True Colors

Kinsey, Natalie

ISBN 10: 0375960996 ISBN 13: 9780375960994

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2012

Synopsis

Natalie Kinsey-Warnock's beautifully told, warm hearted novel tells the story of one girl's journey to find the mother she never had, set against the period backdrop of a small farming town in 1950s Vermont. For her entire life, 10-year-old Blue has never known her mother. On a cold, wintry day in December of 1941, she was found wrapped in a quilt, stuffed in a kettle near the home of Hannah Spooner, an older townswoman known for her generosity and caring. Life with Hannah so far has been simple—mornings spent milking cows, afternoons spent gardening and plowing the fields on their farm. But Blue finds it hard not to daydream about her mother, and over the course of one summer, she resolves to finally find out who she is. That means searching through the back issues of the local newspaper, questioning the local townspeople, and searching for clues wherever she can find them. Her search leads her down a road of self-discovery that will change her life forever.

About this title

About the Author

NATALIE KINSEY-WARNOCK is the author of many wonderful historical novels for young readers, including The Canada Geese Quilt, which was an ALA Notable Book, a Booklist Editors' Choice, and an NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies.

From Booklist

Left as a tiny baby outside 63-year-old Hannah’s farmhouse door for her to name, love, and raise as her own, Blue has never known the identity of her parents, but it never seemed to matter until her tenth summer. Her best friend, having family troubles, seems like a stranger. Her familiar, loosely knit community is suddenly full of surprises. And her new project with the local newspaper leads her in unexpected directions. Meanwhile, Blue learns that every family has secrets, and hers is no exception. Set in 1952, this well-constructed novel features a number of distinctive, believable characters moving in their own circles, which occasionally and sometimes unexpectedly intersect those of others. Meanwhile, the words and deeds of even minor players resonate through the story, as Blue sets out to solve the mystery of her parentage and, in the end, discovers where her heart lies. Grades 4-6. --Carolyn Phelan

Edition details

• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0375960996
• ISBN 13: 9780375960994
• Binding: Library Binding
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 256