You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Aisulu is the often overlooked daughter in her family, while her brother is due to rise as the head of their community. Though they live in a modern day, their community is extremely secluded and they live the vast majority of their lives in remote gers, working to produce milk from their goat and yak herds alongside their family. It is a labor intensive way of life and Aisulu struggles with feeling unseen and low priority, only feeling alive when she is on horseback. But when her brother is injured after unsuccessfully trying to capture an eagle, she must bring him back home through the wilderness on her own, and her life begins shifting in devastating yet empowering ways.
Aisulu saves an orphaned eaglet and raises him while her brother and parents are seeking medical care, thousands of miles away. Despite being a girl in a position only granted to boys, she pushes through and becomes a true handler and hunter, using her skills to ultimately save and provide for her family.
This was incredibly well done from the portrayal of a sheltered girl to her rise as a confident eagle handler and hunter, and the rippling effects of her presence amongst a male-oriented community. I truly felt the discomfort of Aisulu and her family as they must engage with the modern world and western civilians for the first time, a stark contrast to their secluded lifestyle accessible largely by horseback. Her journey raising the eagle was beautifully explored and the cultural details were very informative and memorable.
"The joy that goes with fear is sometimes called faith."
Aisulu saves an orphaned eaglet and raises him while her brother and parents are seeking medical care, thousands of miles away. Despite being a girl in a position only granted to boys, she pushes through and becomes a true handler and hunter, using her skills to ultimately save and provide for her family.
This was incredibly well done from the portrayal of a sheltered girl to her rise as a confident eagle handler and hunter, and the rippling effects of her presence amongst a male-oriented community. I truly felt the discomfort of Aisulu and her family as they must engage with the modern world and western civilians for the first time, a stark contrast to their secluded lifestyle accessible largely by horseback. Her journey raising the eagle was beautifully explored and the cultural details were very informative and memorable.
"The joy that goes with fear is sometimes called faith."
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Stand on the Sky by Erin Bow is a heartfelt middle-grade novel set against the windswept steppes of Mongolia, where traditions run deep, and cultural roles are well-defined—especially for girls. The story follows a young girl who defies these long-held expectations by rescuing and raising an orphaned eagle, an act typically reserved for boys. Through her growing bond with the bird, she begins to find her voice, strength, and place in a world that tells her she doesn’t belong in such a role.
The novel tackles themes of courage, self-discovery, and gender roles in a way that’s both accessible and inspiring for younger readers. Bow’s prose is lyrical at times, and the setting is vivid and immersive. The cultural elements are respectfully presented, giving readers a window into Kazakh eagle-hunting traditions and the importance of family and honor.
However, the pacing can occasionally drag. Some sections feel repetitive, circling the same emotional beats without pushing the story forward. While the stakes are high for the protagonist, the narrative sometimes feels narrowly focused—placing the full weight of societal change on one young girl’s shoulders. This can make the resolution feel overly simplistic, as if progress hinges entirely on her individual success.
Still, Stand on the Sky offers a powerful message: change is possible, even in the most entrenched systems, and it often begins with one brave voice. Despite a few lulls in momentum, the book ultimately delivers a meaningful and uplifting story that will resonate with readers who have ever felt boxed in by expectations.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
What a great story. The story about racing eagles, in and of itself, was fascinating, but the addition of changing tradition by having a young girl train and race the eagle was also really well done. I can see my students lapping this up.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Aisulu lives in with her family in a ger in the Kazakh mountains. They are nomadic people who move with the seasons as their herds need. Aisulu dreams of being more than a dutiful daughter. Her brother Serik is the prince of the family, destined to oversee the family one day as their uncle has no children. Tragedy strikes one spring day when Aisulu and Serik are caught in the mountains during a summer blizzard. Aisulu finds out that Serik has a lame leg and he believes it will cause him to lose his place in the family. Then they see an eagle and Serik sees a way to redeem himself. Unfortunately, things do not go well for either Serik or the eagle. His leg breaks and he is taken hundreds of miles away to the nearest hospital.
