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Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 61.7 (2008) 302

Reviewed by
Deborah Stevenson
Parkinson, Siobhán; Blue Like Friday. Roaring Brook, 2008 [160p]; ISBN 978-1-59643-340-3 $16.95; Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 4-7

Hal is an odd little guy, with quirks that include viewing the world synesthetically (he interprets abstract concepts in colors and tastes), but he's Olivia's best friend. She therefore feels obliged to support him when he decides to wage war on his mother's new live-in boyfriend, Alec, who seems to be on the verge of stepfatherhood. Hal's big plan misfires slightly (he and Olivia end up confessing a prank to the police) but then seems to have had even more drastic consequences when his mother takes off in a rage, leaving Hal with Alec and no word on his mother's whereabouts—until Olivia solves the mystery. While the truth behind Hal's mother's disappearance is fairly shocking—it's a deliberate setup to force Hal to let go of his resistance to Alec, which seems a rough trick to pull on a kid traumatized by the death of his other parent—this is a lively and original story of familial and friend relationships. Olivia's highly active narration, which moves beyond direct address to bouncy involvement with her reader, is believably preteen in its frenetic impulsiveness, but she's also credibly perceptive in her understanding that Hal's resentment of Alec is baseless. The generally fizzy storytelling keeps what could be a rather haunting tale fairly light-hearted without turning it lightweight, and colorful background about Olivia's own family and especially her relationship with her older brother, Larry, makes this feel like a rich slice of life rather than a single-issue plot. It's therefore likely to have wide appeal, and it's especially likely to please fans of the Irish author's previous works blending humor, friends, and family, such as Second Fiddle (BCCB 6/07).

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