EVERYWHERE BLUE
Review of EVERYWHERE BLUE | Written by Joanne Rossmaler Fritz
Holiday House Books | Release Date: June 1st, 2021
Book Review by Reem Faruqi
"Libraries need more titles featuring young people who care about climate change and live with undiagnosed mental illness, and this fresh novel in verse fits the bill."—School Library Journal
Summary: A brother's disappearance turns one family upside down, revealing painful secrets that threaten the life they've always known.When twelve-year-old Maddie's older brother vanishes from his college campus, her carefully ordered world falls apart. Nothing will fill the void of her beloved oldest sibling. Meanwhile Maddie's older sister reacts by staying out late, and her parents are always distracted by the search for Strum. Drowning in grief and confusion, the family's musical household falls silent.Though Maddie is the youngest, she knows Strum better than anyone. He used to confide in her, sharing his fears about the climate crisis and their planet's future. So, Maddie starts looking for clues: Was Strum unhappy? Were the arguments with their dad getting worse? Or could his disappearance have something to do with those endangered butterflies he loved . . .Scared and on her own, Maddie picks up the pieces of her family's fractured lives. Maybe her parents aren't who she thought they were. Maybe her nervous thoughts and compulsive counting mean she needs help. And maybe finding Strum won't solve everything--but she knows he's out there, and she has to try.This powerful debut novel in verse addresses the climate crisis, intergenerational discourse, and mental illness in an accessible, hopeful way. With a gorgeous narrative voice, Everywhere Blue is perfect for fans of Eventown and OCDaniel.
Review by Reem Faruqi, author of GOLDEN GIRL and UNSETTLED
When I opened up EVERYWHERE BLUE, I didn’t know what to expect. I knew the story hinted at climate change and a mysterious older brother. I did not realize that the neurodivergent protagonist Madrigal would be so charming and that I would root for her until the last page. Fritz’s graceful voice hooked me in from the first pages.
First paragraph:
November
November pulls me down.
Like a diminuendo in music,
gradually dying away.
Darkness falls too early
and the chill creeps in.
Before dusk,
before we learn the truth
about my brother,
this day plays out
like any ordinary day,
a symphony of sameness.
Just the way I like it.
Fritz’s main character Maddie (short for Madrigal) struggles with anxiety and strives to create order. She predicts how her day will go by counting objects around her, such as steps or cars. Reaching an odd number means her day is not going to be a good one.
As I walk up Mr. Rimondi’s driveway,
I count my steps.
Eleven. An odd number
Is not a good number.
Something will go wrong.
I could an extra step,
A tiny one
But that would be cheating.
Dread fills my chest like a cold sludge.
This will not be a good lesson.
Maddie also strives for perfection. Fritz shows us Maddie’s compulsion lyrically here:
Perfect
Today’s lesson is “Morning Mood”
From Peer Gynt Suites
By Edvard Grieg.
I love this song. It’s bright and uplifting.
I begin to play,
my chest filling up with the notes,
swelling from the magic.
I concentrate on my embouchure,
the shaping of my mouth
to achieve the perfect vibration.
The perfect sound.
Everything must be
perfect.
The family members are well-defined and Fritz not only excels at infusing emotion, but also rhythm beautifully into her verse.
Maman often sings or hums
snatches of operas.
Her voice is warm and soothing,
like having your hair brushed
by someone else.
Fritz uses musical terms throughout the story in a non-didactic, authentic way further shaping Maddie’s character. I loved the melodious names of Madrigal and her siblings Strum and Aria. After reading this book I found myself saying the word pianissimo, breaking it up into soft syllables, throughout the day.
“Sorry,” she says,
pianissimo, like a whisper.
This story tackles topics such as climate change and the mystery of a missing brother and the enormous impact it has on its newly fractured family.
I don’t want to cry
In front of Mr. Rimondi.
But
my family has become
an oboe reed,
fracturing into shards.
We are
the duck
swallowed by the wolf
in Prokofiev’s tale.
We are melting
Arctic sea ice.
This story covers heavy themes, but is hopeful and timely. Maddie courageously advocates for her family’s well-being and works hard to unite her family.
Notably, throughout the book, music is a luminous thread. Fritz’s poignant debut novel in verse will play in your mind long after you finish it.
Awards:
An NCTE Notable Verse NovelA Mighty Girl Best Book of the YearCybils Award Poetry Winner!
Be on the Lookout for Fritz’s Next Book:
Sally Morgridge at Holiday House has acquired world rights to Ruptured by Joanne Rossmassler Fritz (Everywhere Blue). The novel in verse follows a 13-year-old girl on vacation with her parents. Her mother tells her a painful secret just before suffering a brain aneurysm rupture, and the family must learn to navigate a difficult new existence. Publication is scheduled for fall 2023; the author represented herself.
