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Unnaturally Blue
A richly imagined picture book about finding your way back to yourself.
A young swimmer panics in a crowded community pool, and it feels like there isn’t even any room for her tears. Out of place where she was once at home, the girl swims down, down, into the deepest deep … and embarks on a surrealist journey to the swampy world under the under. As she rests there with her feelings, the girl finds power in embracing who she is – even the swampiest parts. And her triumphant return to the pool inspires the other children to be their truest selves, too.
This dreamlike picture book models creative ways for children – and adults – to visualize and understand their big feelings and accept their inner selves. Award-winning illustrator Byron Eggenschwiler is at his imaginative best, delivering art that pairs beautifully with author Dorson Plourde’s poetic magical realism.
A young swimmer panics in a crowded community pool, and it feels like there isn’t even any room for her tears. Out of place where she was once at home, the girl swims down, down, into the deepest deep … and embarks on a surrealist journey to the swampy world under the under. As she rests there with her feelings, the girl finds power in embracing who she is – even the swampiest parts. And her triumphant return to the pool inspires the other children to be their truest selves, too.
This dreamlike picture book models creative ways for children – and adults – to visualize and understand their big feelings and accept their inner selves. Award-winning illustrator Byron Eggenschwiler is at his imaginative best, delivering art that pairs beautifully with author Dorson Plourde’s poetic magical realism.
48 pages, Hardcover
Published June 3, 2025
9 people want to read
About the author
Dorson Plourde
2 books3 followersDorson Plourde is a writer and K-5 art educator living in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is influenced by the philosophical questions posed in children’s picture books (and by children themselves) as well as the compulsion to stay present in an age rooted in distraction. His work focuses on the intimacies embedded within suburban riff-raff, early onset nostalgia, and the anxieties that determine the day-to-day.
He is also an expert in owning a falcon, creating shelters, and climbing down Mount Katahdin because books about surviving in the wild are a must in Maine, which is where he grew up.
His debut picture book Garbage Gulls and the Spring 2025 follow up Unnaturally Blue were released by Kids Can Press.
He is also an expert in owning a falcon, creating shelters, and climbing down Mount Katahdin because books about surviving in the wild are a must in Maine, which is where he grew up.
His debut picture book Garbage Gulls and the Spring 2025 follow up Unnaturally Blue were released by Kids Can Press.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 22, 2025
"A richly imagined picture book about finding your way back to yourself."
Thank you Netgalley for providing the e-ARC for me to read. This book is about a girl who feels like she won't fit in. A journey to the unnatural place, deep under the pool in finding herself.
As an adult reader, I find this book very interesting. I spent hours admiring the illustration only!! It gives sureal feeling, somehow makes me a bit uneasy in the middle part of the book. Honestly speaking, the illustration makes it almost like a horror read for younger reader (in my opinion). But the proses are poetic, almost like nursery rhymes but make it for older children.
Thank you Netgalley for providing the e-ARC for me to read. This book is about a girl who feels like she won't fit in. A journey to the unnatural place, deep under the pool in finding herself.
As an adult reader, I find this book very interesting. I spent hours admiring the illustration only!! It gives sureal feeling, somehow makes me a bit uneasy in the middle part of the book. Honestly speaking, the illustration makes it almost like a horror read for younger reader (in my opinion). But the proses are poetic, almost like nursery rhymes but make it for older children.
April 29, 2025
I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.
Since joining NetGalley, I've read a fair few children's books now and I continue to be blown away by the quality of them.
Unnaturally Blue takes that to smother level with some of the most beautiful and sophisticated art and writing that is incredibly poetic and lyrical.
I am absolutely spellbound!
Since joining NetGalley, I've read a fair few children's books now and I continue to be blown away by the quality of them.
Unnaturally Blue takes that to smother level with some of the most beautiful and sophisticated art and writing that is incredibly poetic and lyrical.
I am absolutely spellbound!
March 17, 2025
This book took me on an unexpected plunge, mirroring the protagonist's own dive into the depths of a seemingly ordinary swimming pool.
