Violets Are Blue

July 19, 2021
Weaving two very different but timely topics—makeup tutorial videos and opioid addiction—Dee’s (My Life in the Fish Tank) frequently poignant middle grade novel depicts the ways that both adults and children can feel out of control. Cued-white 11-year-old Renata, who goes by Wren, copes with her parents’ separation by immersing herself in online videos from Cat FX, a special effects makeup artist who specializes in sci-fi and fantasy looks. But after Wren’s dad begins a new life in Brooklyn with a new girlfriend, Wren’s mother seems increasingly peevish and exhausted—copious hints suggest that she’s not simply working too hard at her job as an ER nurse. Caught between her parents, Wren also has plenty going on at her new Chicago school as she tries to navigate crushes and a difficult friendship while doing makeup for the school production of Wicked. The cycle of substance reliance and cover-up is realistically drawn out, as is Wren’s anxiety about her circumstances: “It felt like my only options ever were: Keep everyone happy. End the fighting. Don’t make problems.” With flawed, realistic characters and dynamics, this reconciliatory novel is a believable balm for young people at the mercy of adult choices and scenarios. Ages 9–13. Agent: Jill Grinberg, Jill Grinberg Literary Management.

August 15, 2021
Wren and her recently divorced mom have moved into a new community near Chicago, and things are not going well. Wren has made a new friend, Poppy, and found a new interest--learning about makeup by following Cat FX's YouTube tutorials. But her mom always seems tired, even for an ER nurse, to the point where 12-year-old Wren can sense something is wrong, although it takes her quite a while to figure out what it is exactly. In the meantime, Wren, steady and dependable, succeeds in keeping up with her schoolwork and practicing her new hobby, with some help from her dad and his new wife, far away in Brooklyn. Still, her mom's growing problems lurk in the background of everyday life. Luckily for readers and Wren, her passion for her art, the encouraging voice of Cat FX, and the chance to do the makeup for the school performance of Wicked keep her going. Wren makes great efforts to show her unhappy mom that she continues to love her and doesn't favor her dad's new family and their lifestyle, free of financial worries. She also navigates new relationships at school, learning to reassess some of her first impressions. Wren's problems and her pluck will keep readers interested in this sincere story about starting over. Most main characters are White; Wren's father's Jewish, and one of her new school friends is Black. A touching, realistic story about a mother-daughter relationship and its ups and downs. (Fiction. 10-13)

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August 1, 2021
Grades 4-7 In this story for young teens struggling to find themselves, readers enter the jumbled world of Wren--a girl whose father recently left and is now expecting twins with his new partner, whose nurse mother is behaving increasingly strangely, and who is, herself, trying as best as she can to give voice to her feelings and ideas. Wren is not great at cultivating friendships, but she's developing a real talent for creating visual transformations using makeup. Behind the colorful layers she applies, she doesn't feel inadequate or "unfriendable," and when the opportunity arises, she throws herself into doing makeup for the school play. Meanwhile her mother's behavior becomes more erratic, with the ultimate reveal that she's addicted to painkillers. As her mother heals and her own self-understanding deepens, Wren relies on the help of family and new friends to move toward a fresh start. Dee (My Life in the Fish Tank, 2020) again successfully tackles tough topics, making them relatable for middle-grade readers.

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September 1, 2021

Gr 4-8-Twelve-year-old Renada (Wren) is going through some difficult changes. In a few short months, her parents have divorced, her father has remarried, and Wren has gone through a major move with her mother. On the positive side, she likes her new stepmother, who is pregnant with twins, and quickly makes a friend at her new school. She also follows a YouTuber who specializes in special effects make-up, and working with make-up helps her cope with life. Wren's friend Poppy convinces her to do makeup for the school musical, and Wren is surprised to find herself enjoying the challenge. On the negative side, Wren's mother is behaving erratically, taking long naps on the sofa, missing work, and keeping things locked away in her room. Wren tackles these challenges, along with her own insecurities, with a believable maturity. Dee addresses with aplomb important topics such as opioid addiction, divorce, bullying, and moving. This inspired novel deftly depicts the self-doubt and loneliness that many children (and adults) feel. Character ethnicity is not described. VERDICT A recommended purchase, especially for libraries that serve children affected by the opioid crisis.-Claire Covington, Broadway H.S., VA

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