Barbara Dee

Twelve-year-old Wren, who is learning special effects makeup, is thrilled to be makeup artist for her new school's production of Wicked, but her parents' divorce is seriously affecting her mother.

Violets Are Blue

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc and arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Violets Are Blue

Author: Barbara Dee

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For...: middle grade readers, contemporary

Publication Date: October 12, 2021

Genre: MG Contemporary

Recommended Age: 12+ (drug illusions, divorce, parents fighting, slight child neglect)

Explanation of CWs: Illusion to drug use shown. Parents fighting and slight child neglect also shown and mentioned.

Publisher: Aladdin

Pages: 304

Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Wren loves makeup—special effect makeup, to be exact. When she is experimenting with new looks, Wren can create a different version of herself. A girl who isn’t in a sort-of-best friendship with someone who seems like she hates her. A girl whose parents aren’t divorced and doesn’t have to learn to like her new stepmom.

So, when Wren and her mom move to a new town for a fresh start, she is cautiously optimistic. And things seem to fall into place when Wren meets potential friends and gets selected as the makeup artist for her school’s upcoming production of Wicked.

Only, Wren’s mom isn’t doing so well. She’s taking a lot of naps, starts snapping at Wren for no reason, and always seems to be sick. And what’s worse, Wren keeps getting hints that things aren’t going well at her new job at the hospital, where her mom is a nurse. And after an opening night disaster leads to a heartbreaking discovery, Wren realizes that her mother has a serious problem—a problem that can’t be wiped away or covered up.

After all the progress she’s made, can Wren start over again with her devastating new normal? And will she ever be able to heal the broken trust with her mom?

Review: I really liked this book for the most part. It was so cute and sweet. The book does well to show some very scary and adult situations that children might be facing in their own private home lives. The book did well with character development and world building. The book was also well plotted and I was intrigued from start to finish.

However, I did feel like the book didn’t show good methods for children to reach out to trusted adults to deal with big situations like the ones shown in the book.

Verdict: It was good, just wished it showed more

Violets Are Blue

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