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True Colors
Welcome to Serenity, the town where everyone looks on the bright side—on purpose. To belong in this picture-perfect community, residents must agree to reject negativity by embracing optimism as a way of life. For twelve-year-old Mackenzie Werner, whose feelings manifest as a colorful haze around her body, Serenity promises an escape from bad feelings, mean comments, and the distress of her haze turning into a grumbly grapefruit smog.
However, when a documentary filmmaker comes to town and starts asking questions, Mackenzie is overwhelmed by emotion and can’t hold her haze back—and it explodes onto the town. Now everyone in Serenity has their own haze, revealing their repressed feelings. As Mackenzie discovers the complexity of her emotions, she and her entire community must learn to reckon with the shocking true colors that now paint the town of Serenity.
However, when a documentary filmmaker comes to town and starts asking questions, Mackenzie is overwhelmed by emotion and can’t hold her haze back—and it explodes onto the town. Now everyone in Serenity has their own haze, revealing their repressed feelings. As Mackenzie discovers the complexity of her emotions, she and her entire community must learn to reckon with the shocking true colors that now paint the town of Serenity.
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Published July 8, 2024
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About the author
Abby Cooper
7 books187 followersAbby Cooper lives in Minnesota with her husband, poodle, baby boy, and a whole bunch of books. A former teacher and school librarian, her favorite things in the world (besides writing) are getting and giving book recommendations and sharing her love of reading with others. Visit her online at AbbyCooperAuthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
February 27, 2024
✰ 3 stars ✰
“Maybe complicated and confusing feelings aren’t what make me—or anyone else—different, weird, wrong, or bad. They’re what make us belong.”
How exhausting it must be to be always so smiley and chirpy and constantly optimistic and happy, without any preamble of ever feeling down or gloomy or reserving the right to be upset. Ugh, I shudder at the thought. But, it's not like I don't want to be happy - I just don't want to give up my other feelings and emotions, too. 😔 The ability to have a choice to dislike or be upset by something is to give air and room to breathe. And for Serenity, a cultish type of secluded colony that prides itself on always promising kittens and rainbows lifestyle - 'a little utopia, our little corner of peace in the ever-chaotic world' - it's only when an outside element arrive that threatens their idyllic society's way of living, is it inevitable that everyone's True Colors will finally come out. 💥
Abby Cooper's middle grade debut touches upon how there has to be a balance of conveying our emotions - in the literal sense. For twelve-year-old Mackenzie, who's always been the only one to emit her feelings through a swirl of colorful haze around her, it's a cruel awakening for her when all the rampant emotions that she's kept stored inside erupts in a burst of colors that not only reflects her own, but brings out the true nature of what everyone is feeling, as well. 'We don’t need anything different, but if I’m honest, something different sounds exciting, too.' It's definitely an alien notion when you're suddenly voicing all these harsh thoughts or feeling these negative emotions - not ever realizing that you'd always had those emotions within you. The sad truth is that there are some people in this world who don't have the ability to express emotions in various ways, but to have that image forced upon you - without any semblance of free will to feel what you're truly feeling - that's a right that shouldn't be taken away from anyone. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
“Feelings. All kinds of feelings.
Feelings … like mine.
For the first time since the explosion, it actually sinks in. People have all kinds of feelings, just like me.”
Mackenzie was a very honest and expressive young girl; it was interesting to see the world burst into colors before her eyes, and I liked how the author captured her uncertainty and confusion over whether or not it was okay to allow these negative and dark thoughts to enter her heart and mind, especially when it's something so severely and strictly frowned upon. Ha, frowned upon! As if anyone in Serenity even knew how to make a frown. 😟 'I don’t want to be two Mackenzies. I just want to be me. But who even is that?' Despite how much opposition she and outside forces who bring about change that challenges the system of peace they've worked so hard to maintain, it felt so natural to see she and her friends shed that weight of repressed emotion and embrace their true selves - to be content in being sad or upset or hurt or disappointed - "where it's okay not to be okay'. What a revelation!
The reaction of her friends and the other members of the community was very real and believable. I could feel their panic - their shock - their intense fear of not understanding what was happening to them. The hard rejection of an unwanted presence invading their heart and soul. The sudden shock, like a mask that you're desperately trying to claw off your body, not understanding - not even willing to perceive the concept that these feelings are innate - that they have always been within you - just lying dormant, because you had to keep them repressed. 😢 Completely suppressed - until like a burst of colors they shined through. It gave me such a newfound appreciation for my ability to feel - to reason - to hurt and to smile - that I have a choice and say in the matter. Something as simple as simply feeling - it's an alarming thought to think even something like that could be cut off that you feel emotionless - or is it simply that being happy is the lesser evil than facing the darkness of your heart? 🖤
“And the fact is, when it comes to tricky feelings, no matter how bad you may want to avoid them, you can’t go over them. You can’t go under them. You can’t go around them.
To actually feel better, the only real way is through.”
