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Under a Painted Sky

Under a Painted Sky

AdventureYA Contemporary
Pages
384
Published
2015
Language
English

Synopsis

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Downstairs Girl, Stacey Lee's debut novel is a powerful story about love, friendship, and sacrifice, perfect for fans of Code Name Verity. "This moving novel will captivate you."--Buzzfeed.com All Samantha wanted was to move back to New York and pursue her music, which was difficult enough being a Chinese girl in Missouri, 1849. Then her fate takes a turn for the worse after a tragic accident leaves her with nothing and she breaks the law in self-defense. With help from Annamae, a runaway slave she met at the scene of her crime, the two flee town for the unknown frontier. But life on the Oregon Trail is unsafe for two girls. Disguised as Sammy and Andy, two boys heading for the California gold rush, each search for a link to their past and struggle to avoid any unwanted attention. Until they merge paths with a band of cowboys turned allies, and Samantha can't stop herself from falling for one. But the law is closing in on them and new setbacks come each day, and the girls will quickly learn there are not many places one can hide on the open trail. Winner of the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award An ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults Pick An Amelia Bloomer Book

Prose complexity
4/10

Vibe

AdventurousRomantic
Forbidden LoveFound Family

Genres

Adventure YA Contemporary Historical Fiction Young Adult

Authors

S
Stacey Lee

Stacey Lee is a fourth-generation Chinese American author from Southern California who practiced law, including in Silicon Valley, before writing full-time; she holds a law degree from UC Davis King Hall and is a founding member and legal director of We Need Diverse Books. She writes historical and contemporary young-adult fiction centering Chinese American experiences, including Under a Painted Sky, The Downstairs Girl, Luck of the Titanic, and Kill Her Twice.

Frequently asked questions

  • Did the author base this story on her own family history?

    While the author is a fourth-generation Chinese American and drew inspiration from her family's complex history in the 1800s, she chose not to incorporate specific details of her own ancestors into the narrative.

  • Has this book received any major literary recognition?

    The novel is a recipient of the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award and the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature.