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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Perfect middle-grade summer read: treasure hunt, family and friendship + very informative on diabetes and what it is to live with it!
4.5: A funny and heartwarming middle-grade adventure story perfect for fans of a good friendship story, treasure hunting, and lovable dogs. The author spares no detail of Blue's life with diabetes, creating a strong and informative empathy read without losing a speck of character from the determined protagonist-who may not be the best of role-models. A tense and emotional confrontation cap off a fun and witty escapade that'll leave middle-grade readers wanting more time with Otis and his human companions.
A summery middle grade adventure featuring a sunken treasure, history in the making, and a pretty adorable diabetic-alert dog named Otis.
Blue Broen has one goal for the summer: find the remains of the Golden Lion, a ship that her ancestors sailed to America on that unfortunately wrecked before reaching the shore. Blue is determined to find the fortune that was aboard the ship when it sank, even if it means lying to her parents about what she is truly up to that summer. Blue's plans go a bit askew when her parents force her to hang out with a Hollywood brat by the name of Jules. Not only does Blue have to worry about managing her diabetes, she also has to worry about babysitting this Los Angeles girl who knows absolutely nothing about boats or treasure hunting. Can Blue and her companions find the treasure before the summer is up or will someone unexpected beat them to it?
I was honestly surprised by how much I liked this book. I thought the summer vibes were impeccable and that the treasure hunt plot line was quite fun. Blue and Jules make some really dumb decisions when it comes to their treasure hunting endeavor, but it was still entertaining to follow their journey nonetheless. When a professional treasure hunter shows up, the stakes are raised and it added a level of suspense to the book that I really wasn't expecting.
My favorite part about this story is how both Blue and Jules work towards overcoming their outward image that others shackle them with. Blue has long time been known as "Diabetes Girl" and feels the burden of her condition. Not only do some people not see her as a person, but she also worries about the strain (both mentally and financially) that being diabetic puts on her parents. I thought that being diabetic was presented in such a positive light in this book, and I learned quite a bit about the things that go into having diabetes. Jules lives in the shadow of her father Ed, who is a famous LA actor. Everywhere she goes, people see her as the daughter of someone famous rather than a young girl who has her own values and personality. I think it was neat that these two both went through a journey of self-discovery and redefining their images during this summer in which they are looking for treasure.
It's super neat that "The Truth According to Blue" is connected back to Yohalem's previous novel "Cast Off: The Strange Adventures of Petra De Winter and Bram Broen." Petra and Bram are Blue's ancestors and are mentioned quite heavily in this novel. I would be very curious to dive into the backstory of Blue's great great (however many great) grandparents in this previous novel. Hopefully I can get my hands on that book someday!
I really liked the ending. It wasn't super original, but it also wasn't the most obviously option either. I think it was cool how the treasure was approached in the very end of this story. I was quite satisfied by the conclusion of this book and am happy to report that I enjoyed this novel quite a bit.
Overall, "The Truth According to Blue" was a fun, summery read featuring some inclusive characters, entertaining insights, and self-discovery for days. I haven't been reading as much middle grade books as of late, but I'm glad that I took a chance on this one.
Blue Broen has one goal for the summer: find the remains of the Golden Lion, a ship that her ancestors sailed to America on that unfortunately wrecked before reaching the shore. Blue is determined to find the fortune that was aboard the ship when it sank, even if it means lying to her parents about what she is truly up to that summer. Blue's plans go a bit askew when her parents force her to hang out with a Hollywood brat by the name of Jules. Not only does Blue have to worry about managing her diabetes, she also has to worry about babysitting this Los Angeles girl who knows absolutely nothing about boats or treasure hunting. Can Blue and her companions find the treasure before the summer is up or will someone unexpected beat them to it?
I was honestly surprised by how much I liked this book. I thought the summer vibes were impeccable and that the treasure hunt plot line was quite fun. Blue and Jules make some really dumb decisions when it comes to their treasure hunting endeavor, but it was still entertaining to follow their journey nonetheless. When a professional treasure hunter shows up, the stakes are raised and it added a level of suspense to the book that I really wasn't expecting.