I admit that it did become a bit confusing at times to keep track of all the various colors Mackenzie had assigned to her feelings; it got a bit wordy and took up the majority of the story that could have been explained better for other parts. I liked the interactive way in which readers were presented with others' feelings and thoughts, and the message boards that showed the common person's reactions to each incident that was inching closer to an eventual fallout. 😔 'I force a smile so big that there’s simply no room for a lump in my throat, or for the bad feelings that come with it. Because it is no big deal, and I am very okay.' It gave this cryptic yet eeriness of impending doom, one that could not be ignored, much like the warnings Mackenzie silently received. I do understand why the founders chose to build their community the way that they did; but, it's not fair to the children of the world who don't have the ability to choose on their own, especially when they are still feeling the hurt and pain that 'normal' people are still facing. 🫂
The feelings of life - of loneliness, and bullying, and identity crisis, as well as living up to parents' expectations - these are sentiments that can't be smothered down. That it's not fair to not openly express what you truly feel; how can you stomach cruel sentiments with a smile on your face? How can you bear the pain of a broken heart and still be bright and chipper the next morning? It's a sad and emotionless thought, and to see it through Mackenzie's eyes and the thoughts of the community who are suddenly awoken to their real emotions - that is the basis of what it means by wearing your heart on your sleeve. 💗 'The bakery is louder than it’s been in a long time, but all I can hear is the silence of everything we haven’t said.' That it is never wrong not to be expressive and emotional and go off on a tangent or a tirade or even love strongly and loudly. It is a gift to feel and we should never have to tamper it down or be judged harshly for it. There is a balance to everything and even when the motto is 'I will maintain an air of gratitude and look for the silver lining even on the cloudiest day', there's no shame in taking a breather and simply allowing yourself a moment and feel. 🥺
And yes, if your first initial thought upon reading the title was Cyndi Lauper's 80s classic, True Colors, then yes, this definitely lives up to the lyrics that this surely reminds us that you can still shine like a rainbow, even on the cloudiest day - that the two can coexist and it will be okay. 🌈
“Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful
Like a rainbow”
*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“Maybe complicated and confusing feelings aren’t what make me—or anyone else—different, weird, wrong, or bad. They’re what make us belong.”
How exhausting it must be to be always so smiley and chirpy and constantly optimistic and happy, without any preamble of ever feeling down or gloomy or reserving the right to be upset. Ugh, I shudder at the thought. But, it's not like I don't want to be happy - I just don't want to give up my other feelings and emotions, too. 😔 The ability to have a choice to dislike or be upset by something is to give air and room to breathe. And for Serenity, a cultish type of secluded colony that prides itself on always promising kittens and rainbows lifestyle - 'a little utopia, our little corner of peace in the ever-chaotic world' - it's only when an outside element arrive that threatens their idyllic society's way of living, is it inevitable that everyone's True Colors will finally come out. 💥
Abby Cooper's middle grade debut touches upon how there has to be a balance of conveying our emotions - in the literal sense. For twelve-year-old Mackenzie, who's always been the only one to emit her feelings through a swirl of colorful haze around her, it's a cruel awakening for her when all the rampant emotions that she's kept stored inside erupts in a burst of colors that not only reflects her own, but brings out the true nature of what everyone is feeling, as well. 'We don’t need anything different, but if I’m honest, something different sounds exciting, too.' It's definitely an alien notion when you're suddenly voicing all these harsh thoughts or feeling these negative emotions - not ever realizing that you'd always had those emotions within you. The sad truth is that there are some people in this world who don't have the ability to express emotions in various ways, but to have that image forced upon you - without any semblance of free will to feel what you're truly feeling - that's a right that shouldn't be taken away from anyone. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
“Feelings. All kinds of feelings.
Feelings … like mine.
For the first time since the explosion, it actually sinks in. People have all kinds of feelings, just like me.”
Mackenzie was a very honest and expressive young girl; it was interesting to see the world burst into colors before her eyes, and I liked how the author captured her uncertainty and confusion over whether or not it was okay to allow these negative and dark thoughts to enter her heart and mind, especially when it's something so severely and strictly frowned upon. Ha, frowned upon! As if anyone in Serenity even knew how to make a frown. 😟 'I don’t want to be two Mackenzies. I just want to be me. But who even is that?' Despite how much opposition she and outside forces who bring about change that challenges the system of peace they've worked so hard to maintain, it felt so natural to see she and her friends shed that weight of repressed emotion and embrace their true selves - to be content in being sad or upset or hurt or disappointed - "where it's okay not to be okay'. What a revelation!
The reaction of her friends and the other members of the community was very real and believable. I could feel their panic - their shock - their intense fear of not understanding what was happening to them. The hard rejection of an unwanted presence invading their heart and soul. The sudden shock, like a mask that you're desperately trying to claw off your body, not understanding - not even willing to perceive the concept that these feelings are innate - that they have always been within you - just lying dormant, because you had to keep them repressed. 😢 Completely suppressed - until like a burst of colors they shined through. It gave me such a newfound appreciation for my ability to feel - to reason - to hurt and to smile - that I have a choice and say in the matter. Something as simple as simply feeling - it's an alarming thought to think even something like that could be cut off that you feel emotionless - or is it simply that being happy is the lesser evil than facing the darkness of your heart? 🖤
“And the fact is, when it comes to tricky feelings, no matter how bad you may want to avoid them, you can’t go over them. You can’t go under them. You can’t go around them.
To actually feel better, the only real way is through.”