📌 I had the chance to read this book early thanks to Kids Can Press and NetGalley, and I’m excited to share my thoughts. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own and completely honest.
Our young protagonist, a swimmer, once felt at home in the pool, but now feels overwhelmed by its crowdedness. The feeling of claustrophobia leads her to envision a drastic escape: swimming to the deepest part and unplugging the drain. This act transports her to a murky, swamp-like world, reminiscent of a science fiction landscape, where she confronts and embraces all facets of herself. The author uses the crowded pool as a metaphor for the character's internal struggles, leading to a vivid, surreal escape into a science-fiction-esque swamp. In a particularly poignant moment, the swimmer even terraforms the swamp with her own tears, adding a layer of tragic depth to the story. Emerging transformed, her newfound confidence and cheer inspire others at the pool's surface.
This journey of self-discovery, while visually striking in its description, left me somewhat disoriented as to its connection with the initial setting. This book is a bold experiment in blending realism with fantastical elements, leaving the reader to ponder the precise nature of the transformation. While the narrative's surreal elements might have left me somewhat disoriented, I recognize that its unique approach may resonate deeply with other readers through their lived experiences. I applaud the author for their bold attempt at such a uniquely narrated book.
📌 I had the chance to read this book early thanks to Kids Can Press and NetGalley, and I’m excited to share my thoughts. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own and completely honest.
Our young protagonist, a swimmer, once felt at home in the pool, but now feels overwhelmed by its crowdedness. The feeling of claustrophobia leads her to envision a drastic escape: swimming to the deepest part and unplugging the drain. This act transports her to a murky, swamp-like world, reminiscent of a science fiction landscape, where she confronts and embraces all facets of herself. The author uses the crowded pool as a metaphor for the character's internal struggles, leading to a vivid, surreal escape into a science-fiction-esque swamp. In a particularly poignant moment, the swimmer even terraforms the swamp with her own tears, adding a layer of tragic depth to the story. Emerging transformed, her newfound confidence and cheer inspire others at the pool's surface.
This journey of self-discovery, while visually striking in its description, left me somewhat disoriented as to its connection with the initial setting. This book is a bold experiment in blending realism with fantastical elements, leaving the reader to ponder the precise nature of the transformation. While the narrative's surreal elements might have left me somewhat disoriented, I recognize that its unique approach may resonate deeply with other readers through their lived experiences. I applaud the author for their bold attempt at such a uniquely narrated book.
February 26, 2025
A rather bleak picture book about a young girl who feels. like she doesn’t fit in because she feels so blue. She figures out how to make a place for herself. Although I didn’t connect with it at all, this is an unusual story idea with pretty, high-fantasy illustrations.
Thanks to Kids Can Press and Edelweiss.
Thanks to Kids Can Press and Edelweiss.
July 8, 2025
Unnaturally Blue - 3,25/5 - lecture en anglais
Pour tous les francophones, le style de dessin des personnages m'a énormément rappelée le dessin animé Angela Anaconda... Vous voyez ce que je veux dire ? Cette sensation de malaise avec les dessins assez creepy... Le ressenti est resté tout du long, en plus avec mon dégoût des piscines publiques... Ça allait bien ensemble.
"You can't cry in the pool.
It's already blue."
As a kid I was terrified of pools, I picked the book to challenge myself and I got curious about the title, the drawing and the message that the book could send to the reader.
Our protagonist is a talented young swimmer. But today she feels blue. She feels like she can't add not even a single drop of water into the pool.
The style is so mesmerizing in a weird way and captures the readers attention easily. It's mysterious and there definitely is a feeling of uneasiness...
The story got quite surprising and sends us into unexpected places. With its creepy style.
"A journey so dark, under all that was under... Until it spit me out."
I picked up some quotes that I loved. Some phrases were quite poetic. It's what I enjoyed the most in this picture book.
"Nothing is louder than the night"
I didn't get why her blue was unnatural. Was it because her tears are considered unnatural ? Not supposed to be shown ? She should have known she had the right to cry, to be sad or down... I am not sure my interpretation is aligned with the authors but here is mine : our young swimmer used her imagination to get through that down-feeling moment. She used her imagination to transform what was around her and make things more fun, bareable, to play, and bring back a smile to her face.