It turns out he has cancer and loses his leg. Aisulu is left without her immediate family and taken in by her uncle Dulat and aunt the Fox Wife (so named because she comes from a different people). Aisulu knows the eagle they hunted had a chick and that the chick will die without its mother. So she climbs the cliffs to rescue the chick and bring it home. The Fox Wife helps her learn to feed and care for the baby eagle Toktar even though girls can't have eagles.
Eagle Hunters are prized among their people. They are called Burkitshi and highly regarded. It takes great skill and courage to capture an eagle, bond with it, and then have it hunt for you. Only men become Burkitshi. Dulat was an eagle hunter in his youth and tries to claim Toktar from Aisulu, but he is too late. They have already bonded; the eagle is Aisulu's.
Then her father returns with news of Serik. He needs a prosthetic leg and rehab if he is going to walk again. That costs money and must be done far away. The family must either sell their portion of the herd and ger or Aisulu can win the Eagle Competition. No girl has ever won, but Aisulu is determined and Dulat is willing to teach her.
I adored this book more than I can even express. I loved Aisulu's spirit and determination and willingness to buck tradition. I loved that her family supported her and that they did not try to push her into the "women's" roles once she had her eagle. I adored the Matchmaker who forced her horrid son to help outfit Aisulu for the competition. I loved the old Burkitshi who sponsored Aisulu. And I loved the bond between Aisulu and Toktar. The only thing that would have made this book even better is if it had been written by someone from that culture. But Erin Bow did such a fantastic job with her research that I believed she knew what life in a ger was like; what life on the plains of Kazakhstan was like. I am going to recommend this book to anyone and everyone; it is one of my favorites of the year.
It turns out he has cancer and loses his leg. Aisulu is left without her immediate family and taken in by her uncle Dulat and aunt the Fox Wife (so named because she comes from a different people). Aisulu knows the eagle they hunted had a chick and that the chick will die without its mother. So she climbs the cliffs to rescue the chick and bring it home. The Fox Wife helps her learn to feed and care for the baby eagle Toktar even though girls can't have eagles.
Eagle Hunters are prized among their people. They are called Burkitshi and highly regarded. It takes great skill and courage to capture an eagle, bond with it, and then have it hunt for you. Only men become Burkitshi. Dulat was an eagle hunter in his youth and tries to claim Toktar from Aisulu, but he is too late. They have already bonded; the eagle is Aisulu's.
Then her father returns with news of Serik. He needs a prosthetic leg and rehab if he is going to walk again. That costs money and must be done far away. The family must either sell their portion of the herd and ger or Aisulu can win the Eagle Competition. No girl has ever won, but Aisulu is determined and Dulat is willing to teach her.
I adored this book more than I can even express. I loved Aisulu's spirit and determination and willingness to buck tradition. I loved that her family supported her and that they did not try to push her into the "women's" roles once she had her eagle. I adored the Matchmaker who forced her horrid son to help outfit Aisulu for the competition. I loved the old Burkitshi who sponsored Aisulu. And I loved the bond between Aisulu and Toktar. The only thing that would have made this book even better is if it had been written by someone from that culture. But Erin Bow did such a fantastic job with her research that I believed she knew what life in a ger was like; what life on the plains of Kazakhstan was like. I am going to recommend this book to anyone and everyone; it is one of my favorites of the year.
Wow... this story would have carried my dreams far if I had it when I was ten. It was everything I dreamed of; horses, falconry, feeling uncertain and alone. The 56 year old me felt this story in my heart, like a familiar friend who has come home after being gone so long. I bought the book for a dear girl who needs hope and courage, and the knowledge that sometimes life is hard but we must step forward anyway. I think she will find a kindred spirit in Aisulu. Thank you, Ms. Bow for giving us this story.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
i didn’t hate any of the characters like i typically do, but i also didn’t really love most of them except for some rather minor characters. the book i found to be kind of boring but easy to read once you got into it, but it takes a little while. there’s also a fair amount of grammatical mistakes. however, it does teach about a different story of life that you don’t typically hear about, and as someone that has learned a lot about different cultures, i had never heard of this specific aspect before, so that was interesting, exciting, and informative.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A