Midnight Blue
by Pauline Fisk
Published by Bloomsbury
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Reviewed by Andrea Sisco
Bonnie's lived with her grandmother (Grandbag) most of her life. She's now living in an apartment with her mother (Maybelle). She wants to be happy with Maybelle, but knows that Grandbag will do everything in her power to sabotage that happiness. Grandbag is a bitter and controlling woman who must 'own' everything (people and things) that she sees.
When Bonnie (accompanied by the shadow boy) takes off in a midnight blue hot-air balloon she travels to a world 'beyond the sky' where she finds a land just like her own, but with some interesting differences. She is 'adopted' by a family (no questions asked) that is the family she's always yearned for. Her double (Arabella) and the mother (Maybelle) is complete with a dad and baby sister.
But the good is accompanied by the bad. Grandbag appears as Grandmother Marvel and she wants to possess Bonnie's parallel family. In order to save Arabella, Bonnie must find the courage to leave what she's always wanted and return home.
Will Bonnie find peace, happiness and family? Will her courage save Arabella and her family? Will Grandbag get her comeuppance? Is there a connection between Bonnie's world and Arabella's world?
Midnight Blue is a delightful tale of a young girl's quest for family and happiness. The fantasy element of an imperfect parallel world heightens the excitement and helps draw in the reader. And it offers up a delicious but subtle message of hope.
Armchair Interviews says: After reading Midnight Blue, readers will want to check out Pauline Fisk's other titles.