A Solitary Blue facts for kids
First edition, (publ. Atheneum Books)
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| Author | Cynthia Voigt |
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Publication date
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July 1, 1983 |
| Awards | Newbery Honor (1984) |
| Preceded by | Dicey's Song |
| Followed by | The Runner |
A Solitary Blue is a book written by Cynthia Voigt in 1983. It won a special award called the Newbery Honor in 1984. This story is part of a series called the Tillerman Cycle. It happens at the same time as two other books, Dicey's Song and Come a Stranger. The book is about a boy named Jeff Greene. He faces many challenges after his mother leaves him when he is seven years old.
Contents
The Story of Jeff Greene
A Difficult Start
When Jeff Greene was seven, he came home from school. He found a note from his mother, Melody. She said she had to leave for a while. She told him not to be sad. Jeff was left with his quiet father, who was a professor. Jeff found it hard to make friends or connect with people. When he was in sixth grade, Jeff got the flu. He tried to hide it from his dad. He didn't want to upset his father's daily routine.
Summer Visits with Mom
That summer, Jeff's mother asked him to visit her. She lived in Charleston, South Carolina. Jeff had a wonderful time with her. He felt happy again. After his visit, he wrote letters to Melody. He sent them on the first day of every month. But she never wrote back to him. For Christmas, Jeff sent Melody a nice scarf. He didn't get anything from her. Jeff kept telling himself that it was okay. He still loved her very much.
One year later, Jeff visited Melody again. This time, she spent little time with him. She was busy with a new boyfriend named Max. This second visit showed Jeff that Melody didn't really care about him. Feeling upset, he bought a boat. He went to a lonely island. There, he saw a blue heron bird. He felt like the bird was just like him. When Jeff went back home to Baltimore, he kept to himself.
A New Beginning
In eighth grade, Jeff started doing badly in school. He began skipping classes. He would go to a local amusement park instead. His father, Horace, found out what was happening. He decided they needed a change. They moved to a cabin near Crisfield. Jeff loved the cabin. He even saw another blue heron there.
Jeff repeated eighth grade at his new school. He made two good friends, Phil and Andy. His life started to get better. He became interested in schoolwork again. He also learned to play the guitar. This helped him connect more with his father. These changes helped Jeff learn to accept himself.
Finding Connections
After two years in Crisfield, Jeff met Mina Smiths. He also met the Tillerman family: Dicey, Sammy, Maybeth, and James. Dicey was amazed by Jeff's guitar playing. Jeff became friends with Sammy. He also bonded with Maybeth when he visited Dicey's house. He saw Maybeth's musical talent. He connected with James through birdwatching.
As Jeff finally made real friends, Melody suddenly came back into his life. But by then, Jeff realized something important. He didn't need his mother's love to be happy anymore. He had found happiness on his own.
Understanding the Story
Dealing with Feelings
Jeff felt worried and anxious because his mother left him. He also worried that his father might leave him too. His father often seemed not to care about things. This made Jeff even more worried. As Jeff grew older, he dealt with these feelings in different ways. At first, he acted like his father. He pretended not to care. But this became too much for him. He started to feel very sad. He only began to feel better when he made good friends. He also built a stronger relationship with his father. These connections helped him work through his difficult feelings.
Awards
- Newbery Medal Honor Book in 1984
