Review: The Sky Inside

The Sky Inside by Clare B. Dunkle

This new book is great for those who may not be "into" science fiction, but are intrigued by books such as Lois Lowery's The Giver. The Sky Inside takes place in the future, maybe a couple of generations from now. The lucky people got a place in the doomed suburb. Everything from the outside is sent through "packets". The seasons are controlled in the dome, and when seasons change, all the residents put different window clings on their houses (flowers in spring, for instance). Adults in the dome vote on an issue everyday (such as the color of the President's new curtains) via their interactive tv. Meals come through a devine that works much like a gambling machine - you never know what you are going to get to eat. Pets, such as Martin's dog, are "bots" that can be reprogrammed. Martin is a teen who is not part of the genetically-engineered "Wonder Babies" generation like his sister. Babies are sent via packet, too, after parents go through a long application process. His sister Cassie is always asking questions, about everything, like all of the kids of her "model". Then when she is about 7 years old, a stranger ( and strangers never come to their dome) comes, and offers to take all of the Wonder Babies to a school outside the dome so they can learn all that their insatiable minds want to know. This is after he helps find Jimmy's (8 years old, the oldest Wonder Baby) real - not bot - rat. This part of the story offers a modern take on "The Pied Piper", in this way. Read the book to find out what happens next!