I admit that it did become a bit confusing at times to keep track of all the various colors Mackenzie had assigned to her feelings; it got a bit wordy and took up the majority of the story that could have been explained better for other parts. I liked the interactive way in which readers were presented with others' feelings and thoughts, and the message boards that showed the common person's reactions to each incident that was inching closer to an eventual fallout. 😔 'I force a smile so big that there’s simply no room for a lump in my throat, or for the bad feelings that come with it. Because it is no big deal, and I am very okay.' It gave this cryptic yet eeriness of impending doom, one that could not be ignored, much like the warnings Mackenzie silently received. I do understand why the founders chose to build their community the way that they did; but, it's not fair to the children of the world who don't have the ability to choose on their own, especially when they are still feeling the hurt and pain that 'normal' people are still facing. 🫂
The feelings of life - of loneliness, and bullying, and identity crisis, as well as living up to parents' expectations - these are sentiments that can't be smothered down. That it's not fair to not openly express what you truly feel; how can you stomach cruel sentiments with a smile on your face? How can you bear the pain of a broken heart and still be bright and chipper the next morning? It's a sad and emotionless thought, and to see it through Mackenzie's eyes and the thoughts of the community who are suddenly awoken to their real emotions - that is the basis of what it means by wearing your heart on your sleeve. 💗 'The bakery is louder than it’s been in a long time, but all I can hear is the silence of everything we haven’t said.' That it is never wrong not to be expressive and emotional and go off on a tangent or a tirade or even love strongly and loudly. It is a gift to feel and we should never have to tamper it down or be judged harshly for it. There is a balance to everything and even when the motto is 'I will maintain an air of gratitude and look for the silver lining even on the cloudiest day', there's no shame in taking a breather and simply allowing yourself a moment and feel. 🥺
And yes, if your first initial thought upon reading the title was Cyndi Lauper's 80s classic, True Colors, then yes, this definitely lives up to the lyrics that this surely reminds us that you can still shine like a rainbow, even on the cloudiest day - that the two can coexist and it will be okay. 🌈
“Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful
Like a rainbow”
*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 4, 2024
This is a really cute middle grade book that teaches middle schoolers how to acknowledge their feelings and work through them. There are book recommendations for both preteens and adults at the end, and even a chocolate chip cookie recipe! I’m all about cookies….yum!
I honestly don’t think I could have gone to public school if everyone could see all of my feelings at all times through colors that appear around my body (known as the “haze”). This is what sixth grader Mackenzie has to deal with, no matter where she goes, and she’s the only one with this condition in the town of Serenity, where everyone is supposed to be happy all the time. For real, as in, you get kicked out if you break the rules three times, and that includes being on the internet or being contentious. It’s a perfect little bubble where happiness reigns supreme.
Or is it?
Mackenzie struggles with being content and is constantly using strategies to swallow her real feelings and project a yellow haze of happiness. However, those pesky other colors keep slipping out! In a stressful situation, Mackenzie loses control and explodes her colors onto everyone else in a wide radius.
Uh oh. A lot of people are now unhappy at having the haze…and it shows. What will happen to Serenity now? (that’s for you, Seinfeld fans)
I wholeheartedly recommend this! It’s so important not to shove our true feelings down, and middle school is a time where kids have a whole lot of emotions that they don’t know what to do with. Reading this book will help them process those uncomfortable feelings.
Now, I do have to mention one thing, because it really bothered me as a proofreader: Words that should have double letters just….don’t. Like “stuff” as “stuf” and “different” as “diferent”, and it kept throwing me out of the story, especially when “off” becomes “of” and totally changes the meaning of the word. Also, sometimes random letters would be capitalized in the middle of words at the beginning of each chapter. There was no explanation for these odd stylistic choices. Maybe others won’t care, but it annoyed me.
I very much enjoyed the book otherwise, though!
Thank you to NetGalley and Astra Publishing House for a complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
I honestly don’t think I could have gone to public school if everyone could see all of my feelings at all times through colors that appear around my body (known as the “haze”). This is what sixth grader Mackenzie has to deal with, no matter where she goes, and she’s the only one with this condition in the town of Serenity, where everyone is supposed to be happy all the time. For real, as in, you get kicked out if you break the rules three times, and that includes being on the internet or being contentious. It’s a perfect little bubble where happiness reigns supreme.
Or is it?
Mackenzie struggles with being content and is constantly using strategies to swallow her real feelings and project a yellow haze of happiness. However, those pesky other colors keep slipping out! In a stressful situation, Mackenzie loses control and explodes her colors onto everyone else in a wide radius.
Uh oh. A lot of people are now unhappy at having the haze…and it shows. What will happen to Serenity now? (that’s for you, Seinfeld fans)
I wholeheartedly recommend this! It’s so important not to shove our true feelings down, and middle school is a time where kids have a whole lot of emotions that they don’t know what to do with. Reading this book will help them process those uncomfortable feelings.
Now, I do have to mention one thing, because it really bothered me as a proofreader: Words that should have double letters just….don’t. Like “stuff” as “stuf” and “different” as “diferent”, and it kept throwing me out of the story, especially when “off” becomes “of” and totally changes the meaning of the word. Also, sometimes random letters would be capitalized in the middle of words at the beginning of each chapter. There was no explanation for these odd stylistic choices. Maybe others won’t care, but it annoyed me.
I very much enjoyed the book otherwise, though!
Thank you to NetGalley and Astra Publishing House for a complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
March 16, 2024
I smile to myself as I wave to everyone waiting behind her. Maybe we'll skip the chrysalises tonight. Maybe tonight we become butterflies.
