The Other Side of Blue [Hardcover]

Valerie O. Patterson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 19, 2009

Cyan was named after a shade of blue, her artist mother's favorite color. The color of the sea. Since her father's death last year, she’s felt just as mercurial and dark as her namesake, and the distance between Cyan and her mother has grown as wide as an ocean. Now they're returning to the island of Curaçao in the Caribbean, where her father's mysterious accident occurred, and joining them will be Kammi--who may soon become a stepsister. Haunted by the secrets of the past, Cyan will explore all the depths of her blueness this summer, discovering the light, the darkness, and the many shades in between that are within her—and within us all.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A story tender and true, and so beautifully written each word seems to shimmer."

About the Author

Valerie O. Patterson holds an MFA in Children's Literature from Hollins University, where she twice received the Shirley Henn Award for Creative Scholarship. She has also won a Work-in-Progress Award for her writing from the SCBWI. Valere is an attorney in her day job and lives with her husband in Leesburg, Virginia.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books; None edition (October 19, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0547244363
• ISBN-13: 978-0547244365
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,670,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Other Side of Blue reads like a fine oil painting, October 12, 2009

By 

Beckie Weinheimer "Beckie" (Forest Hills, NY) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Other Side of Blue (Hardcover)

Valerie O. Patterson's The Other Side of Blue reads like a fine oil painting. From up close one is memorized by her beautiful imagery and metaphors. Then if the reader steps back they can see the carefully crafted words and images forming a picture, a story filled with hurt, loss, and unanswered questions. And finally if one studies this delicate portrait completely, they can find a glimpse of Cyan's glimmers of hope illuminated through the many hues of blue.

Obviously a lover of color and of words, Val has used both with the skill of a fine crater to paint the story of Cyan, a young teenage girl who is struggling with the loss of her father and her anger towards her mother. Her story takes place on the Island of Curacao in the Caribbean, which I've never been to in real life, but feel like I have because o the vivid descriptions throughout The Other Side of Blue. A great read!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A sweet and poignant book, October 14, 2009

By 

Book Addict (Midwest) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Other Side of Blue (Hardcover)

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The death of a parent for a young person is never easy but Valerie O. Patterson has portrayed the subject in a sensitive and touching manner. Cyan - named for the color blue - has returned to the vacation island of Curacao in the West Indies. A year before, her father drowned in a boating accident so the trip holds many painful memories and questions for Cyan. She and her mother are alienated, perhaps over the death of her father but also on the suspicion that the parents were having maritial difficulties even before the drowning. To complicate matters, Cyan must host her soon-to-be step-sister, Kammi who is the perfect little princess. Patterson has addressed many common teen issues, such as, jealously between step-siblings, blended families, strained relations between parent and child, as well as the ever-present quest for answers to unanswerable questions. I believe that many young female teens would enjoy this book and it would be a good additon to school libraries.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable book, September 24, 2009

By 

K. Wilson (CO) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Other Side of Blue (Hardcover)

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I found this book to be rather enjoyable given it's content. I thought the author had a good way of showing us the issues that mother and daughter can face when the father dies. Cyan was like many girls I knew growing up: chubby, frustrated, didn't like her mom, missed her dad and full of assumptions. All in all, I would recommend this book, especially if you like to dive into the child/parent emotional side of things