By: Tory Christie
Format: Available in Paperback, ePub, and MOBI
Genre: Historical
A Touch of Blue
A girl, a dare, and a mysterious creature
Cecilia Blue LaRue is the only girl in her class, the only girl in her family of boys, and mad at her only friend. But then Honey Brooks moves into the neighborhood, and a rare blue lynx is spotted in the woods.
Celie sees adventure. Honey sees colors.
With a dare on the line, Celie and Honey focus on clues to finding the wildcat. The trouble is, finding the lynx among the hues and shadows of the forest is just as tricky as figuring out friendship—and knowing which secrets to tell, and which secrets to keep.
A vivid tale of friendship, told through the lens of 1970s film photography
Meet Tory Christie,
the author of A Touch of Blue
dasanders.is –
There’s so much I liked about this book. Tory Christie has woven the simplicity of tramping through the woods, an adventurous quest, interpersonal conflicts, and the facing of one’s fears and doubts into A Touch of Blue. There’s fun and humor, but there are some difficult secrets that must come to light so healing can begin for some characters.
Celie is looking for a big summer adventure before her 11th birthday when her “days of fun and youth” will be over. To make things worse, Celie’s best friend, Junior, is acting weird and hanging out with the meanest kid in school.
Then Celie meets Honey Brooks who just moved in and a friendship begins. This friendship changes the way Celie sees the people and world around her. Their summer adventure begins as a search to photograph a rare lynx in the forest but it ends up finding true friendship and courage to do the right thing.
Loved the language, the small-town cast of characters, and the quest to be the first to find the elusive blue lynx!
Elizabeth Raum –
What a fantastic middle-grade novel! A Touch of Blue is set in the North woods in 1970. The characters leap off the page, each one unique and intriguing. I was with Celie and Honey as they hiked through Wampus Woods in search of an elusive Canadian lynx. I was intrigued as they encountered various adults who provided support in unique and unexpected ways. Every character has secrets, slowly revealed over the course of the novel, making this a story filled with mystery, as well as adventure. A Touch of Blue is not only a fun read. It will also give readers much to think about as they delve into the story and consider how Celie’s life changes thanks to their adventures and this strange crew of friends and neighbors.
Amanda C. –
A tale of adventure, mystery and friendship. Celie starts her summer vacation on a mission to photograph a rare lynx in the woods near her home. Set in 1970, you really get that nostalgic feeling from the characters and their lives. (Bowling shirts and tater tot hotdish to name a few) Celie, which is short for Cecilia, is the only girl amongst her four brothers and she desperately longs for a baby sister. By midsummer, she has found more than she imagined- true friendship. Celie also learns to look at her life from different angles (like a photographer) and notice more color in her world than ever before. I loved the crayon names sprinkled throughout the story. As a heads up, child abuse and alcohol abuse play a role in the storyline and there are a few mentions of ghosts/spirits. Overall, I think this book would be best enjoyed by an older middle grade reader.
I received a free copy from Chicken Scratch Books, however my review is voluntary and my own opinion.
Talitha J Hart –
This was a wonderful book, combining useful information on nature and photography with a compelling story of a girl looking to find out just where she fits. Some difficult topics, such as child abuse/neglect and bullying, are alluded to, but they are handled skillfully and sensitively to teach a lesson without overburdening or frightening young readers. I can highly recommend this book.
Beth Nieman –
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Celie, a lively, funny character who is making her own way amidst a family of brothers and some annoying boys at school. Celie’s outgoing, curious personality shines through her interior monologue as she encounters a new girl in town who needs a supportive friend. I love the 1970’s vibe and the authentic upper Midwest small-town setting (yay, tater tot hotdish!). Setting the book in this time and place grounds the book in outdoor landscapes like Wampus Woods, as well as other local gathering spots. The lack of social media and other technology in this setting emphasizes the face-to-face character interactions, as Celie meets up with friends (and rivals), camps in the backyard, plays pranks, takes an outdoor photography class, and searches the woods for a mysterious lynx. I appreciated the way the author resolved all the story threads, especially for Honey, a sweet character in her own right. I was fully engaged with this book as a reader and recommend it to others!
Sarah Prairie Rose –
This story sucked me into Celie’s world from the first page because all her emotions felt true to a ten-year old girl trying to navigate changes in friendship and her family. The small town and wild Wampus woods draw the reader into a vivid summer adventure spent hunting for a photograph of the elusive blue lynx. But it’s not the lynx that truly matters, but the journey that Celie goes on as she makes friends with the new girl in town, Honey Brooks, and makes peace with the grief in her own heart. Celie also learns that sometimes the best moments can’t be captured in a photograph, but felt and lived in the moment.
SageReads –
A Touch of Blue is a sweet story of friendship with well developed, memorable characters. The author handles some tough, real-life issues in a sensitive manner. The animal and photography facts are beautifully woven in. I definitely recommend reading this book. I think kids and parents alike will enjoy the story.
Betty Vanderwielen –
The lone girl in a family chock full of boys, Celie desperately wants the new baby to be a girl. She also wants to find a way to gain her father’s attention and admiration. Getting a photograph of the rare blue lynx purported to live in the nearby woods seems like the ideal way to impress her father. But when her best friend, Junior, rebuffs her, seeking companionship with the “meanest” boy in the school instead, Celie has no one to go on summer adventures with. Then Honey Brooks moves into the neighborhood and, like a camera lens that widens to include more features and narrows to focus on details, Celie’s worldview grows and becomes enriched.
In an adventurous and delightful way, A Touch of Blue deals with friendship and hardship, with eccentricity and acceptance, with sadness and joy.
mommy2boys2114 –
I really enjoyed this book! Such a great story, and I love that I don’t have to worry about what content my kids might find within it. I found myself drawn in to the main character and her struggles. It was a book I looked forward to finding out more and more as I continued reading. The language was beautifully descriptive, and I found myself wanting to jump in and talk to the characters!
deirdre_prischmann –
An Enchanting Adventure!
This fast paced, engaging outdoor adventure features a cast of memorable characters and authentic 1970s details. The antics of Celie and her new friend Honey as they search for a rare lynx will keep young readers riveted — and reading.
Susan Phelan –
The voice in A Touch of Blue was really interesting to listen to and the lead character and her friend made for a great pair. Watching their friendship grow and for Celie’s eyes to open to other ways of looking at things was great. And the conclusion surprised and tickled me. Middle grad kids should really enjoy this adventure. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Annie Downer –
I really, really enjoyed this book. I mean, I really enjoyed it. It has the staying quality of many classic kids books, and I can imagine this one sticking around for a long time.
The story is set not too long ago, only 50 or so years, and yet, the world was so different then. The author does a great job of painting the world clearly without spending lots of time explaining old technology. I had an instant sense of place that made the story fun. I felt cozy and familiar with all the small-town characters.
The characters were very believable, and I loved their relationships. I really sympathized with Celie as I have had some similar friend relationships.
There’s also some fun tidbits about wildlife photography.
I received an advance copy, but I’m making this review on my own with my own opinions.