Gr 4–8—Wren is going through some difficult changes: Her father left and started a new family, and she and her
mother have moved to a new city. She fills her time watching and trying to recreate the special effects makeup of a
popular YouTuber. While Wren navigates tween life, her mother is also increasingly secretive. These mysterious
actions elegantly unfold in Dee's well-crafted story, which deftly addresses heavy topics such as parental separation
and opioid addiction.

This middle grade book deals with some pretty heavy topics and does such a good job of it! Wren is having a big year of changes. Her parents get divorced, her dad gets remarried moves to New York and has twins, her mom decides to move them to a new town and a new school. The one thing that stays constant to wren is her love for special effect makeup. She loves watching videos and experimenting on her mom. Soon her makeup skills are the thing that help her make friends and connect with other people. Her life may be messy, but her makeup is always on point. Violets are Blue deals with tough topics like: divorce, bullying, new families, and addiction. Readers will fall in love with Wren as she tries to find her voice and forge a path into new unknowns. ( )

Wren starts seventh grade in a new school after her parents’ acrimonious divorce, with her dad and his new girlfriend living several states away and her mom moving into a smaller home while working an increasing number of late shifts at the hospital. Meanwhile, Wren becomes interested in special effects makeup and agrees to audition to be the official makeup artist for the school’s play, the musical Wicked.

Barbara Dee writes yet another very readable book about being a middle school student and all the ups and downs that entails. Wren is a likeable and relatable character; even if your specific circumstances are different, the main premise of finding your true identity and making real friends is something we have all been through at one point in our lives. The special effects makeup works as a perfect metaphor for these important points, particularly as Wren struggles to achieve the perfect mermaid makeup to represent herself, learning that a key ingredient has been missing all along.

I look forward to reading more books by this author. ( )

This book is about a middle school girl named Wren who is moving with her mom to a new city in light of her parents' recent divorce. Wren watches makeup videos online as an outlet, and has to make new friends at her new school all while her mom is struggling. This book seems like it represents students who aren't normally represented, like students with divorced parents or parents struggling with mental health. This book would be appropriate for students at the middle school level. ( )

Wren (aka Renata) loves movie makeup and watches video tutorials non-stop. Her parents are recently divorced with she and her mom in Chicago and her dad, his new wife and kids in Brooklyn, NY. Going to a new school, she decides to start over, as her former best friend is no longer a friend.

She gets roped into doing makeup on the school play, makes a new friend and comes to terms with her mothers pain killer addiction.

Violets are Blue is an easy interesting read and a new spin on addiction, due to the makeup arc. Worth a read. ( )