Violets Are Blue by Barbara Dee

 

Title: Violets Are Blue

Author: Barbara Dee

Illustrator:  Heather Palisi

Publisher: Aladdin   

ISBN: 9781534469181

 

Review:

Wren’s life had been turned upside down. Her mom and dad had divorced, and her dad remarried and has a baby on the way. Then there was the move to a new city with her mom which meant a new school for her. The only way Wren could deal with all the changes is to change herself. She did this by watching her favorite YouTuber Cat FX. By watching her videos Wren has learned to do special effects makeup that can transform her into a mermaid with powers or anything else she could pretend to become. 

Wren makes a new friend named Poppy and is beginning to feel a little bit normal. She gets to visit her dad and tries to spend time with her overworked yet sickly mom. Her mom has been acting weird and she isn’t’ sure why. Wren starts to worry when her mom stops answering her phone and has issues showing up for work. With all the changes, her mom missing work and sleeping a lot and Wren wasn’t sure if her mom would ever be alright. 

Author Barbara Dee has written a story with a very sensitive topic cover drug addiction through the eyes of a child. Readers will be engaged in the characters everyday world as well as the heartbreaking aspects of divorce and loneliness. Parents and teachers can use this as a tool to discuss problems of drug abuse and neglect. 

About the Author: Barbara Dee is the author of twelve middle grade novels published by Simon & Schuster, including Violets Are Blue, My Life in the Fish Tank, Maybe He Just Likes You, Everything I Know About You, Halfway Normal, and Star-Crossed. Her books have earned several starred reviews, have been shortlisted for many state book awards, and have been named to best-of lists including the The Washington Post’s Best Children’s Books, the ALA Notable Children’s Books, the ALA Rise: A Feminist Book Project List, the NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, and the ALA Rainbow List Top Ten. Barbara lives with her family, including a naughty cat named Luna and a sweet rescue hound named Ripley, in Westchester County, New York

Courtesy of Media Masters Publicity