Scars in the Sky

The night before Halloween,1938: millions of Americans huddle around their radios, gripped by urgent bulletins of a terrifying alien invasion. Are Martians really attacking New York City, or is it all just a clever trick on an unsuspecting audience? That same night, halfway across the country, Junior and Daisy expect nothing more than a festive Halloween celebration in their quiet hometown of Miller’s Grove. But when mysterious objects fall from the sky and crash into their backyards, they are thrust into an encounter that feels far more real than an elaborate broadcast hoax. With Daisy’s little brother suddenly missing and Junior fighting to protect the only home he’s ever known, both must put their faith in each other to stand against an unknowable force from another world. A sci-fi suspense novel, Scars in the Sky blends small-town dread, family trauma, and otherworldly terror into a chilling story of fear falling from above. Praise for Scars In the Sky: *Scars in the Sky reminds us that even in the depths of grief, we can be heroic. The nuance and complexity in this novel take my breath away. Astonishing. - Nina LaCour, Michael L. Printz Award and Lambda Literary Award-Winning Author *Scars in the Sky is a vivid, thrilling, and ultimately moving story of how true friendship can give us the power to heal our deepest wounds, and even to save the world. This is the work of a gifted storyteller. –Anne Ursu, National Book Award Nominee *Grief can feel like a glowing red light pointed at our chest—fire-hot, threatening to blow us to pieces. So can an alien death ray beaming from a spacecraft. Junior and Daisy, the protagonists in Brandon Terrell’s Scars in the Sky, must find a way to neutralize both. In turns tender, thrilling, and life affirming, Scars in the Sky is incredible. - Elana K. Arnold, National Book Award Finalist *Scars in the Sky is a tale of suspense, adventure, grit and gore, but it’s rendered in such delicate, quiet prose that I sometimes gasped at its stark beauty. This book will transport you in so many different ways. - National Book Award Nominee, Laurel Snyder *Scars in the Sky has plenty to say about the dangers of disintegration lasers and alien tentacles. It has even more to say about the human heart, our need to be seen and belong. This is taut, action-packed, and emotionally intimate storytelling. - Eliot Schrefer, New York Times bestselling author *Very early in Brandon Terrell’s Scars In the Sky, a boy aptly named Junior squints at the morning sky and sees something mysterious. Immediately I knew I was in the capable hands of a true storyteller, someone who would introduce to a cast of memorable characters and keep me turning the pages. Scars In the Sky should be on every young Reader’s list of books-to-savor. Brandon is a first-time author who knows how to make music out of loss. - Ronald Koertge, National Endowment for the Arts, Poetry