Mackenzie Werner has a haze. And every emotion she feels, it manifests as colors. Because of that, her parents moved to Serenity, a town where “all the lemons become lemonade”, where everyone is supposed to be happy. Positive. Nice. But when Stacey, a prominent film director, comes to Serenity with her daughter, Rayna, to record a documentary of this extraordinary town, everything changes. Because for the first time, Mackenzie wonders if being happy is truly Serene.
⭐⭐⭐. 5 // 5
If I were to have a haze (which is very cool, despite how some might feel. Ahem, everyone in Serenity ;)), my colors would be a real rainbow. After all, this book was such an emotional rollercoaster! I was always so hooked, and I felt like Mackenzie herself! Which is partly because of the wonderfully-crafted first person point of view. However, sometimes, the book seems to lack a lot of action. Although this book is heavily emotion focused, I would’ve appreciated more action compared to the constant changing emotions. Which felt a bit redundant after a while.
Which brings us to the plot structure. And, wow. There are so many subplots! While they might be somewhat unnecessary at first and don't always contribute to the main problem, it was so fascinating to see all of them come together to create a beautiful symphony.
And Abby’s writing style is also notable. She portrayed every character’s voice so well I was almost in shock. However, there are minor things like unrealistic dialogue, but they highlight the unique concept of the book even more. Still, they are off putting sometimes.
Speaking of characters… They are all wonderful. Unique in their own way. Their motives are so distinctive, reasonable, yet clear, They feel so familiar yet new, and so relatable too. They each have so many depths and layers to them, it’s hard not to think of them as real humans. And they dive the story completely! But sometimes, their internal conflict seems a little strategic. Like it’s too planned out by Cooper, it feels sort of too reasonable. Which makes them kind of hard to believe.
But still, I 100% did not regret reading this book. Sometimes when I read too much, the story kind of faltered, but I actually read for hours on end each day, because the story was just so captivating! And I promise, I’m not exaggerating! But the best thing I got from this book was inspiration. Not only did this book make me feel, it made me think, as well. It also inspired so many story ideas, and made me motivated to try new “magical-realism” books like this! Which is, honestly, the best thing a book can do to me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Astra Publishing House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
February 21, 2024
True Colors is an interesting concept. The main character, Mackenzie, emits a haze of colors that show her emotions around her. At age twelve, she is terrified of getting her family kicked out of the town on Serenity, which is supposed to be a happy place. She believes that by showing her true emotions, it will get her family kicked out as there is a three-strike system. When a documentary film-maker and her children come to town, Mackenzie is exposed to the outside world.
The underlying message of the dangers of toxic positivity was excellent but I am not sure how well this may resonate with the intended audience. I want to try and have a student read it before deciding on purchasing a copy for my library. In some ways, this felt aimed at an adult audience.
Thank you to Net Galley and Astra for this eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.
The underlying message of the dangers of toxic positivity was excellent but I am not sure how well this may resonate with the intended audience. I want to try and have a student read it before deciding on purchasing a copy for my library. In some ways, this felt aimed at an adult audience.
Thank you to Net Galley and Astra for this eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.
March 16, 2024
Calling all middle-grade teachers!!! Order this book now for your classroom library! Abby Cooper has done her homework and has her finger on the pulse of our kids. The town of Serenity is a haven for Mackenzie, who literally wears her emotions on her sleeve. Adults in Serenity want to protect their kids from feeling sad or uncomfortable and do what is necessary to ensure that every day is a great day-- even if it means restricting access to the internet or others who don't live in Serenity. The reader has so much to think about: relationships with friends and family, social media, restrict vs. protect, and ultimately, how we show up for those we love. I LOVE this book, and I can't wait to pass it on to the list of students "waiting" for me to finish it. I am even more excited to talk to kids after they have read the book; it will serve as a "permission slip" for so many to "let it out"! I have so many places "marked" throughout the book with nuggets of wisdom and food for thought to help our young readers through difficult times. With a reading list for kids and adults, this book should open the door for additional reading and conversations. Abby Cooper has written another superb book that will resonate with so many! (And, of course, in pure Abby style, lots of sweet treats are included throughout the book!)
June 29, 2024
The thing I enjoyed most about this story is the realizations about feelings and how kids and adults suppress them. “…big feelings…observe them, accept them, and talk about them with someone you trust.”
November 23, 2024
A nice little middle grade book about feelings and the downsides of toxic positivity. The writing definitely felt like it was for a younger audience but the story was pretty universal. It was a good way to physically represent feelings and how people can have a tendency to hide the bad ones.
August 19, 2025
My 10 year old daughter and I read this book together. We both thought it was very good. It deals with being different and showing your true feelings, not just acting like everything is okay and never actually saying how you truly feel.
December 31, 2023
EARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Mackenzie lives in the town of Serenity…where everything is pleasant all the time. In addition, people near her can see her haze of color that lets them know her emotions at any given time.
These are both fascinating ideas to talk about with readers, especially as both of these begin to cause problems with both her family and friendships. I love the inclusion of such good advice for readers from Mackenzie’s therapist.
Mackenzie lives in the town of Serenity…where everything is pleasant all the time. In addition, people near her can see her haze of color that lets them know her emotions at any given time.
These are both fascinating ideas to talk about with readers, especially as both of these begin to cause problems with both her family and friendships. I love the inclusion of such good advice for readers from Mackenzie’s therapist.
