Touch Blue

| Tasha

Touch Blue by Cynthia Lord

Released August 1, 2010.

Tess firmly believes in luck and does all sorts of things to try and capture some of it.  But wishes and luck are difficult things to grab ahold of as Tess quickly discovers.  On her island home, the number of children have fallen below the threshold to have a school.  If nothing is done, Tess and her family will have to leave the island and Tess will be unable to become a fisherman the way she wants to.  So the islanders decide to take in foster children to both increase the number of children on the island and to help other people.  Tess has been envisioning an orphan like Anne of Green Gables, who loves to read, loves the island and loves their family.  But real life is more complicated.  Her family ends up fostering Aaron, a boy haunted by his past and the loss of his mother, a boy who is silent and distant, moody and who plays the trumpet with amazing skill.  Where is the luck in that?

Lord’s writing is effortless and enjoyable.  While this book feels like a light summer read, it offers many insights into family, loss, luck and bravery.  Lord has again tackled a difficult subject with such a brilliant approach that readers will be happily afloat in her hands before realizing that the book has a lot more depth than they may have expected.

Lord also excels at characters.  Here Tess is the main protagonist, a girl who holds onto her haven of a community and clings to all the luck she can.   She is a complex character written with restraint and understanding.  Her delightful mix of bravery, self-assurance, and doubt is masterfully presented.  Another great characterization is Aaron who reveals himself to the reader slowly, just as he does to Tess and her family.  He is a foil to many characterizations of foster children, yet at the same time he has a darkness and need to him that speaks volumes.

You are guaranteed to have luck if you pick up this title, even more if you share it with another.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from ARC received from Scholastic.

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