"Henry tackles profound loss and grief with sensitivity while emphasizing the preciousness of human connection in this vast and wondrous universe....Exciting, heartbreaking, and far from ordinary." —Kirkus

"From Henry, one of YA’s preeminent voices, comes another exquisite, genre-bending novel....Fast-paced and intricately plotted, the story rockets toward an unexpected, sublime conclusion. Though resting comfortably in science fiction, it becomes clear in the end that this book is about so much more." —Booklist

“Author Emily Henry impressively melds a combination of Stranger Things and Contact in forming her narrative that is sure to please sci-fi fans and speak to any teen longing for a bigger, better world outside of their hometown…a story with action, a few good scares, and a big heart.” —School Library Connection

“Fraught with both hidden and not-so-hidden darkness, this plot has them all, and readers will be drawn to this fast-paced page-turner. Henry has crammed plenty of atmospheric, small-town spookiness into her book.” —School Library Journal

“A fun, suspenseful story about teenagers exploring the paranormal.” —VOYA

"A vivid and multilayered story sure to turn the staunchest of Scullys into a Mulder. I am obsessed with this book." —New York Times bestselling author David Arnold

“Eerie, intriguing, and full of hold-your-breath moments, When the Sky Fell on Splendor is a thrilling and heartfelt portrayal of how true friendship can fill otherwise ordinary lives with splendor.” —Parker Peevyhouse, author of Where Futures End and The Echo Room

“A thrilling read that is as twisty and spooky as it is profound and evocative. Emily Henry’s prose is haunting and poignant, and her characters are so real and relatable that I started missing them as soon as I set the book down.” —Romina Russell, New York Times bestselling author of the Zodiac series

03/01/2019

Gr 6 Up—Calling themselves "The Ordinary," 17-year-old Franny and her friends form a tight-knit bond over their shared experiences of losing family and friends because of Splendor's steel mill explosion five years earlier. To keep their minds off the sadness surrounding them, the Ordinary spend their time investigating abandoned sites, writing and performing scripts based loosely on local ghost legends, then posting them for their small but loyal group of YouTube followers. But everything changes the night silver lights pulse across the sky. The teens' camera captures the image of a bright light, something massive hurtling down from the sky. When it crashes, curiosity overcomes fear, and they cautiously draw closer to the crash site, vowing to pursue the truth. Telekinetic powers? Crop circles? Menacing birds? An alien being that seems to invade Franny's body? Fraught with both hidden and not-so-hidden darkness, this plot has them all, and readers will be drawn to this fast-paced page-turner. Henry has crammed plenty of atmospheric, small-town spookiness into her book. VERDICT Teens who enjoy films like E.T., Stand by Me, and The Goonies and those who devour quirky TV series like Stranger Things and Riverdale will be drawn to this novel. A worthwhile purchase for YA collections.—Cheryl Blevens, Cunningham Memorial Library, Indiana State University