Out of the Blue [Hardcover]

S. L. Rottman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2009

"As an Air Force brat, moves were second nature to me. This was my seventh move in fifteen years, and I knew the drill-usually it was no big deal.
But this one was different."

Stu and his mom are heading to Minot, North Dakota, where she will assume command of the Air Force base. But this time it will be just the two of them. His brother is away at college, and their father has abruptly decided to move to Nevada.

With his family scattered and his mother preoccupied with military duties, Stu finds himself on his own and adrift in this new environment, caught between a respect for the regimented life of the military and an aching desire for independence and freedom. As he struggles to find his way, he is pulled into his neighbors' dysfunctional family drama and becomes an unwitting participant. When tragedy finally strikes, Stu must come to terms with his own culpability.

Once again, award-winning author S. L. Rottman has crafted an absorbing young adult novel that powerfully depicts the emotional turbulence of teenage life and the difficulty of negotiating complex human relationships.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5–9—Stuart Ballentyne, 15, keeps everyone around him at a distance. His mother is in the Air Force, which keeps him moving around a lot. He doesn't have time to make friends or lasting connections with people outside of his family. Things are changing in the Ballentyne household, however. Stuart's older brother has gone off to college, and his father is in Nevada taking care of his ailing grandmother and taking a break from Stuart's mom. Since she is busy with her new duties, Stuart finds himself more alone than ever. Billy, an eight-year-old neighbor, does his best to befriend the newcomer. Although Stuart doesn't like the boy tagging along, he can't help but let Billy become part of his new life. As he gets to know the child and his mysterious older stepbrother, Stuart feels that something bad is going on across the street, but he doesn't act on his suspicions. When he finally realizes he should speak up, tragedy strikes. The story offers both a realistic interpretation of teenage life on an Air Force base and the teen's feeling of powerlessness upon witnessing child abuse—both physical and verbal—in action.—Ryan Donovan, New York Public Library END

From Booklist

Fifteen-year-old Stu has lived on several different military bases, but adjusting to Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, where his mom is the new commander, feels particularly difficult, partly because his dad has left the family and his brother is starting college. Things improve after Stu makes friends, but when his mom is unexpectedly deployed, he becomes increasingly entangled with his troubled neighbors, whose eight-year-old son bears the brunt of the family’s problems. Eventually, Stu faces ethical dilemmas and a dramatic situation that results in near-tragic consequences, but he emerges with a renewed sense of responsibility and compassion. Stu is a fully dimensional, sympathetically drawn character whose first-person, diary-style narrative describes the specifics of military-base life, from standard operations to its culture’s varied impact on families (military terms are defined both in context and in an appended glossary). With thought-provoking sensitivity, Rottman explores the universal challenges that come with facing hard choices and navigating relationships in all areas of life. Grades 8-11. --Shelle Rosenfeld

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Peachtree Publishers (October 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561454990
• ISBN-13: 978-1561454990
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,655,310 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

In first grade, I made my mother very nervous when I told her that I was never going to learn to read because reading was stupid! Fortunately for me, my mother was determined to change my mind. She took the time to read with me every night until she got me addicted. By the time I was in fourth grade, I was the kid in the back of the class, trying to hide my book under the table so I could read instead of listening to the teacher! I believe that anyone can become an avid reader; it just takes the right book at the right time to light that fire.

Although I was born in Georgia, my parents moved back to CO when I was two, so I don't remember much about Georgia and I consider myself a Coloradan. I attended Colorado State University, and earned an English degree with teaching certification. I taught for seven years before taking time off to stay home with my children. My first novel, Hero, was written specifically for my students who hated reading. I love spending time with teens, and that's why I write for and about them. To an extent, I'm technologically challenged, which makes writing for teens harder each year--I haven't figured out how to text and the IM slang still sometimes messes me up. But I try! This year, I added teaching internet classes and virtual classroom visits to my list of activities. Rafting, skiing, reading, swimming, throwing pots, watching movies, and camping are just a few of my other interests.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Out of the Blue, May 31, 2011

By 

Porter Dyer - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Out of the Blue (Hardcover)

Rottman does it again with a YA novel that is highly accessible and attractive to teen readers. Hard to put down, Out of the Blue takes the reader on a journey that explores the challenges of base life for the children of active military parents. Rottman blends the transient military lifestyle layered with patriotic tradition to create a unique setting for the teen protagonist, Stu, who must make some tough choices when the military's needs are put above those of his family. I recommend this novel for YA fans, teen readers, high school boys, anyone with military experience and kids, and reading specialists looking for engaging fiction.