Category Archives: The Whole Sky

Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award, feature story, honors, The Whole Sky

“The Whole Sky” honored at Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award Gala

Heather, along with (from left) Felix Francis, author of Pulse; Shane Ryan of Castleton Lyons, and Sasscer Hill, author of Flamingo Road

The Whole Sky was one of three finalists for the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award. Heather, along with fellow nominees Felix Francis and Sasscer White, attended the awards presentation on Thursday, April 19, in the historic stallion barn at Castleton Lyons Farm in Kentucky’s Horse Country.

For the first time in the $10,000 award’s 12-year history, every honored book was a work of fiction. Since its inception, only two novels had won—Jaimy Gordon’s Lord of Misrule in 2010, which also took home the prestigious National Book Award, and Andy Plattner’s Offerings from a Rust Belt Jockey in 2014.

The Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award is named for the man who launched it in 2006. Dr. Ryan was a globally known businessman, sportsman, and philanthropist who loved horse racing and fine literature. He passed away in late 2007, and his namesake award has since been continued by son Shane.

The Whole Sky was the first young-adult book ever nominated for the Ryan Prize. Felix Francis’ Pulse and Sasscer Hill’s Flamingo Road, two mysteries,  were the other finalists.

Flamingo Road, a spine-tingling tale of crime, gangs, and suspicious racetrack happenings, took home the Prize.

Heather reported the results on her Facebook page April 20:

“The Whole Sky did not take the big prize last night at the Dr Tony Ryan Book Award ceremony, but as one of three finalists, I definitely felt I was already in the winner’s circle. Can’t say enough about the other two writers and the judges and all involved with this terrific award, especially the Ryan Family and Castleton Lyons farm!”

 

honors, The Whole Sky

“The Whole Sky” only young adult book to ever make short list for prestigious literary award

From a nice write-up by the Advocate-Messenger‘s Bobbie Curd:

Local author Heather Henson has made it to the semi-finalist list for a 2017 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award. Her book, “The Whole Sky” is the only young adult book on the list of those being considered. 

As a matter of fact, it’s the only YA book ever considered for the award. 

“It’s very exciting,” Henson says. 

The award is organized through Castleton Lyons, a horse racing stable and breeding business in Lexington known best as Castleton Farm. All the books considered for the award are equine-related topics. 

“So much of Kentucky is about horses, and the people who work with and care for horses,” Henson says. “I set out to capture a bit of that world in ‘The Whole Sky,’ and I hope I succeeded.” 

Henson’s book details the story of a 12-year-old girl who can talk to horses, and she helps find the cause of mysterious foal deaths happening throughout the thoroughbred industry. Henson wrote the book after researching the 2001 thoroughbred crisis, called Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome, that hit Kentucky. 

More than 500 thoroughbred foals died in one foaling season in 2001, in and around Lexington. 

“It struck me as I researched the book, how fragile both horses and humans can be, and yet how resilient,” she says. 

As far as she knows, there was no one person like the main character she developed for her book who ultimately helped connect the dots to solve the MRLS mystery. 

“There was no one girl who talked to horses. But I’m a writer, so I like to imagine there was — or is.” She had already done research before attempting to write “Dream of Night, her first book, which was written in the “voice” of a horse. That gave her the idea for “The Whole Sky.” At that time, she had a neighbor who rescued horses, and she found the sight of them galloping in the fields near her home as a “breathtaking sight and visually inspiring.”

Henson’s grandfather, the late Robert Hutchison, was a horse trainer in Mercer County. The farm where he trained is where Henson and her family live today. 

“I always heard stories of how he was a true horseman — it definitely influenced me as a writer.”

In the release from Castleton Lyons, it said for the first time in the award’s 12-year history, every honoree is a work of fiction, and that since its inception, only two novels have ever won. 

The award was named for Ryan, a “globally-known businessman, sportsman, and philanthropist who loved horse racing and fine literature.” Although Ryan died in 2007, the award has been continued by his son, Shane.  

Henson had not heard of the award before last year. Someone mentioned it to Henson’s publisher after they read “The Whole Sky,” that it should be entered into the race since the award specifically celebrates the horse and horse racing industry. 

“My publisher submitted it, and we just found out it’s a semi-finalist. I’m truly honored, because it’s the first book for younger readers to be included,” Henson says, and adds — not to mention, there are “some pretty big heavy hitters on the list.” 

