, Contemporary

Page Length: 240 pages (electronic review edition)

Synopsis:

Lightning couldn’t strike twice, could it? After a terrible year, Madalyn needs clear skies desperately. Moving in with her great-uncle, Papa Lobo, and switching to a new school is just the first step.

It’s not all rainbows and sunshine, though. Madalyn discovers she’s the only Black girl in her class, and while most of her classmates are friendly, assumptions lead to some serious storms.

Papa Lobo’s long-running feud with neighbor Mrs. Baylor brings wild weather of its own, and Madalyn wonders just how far things will go. But when fire threatens the community, Madalyn discovers that truly being neighborly means more than just staying on your side of the street— it means weathering tough conversations—and finding that together a family can pull through anything.

Award-winning author Tanita S. Davis shows us that life isn’t always clear, and that partly cloudy days still contain a bit of blue worth celebrating. (description from Goodreads)

Review:

Partly Cloudy is the story of Madalyn who moves to a new school and is anxious to meet new people. She misses her best friend, has to move in with Papa Lobo (her Great Uncle) while her parents work, and learns to adjust to her new surroundings. She discovers that she’s the only Black girl in the class which makes her feel even more out of place. Along with the anxiety surrounding a new school, Madalyn also encounters some microaggressions and racial profiling in her new environment and tries to wrap her head around everything.

I think this novel truly embodies the feelings of being the new kid at school and how terfifying that experience can be. Madalyn is full if these confoiciting emotions and she’s not sure how to feel. The issues surrounding her negative experiences bring up all diffeent kinds of questions surrounding her race On top of trying to adjust she can’t shake the feelings of loneliness, spending time away from family, and the struggle of trying to make new friends.

Partly Cloudy reminds me a bit of my younger self and reminds readers thay growing up can scary and full of obstacles. You feel lost, try to confide in others, and friend circles shift, but you do the best you can. It’s confusing and Madalyn is sad that she doesnt get much time to spend with her parents who travel for work and feels a great amount of separation anxiety. I like how the title alludes to the fact that some days be full of sunshine and others may be cloudy depending on experiences or our emotions. The novel also discusses a lot of important issues which I appreciated. I loved the bond between Papa Lobo and Madalyn, and it reminded me of summers where I spend time with my grandmas as a child.

All in all, this novel can be summed up in a quote by Madalyn’s mom:

“There’s a chance that on any day, a friend can take you toward the clouds or the sun,” she said.

This is an excellent novel about growing up and dealing with the lemons that life may give you and how we can handle difficult situations that arise in our lives.10

TW: Racism, Natural Disasters

Final Verdict:

Final Verdict: I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.