My favorite part about this story is how both Blue and Jules work towards overcoming their outward image that others shackle them with. Blue has long time been known as "Diabetes Girl" and feels the burden of her condition. Not only do some people not see her as a person, but she also worries about the strain (both mentally and financially) that being diabetic puts on her parents. I thought that being diabetic was presented in such a positive light in this book, and I learned quite a bit about the things that go into having diabetes. Jules lives in the shadow of her father Ed, who is a famous LA actor. Everywhere she goes, people see her as the daughter of someone famous rather than a young girl who has her own values and personality. I think it was neat that these two both went through a journey of self-discovery and redefining their images during this summer in which they are looking for treasure.
It's super neat that "The Truth According to Blue" is connected back to Yohalem's previous novel "Cast Off: The Strange Adventures of Petra De Winter and Bram Broen." Petra and Bram are Blue's ancestors and are mentioned quite heavily in this novel. I would be very curious to dive into the backstory of Blue's great great (however many great) grandparents in this previous novel. Hopefully I can get my hands on that book someday!
I really liked the ending. It wasn't super original, but it also wasn't the most obviously option either. I think it was cool how the treasure was approached in the very end of this story. I was quite satisfied by the conclusion of this book and am happy to report that I enjoyed this novel quite a bit.
Overall, "The Truth According to Blue" was a fun, summery read featuring some inclusive characters, entertaining insights, and self-discovery for days. I haven't been reading as much middle grade books as of late, but I'm glad that I took a chance on this one.
What a marvelous book! Full of adventure and heart, with fascinating details about everything from diabetes to shipwrecks--and a dog to love forever.
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Read this because we have a T1D 9 year old daughter and haven’t found many novels that cover diabetes so accurately. This book does an amazing job of not only accurately explaining the technical details, but also providing readers with the emotional roller coaster living with a chronic disease has on a family.
Beyond the diabetes portion of the book, the storyline is fun, and engaging. Readers are treated to great writing along with laugh out loud quips and situations. While this is geared as a young adult or even children’s book (the main character is 12), as an adult, I found it hard to put down and read it in one day.
Beyond the diabetes portion of the book, the storyline is fun, and engaging. Readers are treated to great writing along with laugh out loud quips and situations. While this is geared as a young adult or even children’s book (the main character is 12), as an adult, I found it hard to put down and read it in one day.
This book, for me, is perfect! It has a realistic representation of life with type 1 diabetes (I have type 1 too), it has friendships, issues with Mum and Dad relationships, adventures (that I'd never read about before and really were exciting), a diabetic alert dog (all the good stuff about dogs plus more!) and treasure. As an adult I would recommend this book to both children and adults.
Blue is on a mission this summer. She's determined to find the long lost treasure that belongs to her family. Her grandfather was always searching for it, and he made sure Blue knew the details before he passed away. It's the start of summer and Blue is ready to begin. But first she has to make sure her blood sugar is stable enough to be out on the water. That's because Blue has diabetes. And she has her trusty dog, Otis, to help her constantly monitor it. She's even the poster child for the local diabetes fundraiser. And speaking of that, a supporter is a big wig director who has a daughter, Jules, that is just about Blue's age. Before Blue can say "diabetes stinks", she's stuck with stuck-up Jules for the summer. But maybe, just maybe, they can be friends and find the treasure.
The Truth According to Blue gave me serious National Treasure vibes! I loved it!
Blues and Jules (and Otis of course) were smart, sassy, and totally believable. Plus, I really enjoyed reading about Blue's Type 1 Diabetes and how it affects her day to day life but doesn't define her.
Blues and Jules (and Otis of course) were smart, sassy, and totally believable. Plus, I really enjoyed reading about Blue's Type 1 Diabetes and how it affects her day to day life but doesn't define her.