Sky Full of Elephants
By Cebo Campbell
Read by Leon Nixon, Erin Ruth Walker and Janina Edwards
Table of Contents
About The Book
“Bold and imaginative.” —Tananarive Due
“This stunning allegory will spark much discussion.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“A truly powerful and riveting story.” —Booklist
In a world without white people, what does it mean to be Black?
One day, a cataclysmic event occurs: all of the white people in America walk into the nearest body of water. A year later, Charlie Brunton is a Black man living in an entirely new world. Having served time in prison for a wrongful conviction, he’s now a professor of electric and solar power systems at Howard University when he receives a call from someone he wasn’t even sure existed: his daughter Sidney, a nineteen-year-old left behind by her white mother and step-family.
Traumatized by the event, and terrified of the outside world, Sidney has spent a year in isolation in Wisconsin. Desperate for help, she turns to the father she never met, a man she has always resented. Sidney and Charlie meet for the first time as they embark on a journey across a truly “post-racial” America in search for answers. But neither of them are prepared for this new world and how they see themselves in it.
Heading south toward what is now called the Kingdom of Alabama, everything Charlie and Sidney thought they knew about themselves, and the world, will be turned upside down. Brimming with heart and humor, Cebo Campbell’s astonishing debut novel is about the power of community and connection, about healing and self-actualization, and a reckoning with what it means to be Black in America, in both their world and ours.
“This stunning allegory will spark much discussion.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“A truly powerful and riveting story.” —Booklist
In a world without white people, what does it mean to be Black?
One day, a cataclysmic event occurs: all of the white people in America walk into the nearest body of water. A year later, Charlie Brunton is a Black man living in an entirely new world. Having served time in prison for a wrongful conviction, he’s now a professor of electric and solar power systems at Howard University when he receives a call from someone he wasn’t even sure existed: his daughter Sidney, a nineteen-year-old left behind by her white mother and step-family.
Traumatized by the event, and terrified of the outside world, Sidney has spent a year in isolation in Wisconsin. Desperate for help, she turns to the father she never met, a man she has always resented. Sidney and Charlie meet for the first time as they embark on a journey across a truly “post-racial” America in search for answers. But neither of them are prepared for this new world and how they see themselves in it.
Heading south toward what is now called the Kingdom of Alabama, everything Charlie and Sidney thought they knew about themselves, and the world, will be turned upside down. Brimming with heart and humor, Cebo Campbell’s astonishing debut novel is about the power of community and connection, about healing and self-actualization, and a reckoning with what it means to be Black in America, in both their world and ours.
Reading Group Guide
How do Charlie and Sidney's initial feelings towards each other reflect larger themes of family and identity in the novel? Discuss their relationship dynamics and how these evolve over the course of their journey.
Sidney's isolation and fear of the outside world are profound. Discuss the psychological impact of her experiences and how they mirror or contrast with societal issues of isolation, trauma, and recovery.
Explore the significance of Charlie being a professor of electric and solar power systems at Howard University. How does his profession and its focus on sustainability and renewal metaphorically relate to the themes of rebuilding and transformation in the story?
The novel takes us through a cross-country journey yet focuses on a deeply personal narrative of a Black father and his daughter. How does the novel balance the macro (societal changes) with the micro (individual experiences) in its exploration of race and identity?
How are the themes of community and connection manifested in the story, and what message does the novel convey about community and healing?
Consider the role of the Kingdom of Alabama in the story. What does this setting symbolize, and how does it affect the characters' understanding of their world and themselves?
Discuss the concept of a reckoning with what it means to be Black in America as portrayed in the novel. How does the book address this reckoning in both the alternate reality it creates and in reflections on our real world?
The cataclysmic event that leads to a post-racial America is a bold narrative choice. What are your thoughts on how this event shapes the society depicted in the novel? Does it offer a critique, hope, or a warning about our current societal structures?
Reflecting on the novel's ending, discuss the prospects of healing and self-actualization for Charlie, Sidney, and the society they inhabit. What vision of the future does the novel propose for its characters and for America?
Sidney's isolation and fear of the outside world are profound. Discuss the psychological impact of her experiences and how they mirror or contrast with societal issues of isolation, trauma, and recovery.
Explore the significance of Charlie being a professor of electric and solar power systems at Howard University. How does his profession and its focus on sustainability and renewal metaphorically relate to the themes of rebuilding and transformation in the story?
The novel takes us through a cross-country journey yet focuses on a deeply personal narrative of a Black father and his daughter. How does the novel balance the macro (societal changes) with the micro (individual experiences) in its exploration of race and identity?
How are the themes of community and connection manifested in the story, and what message does the novel convey about community and healing?
Consider the role of the Kingdom of Alabama in the story. What does this setting symbolize, and how does it affect the characters' understanding of their world and themselves?
Discuss the concept of a reckoning with what it means to be Black in America as portrayed in the novel. How does the book address this reckoning in both the alternate reality it creates and in reflections on our real world?
The cataclysmic event that leads to a post-racial America is a bold narrative choice. What are your thoughts on how this event shapes the society depicted in the novel? Does it offer a critique, hope, or a warning about our current societal structures?
Reflecting on the novel's ending, discuss the prospects of healing and self-actualization for Charlie, Sidney, and the society they inhabit. What vision of the future does the novel propose for its characters and for America?
About The Author
Photo by Michael Carnevale
Cebo Campbell
Cebo Campbell is an author and creative director based in Brooklyn, New York. Winner of the Linda L. Ross Creative Writing Award and the Stories Award for Poetry, Cebo’s work has been featured in numerous publications. Cebo is the cofounder of the award-winning creative agency, Spherical, where he leads a team of creatives in shaping the best hotel brands in the world. Sky Full of Elephants is his debut novel.
About The Readers
Leon Nixon
Erin Ruth Walker
Janina Edwards
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio (September 10, 2024)
- Runtime: 10 hours and 24 minutes
- ISBN13: 9781797182933
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Sky Full of Elephants Unabridged Audio Download 9781797182933
- Author Photo (jpg): Cebo Campbell Photo by Michael Carnevale(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