February 1, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Mackenzie has long dealt with the fact that she radiates colors that mirror her emotions, and when she was made fun of for that, her parents moved the family to Serenity, where everyone has to be nice to one another all the time and consistently happy. Since it's clear with Mackenzie is not in a good mood, she starts to struggle in Serenity as well, especially when other people in the town of 1,000 start to also have mood colored auras. When Stella Scott arrrives in the town with her two children, Rayna and Benny, tensions start to mount in the idyllic community. This is a great choice for fans of Haydu's Eventown, Redman's Quintessence, or Collins' The Town with No Mirrors. I think Serenity sounds like a great place. The problem with all of these dystopias seems to be that the children are forced to live in them by their parents, and they are not young enough to appreciate how nice it would be if everyone just kept their thoughts to themselves and were polite. This is on trend with the current philosophy that it is "okay to not be okay". I found Mackenzie's descriptions of the colors of the auras (and there were a lot of them) a little confusing.
Mackenzie has long dealt with the fact that she radiates colors that mirror her emotions, and when she was made fun of for that, her parents moved the family to Serenity, where everyone has to be nice to one another all the time and consistently happy. Since it's clear with Mackenzie is not in a good mood, she starts to struggle in Serenity as well, especially when other people in the town of 1,000 start to also have mood colored auras. When Stella Scott arrrives in the town with her two children, Rayna and Benny, tensions start to mount in the idyllic community. This is a great choice for fans of Haydu's Eventown, Redman's Quintessence, or Collins' The Town with No Mirrors. I think Serenity sounds like a great place. The problem with all of these dystopias seems to be that the children are forced to live in them by their parents, and they are not young enough to appreciate how nice it would be if everyone just kept their thoughts to themselves and were polite. This is on trend with the current philosophy that it is "okay to not be okay". I found Mackenzie's descriptions of the colors of the auras (and there were a lot of them) a little confusing.
March 2, 2024
“WELCOME TO SERENITY WHERE EVERY DAY IS A GREAT DAY” [Town Sign]
“At first living here was weird, but I adjusted. Asha took me under her wing. She showed me where to hang out, what to wear, how to be. As time went on, I forgot that I used to like trying new things. I liked competition, I forgot a lot of things about myself, actually. But it’s all good. In Serenity, Aunt Celia actually looks away from the [television] screen. She isn’t afraid anymore. She lets us do things and go places. And maybe the things and places aren’t the ones we’d choose for ourselves, but they’re better than nothing. Sometimes you just have to take what you can get.”—Eloise O’Malley, 11 (ARC, 108)
Twelve-year-old Mackenzie Werner and her parents moved to Serenity when she was 5 and the kids teased at school her for having a haze around her body, the colors showing her emotions. In Serenity everyone is welcome, and everyone is required to be positive, happy, and “look on the bright side.” And Mackenzie constantly tries to keep her colors a happy yellow; she has a therapist outside the community who gives her tricks to control her feelings.
“A lot of my classmates don’t have everything I have: Luca’s parents are divorced; …. Hiroko takes medicine twice a day for a mysterious illness she’s dealt with for a few years now. Frankie is allergic to dogs….
Their lives aren‘t perfect, but all three of them still manage to follow The Serenity Way. All three of them still manage to be happy.
Everyone here does.
Everyone except for me.” (ARC, 18)
Mackenzie is sure that she is the only one who experiences blood-orange blush, raging raspberry, worried watermelon, etc. When her friends see her colors and ask if she is okay, “I force a smile so big that there’s simply no room for a lump in my throat or for the bad feelings that come with it ‘Yes, totally good.’ I gesture to the colorful rings of air outlining my body from head to toe. ‘You know how the colors get goofy sometimes, but just ignore them. I’m fine. Excited. Happy.’” (ARC, 6)
Then something changes. “Everything is as it always is. Predictable, positive, perfect Serenity. Except at the little white house next to that, the one on the corner…” (5) And into that house, without going through the massive wait list, move 12-year old Rayna and her mother, a famous filmmaker who is going to make a documentary about Serenity. Rayna is different. She doesn’t try to mask her emotions and is honest about her observations of the townspeople. Mackenzie is surprised at some of her friends' reactions to Rayna, but Rayna takes them in stride. “’I am sensitive,” Rayna agrees. ‘Thank you for noticing.’” (39) Mackenzie also notices some of the boys bullying each other.
And Rayna tells her about people she follows on social media who “always have a lot of different colors around them.” (64) Mackenzie is surprised that she is not the only one and longs to reach out to that community, but devices are forbidden.
However, when Mackenzie is interviewed for the documentary at her parents’ bakery, she begins to question her happiness. “But as I go on and on about how perfect Serenity is, I sort of feel like two people at the same time. One Mackenzie means every word she says. The other Mackenzie has some questions about this place and about happiness in general, about those people Rayna follows who have lots of colors around them….” (66) Her emotions explode, and layers of color drench everyone in the bakery, giving them permanent hazes.
As the town learns to deal with feelings they can no longer hide and a second explosion from another young community member saturates the remaining citizens, they look for a cure, but then, with Mackenzie’s and Dr. Ishizuka’s help, they also learn to accept their feelings and a new standard of “perfect.”
“And wow; the things we learned: the same colors represented the same feelings for everyone. And there were thousands of those, too. Thousands. Which is totally mind-blowing. If there are thousands of different feelings, how is it possible that in Serenity we’re basically allowed only one?” (ARC, 114)
It is vital that all ages recognize and identify how they are feeling. This is an important novel about accepting our feelings, “feeling that you’re safe to feel however you need to feel” (210), and that there are strategies, not tricks, for that can help during tough moments.