Read the rest…

 

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Lovely feature on Heather and “The Whole Sky” in Advocate-Messenger

Bobbie Curd of the Danville Advocate-Messenger, Heather Henson’s hometown newspaper, has written a terrific in-depth profile and discussion of The Whole Sky.

An excerpt:

Heather Henson can cite various inspirations for her new book for middle school readers, “The Whole Sky.” Her second book involving horses, it’s not a true story — but was inspired by true events. 

Back in 2001, more than 500 thoroughbred foals died on farms in Kentucky from Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome (MRLS), with the cause of it a mystery for a long time. 

“As far as I know, there was no one person (like Sky Doran, the main character in the book) who ultimately helped connect the dots and solve the MRLS mystery; there was no one girl who talked to horses,” Henson says. “But I’m a writer, so I like to imagine that there was — or is.” 

One of the reasons Henson began writing about horses — her first book about them was published in 2010, “Dream of Night,”  also for middle school readers — is actually because her editor suggested it. 

“I’d just moved home to Kentucky after living in New York City and Brooklyn for 17 years, and I was talking to my editor at Atheneum/Simon and Schuster about book ideas and also describing living on a farm and seeing horses every day —so different from my city life.  She suggested that I think about writing a novel that was literary but would also appeal to young horse lovers.  She felt that since I had moved back to the middle of horse country I would be able to tap into that world, and she was right.”

Read the entire article on the AmNews website….

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The Whole Sky “rings true” in Kirkus Review

The Whole Sky got a very nice review from Kirkus, which concluded that “Sky’s first-person narration rings true, as do the details of everyday life among horses.” The review also states that “[t]his literary middle-grade tale with a touch of magic will find eager readers among horse enthusiasts.”

A girl who can communicate with horses learns why thoroughbred foals are dying all over Kentucky.

In the wake of her mother’s death, 12-year-old Sky Doran, a white girl of Irish descent, accompanies her father to the prestigious breeding barn where he works each year during foaling season. Sky’s family has always been nomadic, but Shaughnessy Farms feels like home, and Sky is relieved to be reunited with the mares she loves, especially her favorite, Poppy, who is expecting her first foal. Sky and her father share a secret family trait: they can talk to the horses telepathically. This year, to everyone’s horror and astonishment, the foals are born dead or dying—hundreds of them in farms all across Kentucky. No one can understand why. Making matters even worse, Sky’s father, who has battled trouble with alcohol before, shows up at a difficult delivery drunk. He leaves Sky among friends on the farm while he enters rehab. When Poppy’s foal survives birth, Sky finds healing from her own wounds by caring for the fragile baby and uses her telepathy to uncover the reasons behind the epidemic. Mare reproductive loss syndrome, a real disaster stemming from 2001, forms the backdrop to a story of loss, growth, and friendship. Sky’s first-person narration rings true, as do the details of everyday life among horses.

This literary middle-grade tale with a touch of magic will find eager readers among horse enthusiasts. (Fantasy. 9-13)

Read the review on the Kirkus Reviews site

heather henson, The Whole Sky

Nice Publishers Weekly Review for “The Whole Sky”

Source: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/reviews/single/978-1-4424-1405-1

Twelve-year-old Sky has spent her life working with horses, helping her father, who has passed on a special gift to her: both can speak to horses. When they arrive at Shaughnessy Farms to help birth this year’s foals, both father and daughter are mourning the recent death of Sky’s mother. Homeschooled Sky rarely spends time with kids her age, but she befriends Archie, grandson of the farm’s kindly owners. Then the foals are almost all stillborn for reasons no one understands, and Sky’s father, who has started drinking, disappears. As Sky attempts to discover what is killing the foals, Henson (Dream of Night) brings readers deep into the world of Kentucky horse farms, smoothly weaving in details about Sky and her father’s work. Sky’s grief is palpable, and her slow-building friendship with Archie is moving, as is Sky’s growing understanding of his flaws and struggle to love him in the face of that humanity. But the heart of the story is Sky’s preternatural bond with the animals she loves. Ages 10–12. (Aug.)

heather henson, The Whole Sky

“The Whole Sky” arrives!

Wow, it’s like Christmas x 1000 when the very first copy of your book arrives on your doorstep! Especially when your amazing editor wraps it up just for you. As with most of my books, The Whole Sky was several years in the making, and I’m just so ☺️❤️❤️ to finally have it in the real world, not just in my head and computer files. Thank you Caitlyn Dlouhy of Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, and everyone at Atheneum and Simon and Schuster. You are simply the best. ❤️❤️❤️