Touch Blue

Tess and her family live on a small island off the coast of Maine. Tess has always loved island life, and when the state threatens to close the island school due to a lack of students, Tess is upset to think she may have to leave the only home she has ever known. However, the residents come up with a plan: families on the island will take in foster children, boosting the population of school age children. When Tess finds out that they are going to have Aaron as their foster child, she has visions of Anne of Green Gables or Gilly Hopkins dancing in her head. The reality is somewhat different. Aaron has been moved around a bit. He lived with his drug and alcohol addicted mother until he was five, then lived for six years with his grandmother until she died. He has been in two foster homes in two years' time, and wants his mother to be able to take him back. Tess works hard to make friends with Aaron, and when he asks her to keep a secret for him, she agrees, even though it may not be the best idea.

I loved the setting of this book and hearing about the day to day activities on a small island. I loved the little superstitious sayings that Lord begins each chapter with. While this book is a good story, there are also a lot of good messages within this story- lessons on friendship, families, love, belonging, and differences.

Touch Blue is a wonderful middle grade novel that I will be sharing with many of my readers this year. Fantastic!