“At first living here was weird, but I adjusted. Asha took me under her wing. She showed me where to hang out, what to wear, how to be. As time went on, I forgot that I used to like trying new things. I liked competition, I forgot a lot of things about myself, actually. But it’s all good. In Serenity, Aunt Celia actually looks away from the [television] screen. She isn’t afraid anymore. She lets us do things and go places. And maybe the things and places aren’t the ones we’d choose for ourselves, but they’re better than nothing. Sometimes you just have to take what you can get.”—Eloise O’Malley, 11 (ARC, 108)
Twelve-year-old Mackenzie Werner and her parents moved to Serenity when she was 5 and the kids teased at school her for having a haze around her body, the colors showing her emotions. In Serenity everyone is welcome, and everyone is required to be positive, happy, and “look on the bright side.” And Mackenzie constantly tries to keep her colors a happy yellow; she has a therapist outside the community who gives her tricks to control her feelings.
“A lot of my classmates don’t have everything I have: Luca’s parents are divorced; …. Hiroko takes medicine twice a day for a mysterious illness she’s dealt with for a few years now. Frankie is allergic to dogs….
Their lives aren‘t perfect, but all three of them still manage to follow The Serenity Way. All three of them still manage to be happy.
Everyone here does.
Everyone except for me.” (ARC, 18)
Mackenzie is sure that she is the only one who experiences blood-orange blush, raging raspberry, worried watermelon, etc. When her friends see her colors and ask if she is okay, “I force a smile so big that there’s simply no room for a lump in my throat or for the bad feelings that come with it ‘Yes, totally good.’ I gesture to the colorful rings of air outlining my body from head to toe. ‘You know how the colors get goofy sometimes, but just ignore them. I’m fine. Excited. Happy.’” (ARC, 6)
Then something changes. “Everything is as it always is. Predictable, positive, perfect Serenity. Except at the little white house next to that, the one on the corner…” (5) And into that house, without going through the massive wait list, move 12-year old Rayna and her mother, a famous filmmaker who is going to make a documentary about Serenity. Rayna is different. She doesn’t try to mask her emotions and is honest about her observations of the townspeople. Mackenzie is surprised at some of her friends' reactions to Rayna, but Rayna takes them in stride. “’I am sensitive,” Rayna agrees. ‘Thank you for noticing.’” (39) Mackenzie also notices some of the boys bullying each other.
And Rayna tells her about people she follows on social media who “always have a lot of different colors around them.” (64) Mackenzie is surprised that she is not the only one and longs to reach out to that community, but devices are forbidden.
However, when Mackenzie is interviewed for the documentary at her parents’ bakery, she begins to question her happiness. “But as I go on and on about how perfect Serenity is, I sort of feel like two people at the same time. One Mackenzie means every word she says. The other Mackenzie has some questions about this place and about happiness in general, about those people Rayna follows who have lots of colors around them….” (66) Her emotions explode, and layers of color drench everyone in the bakery, giving them permanent hazes.
As the town learns to deal with feelings they can no longer hide and a second explosion from another young community member saturates the remaining citizens, they look for a cure, but then, with Mackenzie’s and Dr. Ishizuka’s help, they also learn to accept their feelings and a new standard of “perfect.”
“And wow; the things we learned: the same colors represented the same feelings for everyone. And there were thousands of those, too. Thousands. Which is totally mind-blowing. If there are thousands of different feelings, how is it possible that in Serenity we’re basically allowed only one?” (ARC, 114)
It is vital that all ages recognize and identify how they are feeling. This is an important novel about accepting our feelings, “feeling that you’re safe to feel however you need to feel” (210), and that there are strategies, not tricks, for that can help during tough moments.
July 3, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley, Astra Publishing House, Astra Young Readers, and Abby Cooper for the opportunity to read True Colors in exchange for an honest review.
In the world of True Colors, there are some people born with a rare emotional gift. Referred to as a “haze,” it is an aura of color surrounding a person’s body that changes colors based on the person’s current emotions. This gift is rare indeed.
For Mackenzie, her haze is a part of her, but it feels like a curse sometimes. After being bullied in kindergarten, Mackenzie’s parents move her family to Serenity, Minnesota, a special town with a small population (~1,000 give or take) that requires a waitlist to move in. The town is all about kindness, smiles, and happiness, so Mackenzie certainly won’t be bullied for her haze there, right?
People still notice her differences and tune into her changing colors, but no amount of adding “kindly” or “respectfully” after saying something will make it so. The town is a controlled society where internet and phone use is limited or absent entirely so that people may focus on being a part of their community.
When a woman comes to make a documentary about the kindest town in the United States so that those living in the regular world (like the rest of us) can see just how unique a living situation Serenity offers, some turmoil enters the town. The filmer’s daughter says and acts differently than the townspeople are used to, and her actions are viewed as “not the Serenity way,” but that’s what the documentary is for! To share the Serenity way! It takes more than one person of a different mindset to change the tide of thinking, though.
When Mackenzie’s emotions get too heightened, her haze explodes, a phenomenon that occurs rarely with those who have a haze and become emotionally overstimulated. When this happens, the people within the haze’s blast acquire their own haze! Seeking a cure, the kindest town must learn how to appreciate a new aspect of themselves, despite the attempts to find a cure. Mackenzie does her best to be a good Serenity member and help those new to having a haze understand what their colors mean, but she may also lose her friends in the process.
