cover image Silhouetted by the Blue

Silhouetted by the Blue

Traci L. Jones. FSG/Foster, $16.99 (208p) ISBN 978-0-374-36914-9

In this coming-of-age tale, Jones creates a moving portrait of a girl forced by her mother's death and her father's incapacitating depression to accept adult household and child-raising responsibilities. Whether making afterschool arrangements for her younger brother, Henry; rehearsing for her role in the school play; handling laundry, shopping, and cooking; or finding time for homework, seventh-grader Serena responds with grace, fortitude, and humor to her challenges until, incrementally, they begin to overwhelm her. Jones (Finding My Place) offers a harrowing depiction of depression as witnessed and comprehended through young eyes, the suspense centering on whether Serena will recognize the gravity of her father's illness in time to seek help. Complex relationships with friends emphasize Serena's exposure to a wide range of social choices. Visual and dramatic arts figure highly: singing provides Serena with her one trusted mode of self-expression, while the novel's title refers to Henry's painting of Serena, which creates a turning point moment. Jones leaves readers with a sense of hope, though it's clear Serena and Henry's problems are far from over. Ages 10%E2%80%9314. (July)