The Messy Life of Blue

May 1, 2020

Gr 3-7-Eleven-year-old Beulah "Blue" is the only girl in her family of her father and three brothers. Since her mother's death, Blue has been worried about forgetting her-what she looked like and wore, her interests and talents. To refresh her memory, Blue starts a "Mom List," wears her mother's favorite nail polish, joins an art class, and reads her mother's favorite book, Charlotte's Web. Blue even takes on little jobs to afford buying a pair of shoes that remind her of her mother. Throughout the novel, Blue's family and friends assist her in feeling more connected to her mother. Railey's debut is a touching and humorous tale of family, loss, grief, and friendship. It will be of comfort to readers who may have experienced death in their own families while also giving them a few laughs. Blue is a relatable tween, struggling with being the only girl at home and adjusting to her new family dynamic, all while trying to feel more connected to her late mother. VERDICT A recommended title for middle grade readers who have experienced loss.-Jess Gafkowitz, Brooklyn Public Library

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2020
Eleven-year-old Blue--never Beulah--fears that she is a bad person because memories of her deceased mother are fading. She is the only girl in the family, and there are plenty of extreme sibling shenanigans and issues with her neighborhood nemesis, Crybaby Jared, but she definitely gives as good as she gets and then some. She wishes she could talk to her father about her feelings, but she senses his own grief and sadness. She lists her mother's interests and attributes and sets goals to emulate her. Jumping into her schemes with little thought to possible repercussions often leads to disappointment, embarrassment, or general hilarity. Blue's chatty narration of these episodes is always true to her sometimes-limited vision of the events she reports, and she readily admits her errors. Baby brother Arnie grows less irritating while oldest brother Seth and even her most difficult brother, Jackson, show occasional signs of empathy and kindness. Devastating secrets are revealed and there's a surprising, defining moment when she realizes that she loves her wild, weird brothers, and they love her, at least most of the time, and she can always remember her mother in her heart. Things are not tied up in a neat ribbon, but her life might become a tad less messy; readers will laugh out loud, cry, and commiserate with her every step of the way. Blue and her family seem to be white. The protagonist is a feisty, mixed-up, phenomenal delight. (Fiction. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 15, 2020
Grades 3-7 Beulah (Blue) Warren has been the only girl in a house full of boys ever since her mother died. Although she is generally a happy and intrepid fifth-grader, Blue begins to fear that she is forgetting her mother. In a frantic attempt to hold onto cherished memories, Blue makes a list of all the things that made her mother special and tries to imitate them in order to feel closer to her mother. Her attempts result in hilarious and heartwarming misadventures. When a devastating secret about her mother's death is revealed, Blue struggles to learn how to forgive the people involved. The death of a parent is a difficult topic for any middle-grade book, but Shawna Railey has crafted a funny, sensitive, yet relatable narrative around her title character. Anyone who has experienced loss can understand Blue's attempts to come to terms with it. A strong debut novel that would be an excellent recommendation for any reader looking for books on loss and sibling relationships.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

April 13, 2020
Eleven-year-old Blue has lived with her father and three brothers since her mother died several years back. When she dreams that she can’t remember her mother’s face, Blue frantically makes a list of everything she knows about her mom (“When she sang, it sounded like stars twinkling”), reads her mom’s favorite book (Charlotte’s Web), and wears her mom’s nail polish, an activity the whole family soon gets in on. Amid this work at remembering, Blue is also busy navigating her day-to-day life—feuding with nemesis Crybaby Jared, bickering with her brothers, and entering a contest to visit the set of her favorite TV show, about a girl who has also lost her mother. Newcomer Railey weaves in amusing moments—
terrorizing her younger brother’s sleepover, the entire school witnessing Blue’s wearing her brother’s Superman underwear (her dad went on laundry strike)—as well as sympathetic moments resulting from these capers to make this a touching, laugh-out-loud story. Ages 8–12.