The concept of “true colors” presents a fascinating exploration of emotional diversity and societal norms through Mackenzie’s experiences in Serenity. The idea of a rare emotional gift manifesting as a colorful aura, or “haze,” is not only intriguing, but also serves as a powerful metaphor for how society perceives and integrates differences.
Mackenzie’s haze, initially seen as a burden due to past bullying, becomes both a source of identity and a catalyst for change after living in and experiencing Serenity. This town, designed around kindness and community, appears to offer refuge from judgment. However, as Mackenzie discovers, even in a place like Serenity, differences are noticed and sometimes misunderstood.
This novel is truly a testament to acknowledging one’s differences, as well as embracing one’s emotions. Taking care of one’s mental health, and the tips and tricks for how to do so, are integral for young people. Mackenzie’s story and experiences highlight some of the ramifications to keeping emotions bottled up inside.
Not only is this novel perfect for a middle grade audience with its thematic ideas of friendship, mental health, and identity, but older readers can find appreciation as well, and might even take away some information of their own to offer advice to those they care about who may be struggling emotionally. A must read!
In the world of True Colors, there are some people born with a rare emotional gift. Referred to as a “haze,” it is an aura of color surrounding a person’s body that changes colors based on the person’s current emotions. This gift is rare indeed.
For Mackenzie, her haze is a part of her, but it feels like a curse sometimes. After being bullied in kindergarten, Mackenzie’s parents move her family to Serenity, Minnesota, a special town with a small population (~1,000 give or take) that requires a waitlist to move in. The town is all about kindness, smiles, and happiness, so Mackenzie certainly won’t be bullied for her haze there, right?
People still notice her differences and tune into her changing colors, but no amount of adding “kindly” or “respectfully” after saying something will make it so. The town is a controlled society where internet and phone use is limited or absent entirely so that people may focus on being a part of their community.
When a woman comes to make a documentary about the kindest town in the United States so that those living in the regular world (like the rest of us) can see just how unique a living situation Serenity offers, some turmoil enters the town. The filmer’s daughter says and acts differently than the townspeople are used to, and her actions are viewed as “not the Serenity way,” but that’s what the documentary is for! To share the Serenity way! It takes more than one person of a different mindset to change the tide of thinking, though.
When Mackenzie’s emotions get too heightened, her haze explodes, a phenomenon that occurs rarely with those who have a haze and become emotionally overstimulated. When this happens, the people within the haze’s blast acquire their own haze! Seeking a cure, the kindest town must learn how to appreciate a new aspect of themselves, despite the attempts to find a cure. Mackenzie does her best to be a good Serenity member and help those new to having a haze understand what their colors mean, but she may also lose her friends in the process.
The concept of “true colors” presents a fascinating exploration of emotional diversity and societal norms through Mackenzie’s experiences in Serenity. The idea of a rare emotional gift manifesting as a colorful aura, or “haze,” is not only intriguing, but also serves as a powerful metaphor for how society perceives and integrates differences.
Mackenzie’s haze, initially seen as a burden due to past bullying, becomes both a source of identity and a catalyst for change after living in and experiencing Serenity. This town, designed around kindness and community, appears to offer refuge from judgment. However, as Mackenzie discovers, even in a place like Serenity, differences are noticed and sometimes misunderstood.
This novel is truly a testament to acknowledging one’s differences, as well as embracing one’s emotions. Taking care of one’s mental health, and the tips and tricks for how to do so, are integral for young people. Mackenzie’s story and experiences highlight some of the ramifications to keeping emotions bottled up inside.
Not only is this novel perfect for a middle grade audience with its thematic ideas of friendship, mental health, and identity, but older readers can find appreciation as well, and might even take away some information of their own to offer advice to those they care about who may be struggling emotionally. A must read!
April 3, 2024
What would it be like to wear your emotions on your sleeve? That’s literally what MacKenzie Werner, whose emotions show up as a colorful haze around her body, has to deal with all the time in the book True Colors by Abby Cooper. Unfortunately, not everyone understands so her parents move the family to Serenity, where everyone makes lemonade out of lemons and only happiness is allowed. All seems to be going well until a famous film maker and her daughter come to town to make a documentary about Serenity. Can MacKenzie hide her true feelings from the camera? What happens when her haze explodes over the whole town and everyone else is now afflicted with the same condition? Can everyone truly be happy all the time or are true emotions finally unleashed?
I think this middle-grade book had an important message which was relayed in an original story line. It’s harmful to keep emotions hidden and try to pretend to be happy all the time. It’s important to work through those emotions, possibly with the help of a therapist, because as the book vividly shows, you can’t hide from yourself. The author acknowledges that feeling happy isn’t just about what a person thinks, but also about what you do. The book touched on several heavy topics, including bullying and loneliness, which are often experienced by middle schoolers. And it showed that you don’t know what everyone else is going through, even if their “colors” imply that they are happy.
I like how the story was written using first-person narrative. Most of the story was told from MacKenzies’s point of view; however, the author also included messages and chat board discussions to convey how others in Serenity were feeling. She added conversations with friends and MacKenzie’s parents, which were written as if they were being interviewed by the film maker. I did find the blurbs by inanimate objects, such as the hill, didn’t really add anything. I originally appreciated that MacKenzie named all her colors, but after a while it seemed to bog the story down a bit. My biggest complaint was the number of similes and metaphors the author included. I realize that this book was written for a certain age group, but it wasn’t necessary to constantly compare everything to something else.
