SOLVED. Children’s/YA, girl named Sky/Skye in attic [s]

[Mackenzie]

This is a shot in the dark, but I discovered it in the early 2000s at the library. No later than 2008 I’d say. The title possibly has the girls name Sky/Skye in it. I remember something about her being in an attic. Either she lived there or was just up there exploring. There was possibly a skylight in the attic that she looked up at and out of. I hardly read any of this book, so I don’t have more details. It would’ve been a chapter book, but for kids/teens. I’ve been searching my whole life for this book ever since that day at the library. I appreciate any guesses or leads!

[SBC]

This is probably not the right book, but I'll suggest it anyway, since the character spends a bit of time in an attic and you never know! Could your book be White Midnight by Dia Calhoun?

If not, do you remember where your story was set? Was it realistic fiction or fantasy?

[Mackenzie]

Hi, thank you for the suggestion, but that’s not it. I have no idea what the official genre is. I only read the very beginning of the book, so I couldn’t tell you. Since I only read the beginning, the rest of the book may not involve the character in the attic. I just know she was up there in the first chapter, maybe two. And I am positive her name was Sky/Skye and that could’ve also been in the title of the book. Also the character was definitely a younger girl, not a teenager.

[Freya]

Is it Girl in the Attic ? I remember reading this book after receiving it from a second-hand store. I can't remember the girl's name, but this sounds a bit like the book you're describing.

Hope this helps!

[Mai]

Hi! Do you remember anything about the cover? And by younger girl do you mean little or a pre-teen?
I only found one book with Skye in the title that mentions an attic but it was published in 2011... The girl is 12. I'll mention it just in case!
Marshmallow Skye by Cathy Cassidy.

[Mackenzie]

Thank you both for your suggestions!! ^ It’s not the Girl in the Attic. It could be Marshmallow Skye. The bio of that book sounds more like it, but I wouldn’t know for sure unless I could read the beginning of it. Also not recognizing the cover of it, but I will look for it at the library and see.

[Mackenzie]

Oh and Mai, definitely more of a pre-teen. I’d say the character was between 8-12.

[Mackenzie]

Now that I think about it, that book can’t be it either. 2011 would’ve been too long after the fact. Thanks for everyone’s ideas so far.

[Rainbowheart]

Blue Skye?

Skye's the Limit?

The Trouble with Skye?

[Mackenzie]

Thank you so much for those great suggestions. The first two are high possibilities, especially the first. That cover looks most like the one I vaguely remember. I’m going to try to read the beginnings of both ASAP, and post back here with the results.

[slauderdale]

I hit up Novelist, and descriptive matter for the first Penderwicks book mentioned a character named Skye and "attic treasures." Caveat that I have not read this book myself.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

AudioFile:
"Susan Denaker evokes memories of childhood summers of freedom, adventure, and new friends. The four Penderwick sisters, with their father and dog Hound, are spending a three-week vacation at a cottage on the Arundel estate. Beautiful gardens for romping, pet rabbits, a lonely boy to befriend, and attic treasures to uncover all weave into a story of a vacation made for memories. ... "

Publishers Weekly:
"Ah, summertime and the living is easy—even if it's off to a rough start—in this sprightly audio edition of Birdsall's debut novel, which won the National Book Award. The Penderwick family, consisting of four daughters, their widower dad and family pet Hound, are at a loss when the cottage they routinely rent on Cape Cod each summer is sold. They luck into a new situation, however, staying at a cottage on the grounds of a mansion in the Berkshires, and their adventurous holiday provides the plot here. Mrs. Tifton, owner of the manse is rather chilly to the Penderwick clan, but her son Jeffrey proves to be an ideal playmate. Listeners fond of gentle stories of closely-knit families and innocent fun will flock to this recording. ... "


Edited to remove some flab re: the audio performances.

[Mackenzie]

^ Thank you for this suggestion. Wow I did not expect so many people to help me try to find this book. I really appreciate everyone’s effort and suggestions. I will be looking into three of the aforementioned books, and will post here if one of them is a match (or not)!

[Bryn]

I just want to second the suggestion of The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy -- Skye is one of the four main characters and they're moving into a new house so there's a lot of early exploring; I can't remember if it starts from her POV but it might. And there are four sequels, so if it isn't that one, it might be worth checking one of the others.

[Rosa]

Information overload, Slauderdale.

[slauderdale]

Rosa wrote: "Information overload, Slauderdale."
[comes back]
[examines message 11]
Yeah, pretty much.
[goes back and edits out some of the excess]

[Rosa]

:)

[Mackenzie]

I would like to check that book out as well ^. I looked all of these books up at my local libraries and none of the locations carry any of them. I don’t want to purchase them on Amazon if they aren’t the one. Anyone have a suggestion on how I could read the first chapter of each so I could figure this out? Thanks

[Rosa]

All of them are available on archive.org, the Internet Archive. To check them out, you only need to sign up with an email address.
The first chapter of The Penderwicks has them in the car, looking for their vacation cottage. It’s from Rosalind’s point of view. I think the second chapter is from Skye’s point of view; the sisters are choosing rooms, and they leave the best one for her—it’s neat and white.
I think the attic that the sisters explore is in their male friend’s house, later in the book.

[Mackenzie]

It was Blue Skye by Lael Littke! Thank you so much for your help everyone!!

[Rainbowheart]

Yay, glad it was the right one! Happy to help out. :)

[Mackenzie]

Thank you @rainbowheart! :)