"More true than blue.
Afloat but still under.
Alone, in bloom."
Quite relatable.
Pour tous les francophones, le style de dessin des personnages m'a énormément rappelée le dessin animé Angela Anaconda... Vous voyez ce que je veux dire ? Cette sensation de malaise avec les dessins assez creepy... Le ressenti est resté tout du long, en plus avec mon dégoût des piscines publiques... Ça allait bien ensemble.
"You can't cry in the pool.
It's already blue."
As a kid I was terrified of pools, I picked the book to challenge myself and I got curious about the title, the drawing and the message that the book could send to the reader.
Our protagonist is a talented young swimmer. But today she feels blue. She feels like she can't add not even a single drop of water into the pool.
The style is so mesmerizing in a weird way and captures the readers attention easily. It's mysterious and there definitely is a feeling of uneasiness...
The story got quite surprising and sends us into unexpected places. With its creepy style.
"A journey so dark, under all that was under... Until it spit me out."
I picked up some quotes that I loved. Some phrases were quite poetic. It's what I enjoyed the most in this picture book.
"Nothing is louder than the night"
I didn't get why her blue was unnatural. Was it because her tears are considered unnatural ? Not supposed to be shown ? She should have known she had the right to cry, to be sad or down... I am not sure my interpretation is aligned with the authors but here is mine : our young swimmer used her imagination to get through that down-feeling moment. She used her imagination to transform what was around her and make things more fun, bareable, to play, and bring back a smile to her face.
"More true than blue.
Afloat but still under.
Alone, in bloom."
Quite relatable.
July 23, 2025
Designed with a lot of smarts and craft, this is one of those books where a child finds merit in their differences. Our heroine can certainly swim – she must have been on the synchronised team – but at the same time she cannot, as the pool is crowded out with galumphing kids doing their own thing and swamping her style. So she finds her own swamp – literally, as she exits the pool by a plughole in the base, and eventually ends up crying her heart out in the boondocks and forming a pool of her own in the swamp-like environment she finds herself.
There is a heck of a lot of brilliantly done design work here, that is most memorable and effective. The text, too, is a quiet, poetic piece of a gentle kind of frankness, showing us the girl's thoughts and story but without the typical overtness of books for this age. So even while I didn't quite love it, I can certainly see this was done with uncommon quality. The moral of not feeling alone for feeling freaky – because we all feel it, isolated and wrong and awkward – is really well done. I think for personal taste this is a four stars, but the merits of the craft shown here nudge me much higher than that in my estimation of this scintillating piece.
There is a heck of a lot of brilliantly done design work here, that is most memorable and effective. The text, too, is a quiet, poetic piece of a gentle kind of frankness, showing us the girl's thoughts and story but without the typical overtness of books for this age. So even while I didn't quite love it, I can certainly see this was done with uncommon quality. The moral of not feeling alone for feeling freaky – because we all feel it, isolated and wrong and awkward – is really well done. I think for personal taste this is a four stars, but the merits of the craft shown here nudge me much higher than that in my estimation of this scintillating piece.
August 28, 2025
I’m not sure what the intended audience is for this book. It’s a magical realist book with intense emotions in picture book format. The character begins talking about how there is no room in the pool for her blue tears. She dives to the bottom and unplugs and enters the “upside down”. She bathes in blue swamp waters and emerges with a changed attitude. The book is poetic and deep. I think a high school class could have a lot of fun with it but I’m not sure how elementary students would like it.
March 13, 2025
Developmentally all children struggle to discover who they are just as the main character in Unnaturally Blue. We all question our worth and a shift in mindset as happens in the book can help us stay afloat and maybe come to enjoy life! Lovely writing and nice illustrations.
February 6, 2025
It takes a little too long for the story to progress to the point where we realize the girl isn't depressed and acting on those impulses and instead just wants to play.
September 14, 2025
Ten out of ten. Great story telling and I loved the pictures. Can’t wait for Dorson’s next story. - Miles, 8 years old.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews