Blue Plate Special
By Michelle D. Kwasney
(Chronicle Books, Hardcover, 9780811867801, 304pp.)
Publication Date: September 2009
Categories: Social Issues - Adolescence
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Doomed loves, failed families, nixed dreamssomeone else's leftovers are heaped on our plates the day we come into this world.
Big Macs and pop tunes mask the emptiness as Madeline watches her mom drink away their welfare checks. Until the day Tad, a quirky McDonald's counter boy, asks Madeline out for a date, and she gets her first taste of normal. But with a life thats anything but, how long can normal really last?
Hanging with Jeremy, avoiding Mam, sticking Do Not Disturb Post-its on her heart, Desiree's mission is simple: party hard, graduate (well, maybe), get out of town. But after Desiree accepts half a meatball grinder, a cold drink, and a ride from her mother's boyfriend one rainy afternoon, nothing is ever simple again.
Too many AP classes. Workaholic mom. Dad in prison. Still, Ariel's sultry new boyfriend, Shane, manages to make even the worst days delicious. But when an unexpected phone call forces a trip to visit a sick grandmother she's never met, revealing her family's dark past, Ariel struggles to find the courage to make the right choice for her own future.
As three girls from three different decades lives converge, they discover they are connected ways they could never imagine. Each of them finds strength that brings her closer to healing a painful past, and faith that there is a happier future.
Michelle D. Kwasney has written two middle grade novels: Baby Blue, named a Booksense Pick and New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, and Itch, released in 2007. Michelle lives in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she writes and teaches art. Visit her at www.michelledkwasney.com to learn more.
BOOKLIST
\\\"...[A] moving novel narrated in alternating voices....a larger tale of love, abuse, understanding, and forgiveness. The women aren t all likable, but they are authentic, and each story explores single motherhood, body obsession, and the search for meaningful love. Each woman s hard-fought journey towards self-respect makes for difficult yet compelling reading.\\\"
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
\\\"Kwasney s protagonists are distinctive and empathetic, her narratives meticulously structured and realistic, exposing the unpredictability--and sometimes unfairness--that life can bring.\\\"
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
\\\"Short, alternating chapters among the teens and authentic voices make this a good choice for reluctant readers.\\\"
VOYA
The overall picture is of hope and affirmation, and readers will applaud these flawed but resilient women.
TEENREADS.COM
\\\"the kind of novel that mothers should give to their daughters or, even better, read and discuss together.
LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTION, STARRED REVIEW
This book is impossible to put down and would be especially appreciated by older teen girls. It would also make a great discussion book for a mother and daughter to share.
KIRKUS REVIEWS
\\\"...Kwasney effectively develops her characters into multidimensional personalities, convincing in their strengths and weakness...\\\"
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