Touch Blue: By Cynthia Lord

TOUCH BLUE

SUMMARY

The state of Maine plans to shut down her island’s schoolhouse, which would force Tess’s family to move to the mainland--and Tess to leave the only home she has ever known. Fortunately, the islanders have a plan too: increase the numbers of students by having several families take in foster children. So now Tess and her family are taking a chance on Aaron, a thirteen-year-old trumpet player who has been bounced from home to home. And Tess needs a plan of her own--and all the luck she can muster. Will Tess’s wish come true or will her luck run out?

REVIEW

With carefree enthusiasm, Touch Blue tackles the subjects of adoption of acceptance. And while not easy subjects to discuss Touch Blue does an excellent job of describing how jarring it would be to move from one home to the next without secure knowledge that this new home will be the last.

Not only that but Cynthia Lord does an excellent job of dealing with these issues in a clean and appropriate manor. Children and adults alike will approve this message as it teaches how to accept one another, the importance of moving on, and how to deal with change all in the short 192 pages it Touch Blue.

Yet, while Touch Blue touches on these issues with grace and deftness it is most certainly aimed at a younger crowd. Instead of the usual preteen and young adult book that deals with these issues, Touch Blue is most certainly aimed for elementary age kids. It is simple in its plot, easy to foresee the conclusion, and contained 2-D characters, such as the antagonist, Eben.

And still it is a good book for its intended audience. And while I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone looking for explosions or a fast paced novel it most certainly completes its goal as a sensitive engaging novel for 3^rd-6^th graders.

RATING

7 out of 10 (for ages 9-13)

INFO

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Published: August 1, 2010

Price: $16.99