Excerpt
The Truth According to Blue
An unforgettable story of friendship, adventure, and belonging for fans of A Mango Shaped Space and Because of Winn-Dixie. For readers 8-12.
Thirteen-year-old Blue Broen is on the hunt for a legendary ship of gold, lost centuries ago when her ancestors sailed to New York. Blue knows her overprotective parents won’t approve of her mission to find their family’s long-lost fortune, so she keeps it a secret from everyone except her constant companion, Otis, an 80-pound diabetic alert dog. But it’s hard to keep things quiet with rival treasure hunters on the loose, and with Blue’s reputation as the local poster child for a type 1 diabetes fundraiser.
Blue’s quest gets even harder when she’s forced to befriend Jules, the brainy but bratty daughter of a vacationing movie star who arrives on the scene and won’t leave Blue alone. While Blue initially resents getting stuck with this spoiled seventh grade stranger, Jules soon proves Blue’s not the only one who knows about secrets—and adventure.
Will Blue unravel a three hundred-year-old family mystery, learn to stand up for herself, and find the missing treasure? Or is she destined to be nothing more than "diabetes girl" forever?
Junior Library Guild Selection
Reviews
“An unlikely friendship, details—seldom addressed in middle-grade fiction—about living with type 1 diabetes, an exciting treasure hunt, and a loving portrayal of the special bond between a girl and her diabetic alert dog: Yohalem skillfully weaves these compelling elements together into a story with wide appeal….The realities of diabetes management are addressed here in an authentic voice, acknowledging the seriousness of Blue’s condition even as she longs to be known as something other than “Diabetes Girl.” Both Blue’s and her parents’ feelings and motivations are portrayed realistically without bogging down the momentum of what is a very engaging story.” – Booklist (starred review)
“Blue’s first-person voice is funny and immediate…Readers will swoon for Blue's cherished service dog, Otis….Exciting treasure hunt, refreshingly unromanticized chronic illness—a good combo.” – Kirkus Reviews
“Making a new friend, gaining independence, and maybe even finding treasure—Blue’s lazy summer has become more exciting than she ever imagined. VERDICT With enough action to keep reluctant readers engaged, this is a solid addition to contemporary fiction collections.” – School Library Journal