True Blue

Jeffrey Lee's True Blue tells of two outsiders: Molly the new kid, Chrys the weird kid. The two form a bond because of a science competition, only to find other links which go beyond coincidence in this story of friendship.

This fine first novel for 9 to 14 year olds by Jeffrey Lee deals with the important issue of feeling different and left out that loom so large in the life of our middle schoolers. The book also carefully weaves in the themes of love between a daughter and her father and a daughter and her mother after a car-wreck (for which the daughter blames herself) cripples her father and forces her mother to become a busy waitress in order to make ends meet. The School Library Review mentions shallow character development but I disagree strongly. The character development seems very appropriate for the targeted audience and for the slim size of the book. The hints of magic add color and depth as well. Highly recommended.

But this old man liked it too. I picked up this book on the suggestion of a friend, and found it to be kindhearted and full of important lessons for kids. Jeffrey Lee's prose is clean, crisp and unencumbered, allowing the reader to lose him or herself in this lively and quickly moving story.The story line itself comes as a charming surprise and a very origional twist on the theme of teenage outsiders who find each other and in the end discover the meaning of true friendship. But this tale also involves the empathy and love between a daughter and her father following the father's disabling car accident (for which the daughter blames herself), the same empathy and love between a daughter and her mother surrounding the mother's loss of her husband to a permanant disability, the stresses on a close family surrounding the move from a comfortable, predictable life into a new neighborhood, a new apartment, and for the main charactor, a new school. At the new school, the main character, Molly, confronts a series of difficult situations, but perserveres with a strong charactor, belief in herself and clear concept of right and wrong. Both she and Chrys, her new friend who has a magical secret, discover the meaning of true friendship and mutual support. And Molly's family perserveres because, in the end, they show themselves to be people of love, depth, and character.In short, the book is well written, a page turner, has a great, unique plot, and contains a host of very positive messages for kids. Young readers will be carried along by the story, while learning critical lessons regarding the difficult but all-important process of the development of their own unique inner moral code. Highly recomended.

I think this is a great little book for older kids. I disagree strongly with the journal review. There are characters that are clearly intended to be stereotypical; this gives the book a simplicity that is perfect for the age group targetted. The story premise is a tough one for kids, an introduction to one of the harsher realities of life. (The protagonist's father is almost paralyzed after a devestating car accident). The splash of color and hint of magic does not have to be taken literally. It speaks to a larger message, that of the possiblities of magic, laughter and true friendship that keep us afloat in a sometimes very sad and crazy world.

I'm a sixth grader here in California, and I've just read True Blue and loved it!Having just finished re-reading Harry Potter 5, I was looking for something else to read and just happened to find a copy of True Blue. Once I picked it up I couldn't stop reading it until I finished.You want to know what I liked so much? I thought the characters were great - especially Molly and Chrys - and it really felt like a real school. Best of all, it was a great story.I can't wait for Jeffrey Lee's next book!