Customer Reviews

True Blue

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This fine first novel for 9 to 14 year olds by Jeffrey Lee deals with the important issue of feeling different and left out that loom so large in the life of our middle schoolers. The book also carefully weaves in the themes of love between a daughter and her father and a daughter and her mother after a car-wreck (for which the daughter blames herself) cripples her father and forces her mother to become a busy waitress in order to make ends meet. The School Library Review mentions shallow character development but I disagree strongly. The character development seems very appropriate for the targeted audience and for the slim size of the book. The hints of magic add color and depth as well. Highly recommended.

But this old man liked it too. I picked up this book on the suggestion of a friend, and found it to be kindhearted and full of important lessons for kids. Jeffrey Lee's prose is clean, crisp and unencumbered, allowing the reader to lose him or herself in this lively and quickly moving story.

The story line itself comes as a charming surprise and a very origional twist on the theme of teenage outsiders who find each other and in the end discover the meaning of true friendship. But this tale also involves the empathy and love between a daughter and her father following the father's disabling car accident (for which the daughter blames herself), the same empathy and love between a daughter and her mother surrounding the mother's loss of her husband to a permanant disability, the stresses on a close family surrounding the move from a comfortable, predictable life into a new neighborhood, a new apartment, and for the main charactor, a new school.

At the new school, the main character, Molly, confronts a series of difficult situations, but perserveres with a strong charactor, belief in herself and clear concept of right and wrong. Both she and Chrys, her new friend who has a magical secret, discover the meaning of true friendship and mutual support. And Molly's family perserveres because, in the end, they show themselves to be people of love, depth, and character.

In short, the book is well written, a page turner, has a great, unique plot, and contains a host of very positive messages for kids. Young readers will be carried along by the story, while learning critical lessons regarding the difficult but all-important process of the development of their own unique inner moral code. Highly recomended.

Jeffrey Lee's True Blue tells of two outsiders: Molly the new kid, Chrys the weird kid. The two form a bond because of a science competition, only to find other links which go beyond coincidence in this story of friendship.

I haven't come across a book that I couldn't let go until I finished it.

That last one was Harry Potter The Sorcerer's Stone many years ago.

True Blue is worth reading. I highly recommend it!

True Blue is a very emotional book. It was written by Jeffrey Lee. Molly is the new girl at school. Two girls are mean to her. Especially a boy named J.T who makes fun of Molly and her dad.

Right before this book began, in the prologue Molly and her dad were in an accident. That changed her dad's life forever. Now he has trouble eating and speaking. Molly meets a boy named Chrys. But she thinks he is very weird. When Molly saw Chys's secret, she stares in awe. But when she does see him she is on the roof and she fell off. Luckily Chrys saves her.
I loved how Molly found out about Chrys's butterfly wings. I also enjoy how Molly and Chrys became friends. I thought this book was very emotional how Molly had to take care of her Dad's injury from the accident. I dislike how Courtney and Vanessa were mean to Molly. I also dislike that J.T makes fun of Molly's dad and Chrys.


There were many main events in this book. Here are a few. One is that Molly and her dad were in an accident. Also when Molly and Chrys were in a science competition and right before they go on their presentation is ruined.


I thought this book was very outstanding. I enjoyed it a lot. I would recommend it to anyone who like reading realistic fiction books and sad ones too. Will Molly and Chrys win the science competition? If you want to find out read True Blue!

I'm going to tell you about the book True Blue. The author is Jeffrey Lee. The main
characters in the story are Chrys, Molly, Molly`s parents, and Chrys's parents. Chrys and Molly both have secrets. This story takes place at Molly's new school which is Chrys's regular school. It also takes place at Molly's house and Chrys's house.

True Blue is about Molly's life, meeting new friends, and sharing secrets. Molly's dad has been in an accident. He is now in a wheelchair. Molly soon feels guilty because she thinks she caused the accident. At her new school, she meets a boy named Chrys. They are similar and alike in ways. They eventually become best friends. At first they were both lonely. Now they have each other. They share secrets, but Molly still cares about her dad. Her mom does too.

I loved this book. I thought that it was interesting because I could not put it down. True Blue is one of my favorite books because it left a cliff hanger at the end of every chapter, and I like fiction books. The author of this book made me feel like I was in it. I wanted to keep reading on and on because I wanted to find out what happened next. I would definitely recommend this book. I would recommend this book to kids who are in 4th and 5th grade. This book is the best. If you want to find out what happens next in the story, you should read it. You'll love it. Girls and boys will like it.

I think this is a great little book for older kids. I disagree strongly with the journal review. There are characters that are clearly intended to be stereotypical; this gives the book a simplicity that is perfect for the age group targetted. The story premise is a tough one for kids, an introduction to one of the harsher realities of life. (The protagonist's father is almost paralyzed after a devestating car accident).
The splash of color and hint of magic does not have to be taken literally. It speaks to a larger message, that of the possiblities of magic, laughter and true friendship that keep us afloat in a sometimes very sad and crazy world.

I remember that day in the library when I spotted this book. I had read the front cover and thought I might have interest in it. When I finally had read it, it was Extraordinary! The book can make you cry and laugh. I think a novel should have both these characteristics. I can read this book over and over again and I have the same emotion when I first read it. One person in my camp asked me what I was laughing at and I quote my exact words, "This book. I am reading this one part over and over again, and still I'm laughing." He said, "That's ridiculous! How can you keep laughing at the same thing?" I guess he had no idea. Well, it's not exactly his fault, he hadn't read the book. I'm not looking forward to returning this book because I think that I can read it over and over again especially when it's on the top of my bookshelf.

By: Cheri W.

I'm a sixth grader here in California, and I've just read True Blue and loved it!

Having just finished re-reading Harry Potter 5, I was looking for something else to read and just happened to find a copy of True Blue. Once I picked it up I couldn't stop reading it until I finished.

You want to know what I liked so much? I thought the characters were great - especially Molly and Chrys - and it really felt like a real school. Best of all, it was a great story.

I can't wait for Jeffrey Lee's next book!