Indigo Blue - Softcover

Cathy Cassidy wrote her first picture book for her littlebrother when she was eight or nine and has been writing fabulous stories eversince. Cathy is the bestselling author of Dizzy, Driftwood, Indigo Blue, Scarlett, Sundae Girl, Lucky Star, GingerSnaps, Looking-GlassGirl, Broken Heart Club, theChocolate Box Series (including CherryCrush, Marshmallow Skye, Summer's Dream, Coco Caramel, Sweet Honey,Fortune Cookie and Life is Sweet), and Love From Lexie, the first instalment in the Lost and Found series. Cathylives in Merseyside with her family, and of all the many jobs she's had she loves writing best - it's the perfect excuse to daydream, after all! For all the latest on this best-selling author go to www.cathycassidy.com

Grade 4-7–Indigo, 11, is a super-responsible kid with a weak, unstable mother. She tries to take care of her toddler sister and to ignore the fights between Mum and her abusive, live-in boyfriend. She attempts to fit in with her more conventional classmates, cope with a strict teacher, and enjoy time with her friend Jo. Life is bearable until Max's bad temper turns physical and Mum flees with the children to a dilapidated basement flat with a dour and suspicious landlady. Things get even more complicated when Jo turns temperamental and tryouts for the school play add a competitive aspect to many of the kids' relationships. For a story filled with problems, this is a surprisingly bright book, with a sympathetic main character and an absorbing plot. The first-person, present-tense narration grounds events with a straightforward immediacy, as does the emphasis on physical details, from nail polish to foods to the smell of mold in the apartment. Yes, Indigo learns to face her feelings rather than hide from them. She also learns the meaning of true friendship. Cassidy seems more committed to telling Indigo's story than hitting readers over the head with a message. A British import with a refreshingly light touch.–Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL
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