Blue

In addition to meeting educators at the Mid-South conference, I also met Joyce Hostetter, the author of Blue (Calkins Creek Books, 2006). This award-winning novel is set in Hickory, NC in 1944 and the story is well-shown through the eyes and heart of 13-year-old Ann Fay Honeycutt. Whether she likes it or not, the end of World War II and the polio epidemic impact Ann's life and leaves her a young woman who has faced heartache and pain—in her family and in her own body. These changes, along with how she overcomes entrenched family prejudices against African Americans, make this novel an excellent read for students in grades 5-8. I also recommend this book to my fellow writers. I am writing historical fiction that takes place in Charlotte during the 50's and it is inspiring (and educational!) to read other books in the same genre. (Boyds Mill Press, 2006)