I would highly recommend this book. Everyone should understand, and especially young teenagers, that maybe complicated and confusing feelings don’t make someone weird, different or bad, but makes people belong. It was an added bonus that the author included a delicious cookie recipe from MacKenzie’s father’s bakery, as well as other resources.
Thank you to NetGalley and Astra Publishing House for the eARC in exchange for the opportunity to provide an honest review.
I think this middle-grade book had an important message which was relayed in an original story line. It’s harmful to keep emotions hidden and try to pretend to be happy all the time. It’s important to work through those emotions, possibly with the help of a therapist, because as the book vividly shows, you can’t hide from yourself. The author acknowledges that feeling happy isn’t just about what a person thinks, but also about what you do. The book touched on several heavy topics, including bullying and loneliness, which are often experienced by middle schoolers. And it showed that you don’t know what everyone else is going through, even if their “colors” imply that they are happy.
I like how the story was written using first-person narrative. Most of the story was told from MacKenzies’s point of view; however, the author also included messages and chat board discussions to convey how others in Serenity were feeling. She added conversations with friends and MacKenzie’s parents, which were written as if they were being interviewed by the film maker. I did find the blurbs by inanimate objects, such as the hill, didn’t really add anything. I originally appreciated that MacKenzie named all her colors, but after a while it seemed to bog the story down a bit. My biggest complaint was the number of similes and metaphors the author included. I realize that this book was written for a certain age group, but it wasn’t necessary to constantly compare everything to something else.
I would highly recommend this book. Everyone should understand, and especially young teenagers, that maybe complicated and confusing feelings don’t make someone weird, different or bad, but makes people belong. It was an added bonus that the author included a delicious cookie recipe from MacKenzie’s father’s bakery, as well as other resources.
Thank you to NetGalley and Astra Publishing House for the eARC in exchange for the opportunity to provide an honest review.
April 10, 2024
Thank you so much to Astra Publishing House and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.
Mackenzie is a very interesting character, trying to control her haze of colors in a town full of happiness and joy but her emotions show in her colors. I really found it interesting seeing how she struggled to control them, the people were supposed to be nice and care but a lot of them were really rude and mean to her as though she were doing something wrong but she was just born that way.
The town was so cultish and interesting each a going at an almost robotic state, if me person does something the other does the same things, nothing moves or changes, nothing out of the ordinary or misplaced. Each person knowing their lives as it’s supposed to be. Then a documentary maker somehow found out about them and comes to shake everything up in the town to record them, showing the way they lived.
The documentary being made was so much fun as it brought new girl to town, plus her mother and it got people starting to act differently, say different things and it was just fascinating. I loved the interviews learning about everyone having different feelings, and altered lives to what was shown on the outside. Especially after the incidents with the haze.
I really liked that Mackenzie found her friend, one that knew all about hazes, that wanted to help her with everyone in town, to help them learn and understand it more, it took her down a bit of a rabbit hole but in the end was really worth while as the town all adjusted to it all.
It’s a very unique story and the characters are all interesting, the town is so fascinating and the color haze thing is so different I really liked it. It’s like a dystopian world but within the real world. I enjoyed seeing how each person actually lived, how the story unfolded in ways I didn’t really expect at all and seeing that everyone ended up closer somehow, was such an interesting read.
I really enjoyed this book, I loved how it taught you about emotions, what each meant, how it’s difficult to hold them in, to not accept them, that everyone feels them but differently. It was such a cleverly written book and it dealt with so many issues but in an easy and creative way, each emotion or mix of emotions had a color tone and a name and I honestly loved learn more about them. Was so creatively written and it was a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Mackenzie is a very interesting character, trying to control her haze of colors in a town full of happiness and joy but her emotions show in her colors. I really found it interesting seeing how she struggled to control them, the people were supposed to be nice and care but a lot of them were really rude and mean to her as though she were doing something wrong but she was just born that way.
The town was so cultish and interesting each a going at an almost robotic state, if me person does something the other does the same things, nothing moves or changes, nothing out of the ordinary or misplaced. Each person knowing their lives as it’s supposed to be. Then a documentary maker somehow found out about them and comes to shake everything up in the town to record them, showing the way they lived.
The documentary being made was so much fun as it brought new girl to town, plus her mother and it got people starting to act differently, say different things and it was just fascinating. I loved the interviews learning about everyone having different feelings, and altered lives to what was shown on the outside. Especially after the incidents with the haze.
I really liked that Mackenzie found her friend, one that knew all about hazes, that wanted to help her with everyone in town, to help them learn and understand it more, it took her down a bit of a rabbit hole but in the end was really worth while as the town all adjusted to it all.
It’s a very unique story and the characters are all interesting, the town is so fascinating and the color haze thing is so different I really liked it. It’s like a dystopian world but within the real world. I enjoyed seeing how each person actually lived, how the story unfolded in ways I didn’t really expect at all and seeing that everyone ended up closer somehow, was such an interesting read.
I really enjoyed this book, I loved how it taught you about emotions, what each meant, how it’s difficult to hold them in, to not accept them, that everyone feels them but differently. It was such a cleverly written book and it dealt with so many issues but in an easy and creative way, each emotion or mix of emotions had a color tone and a name and I honestly loved learn more about them. Was so creatively written and it was a thoroughly enjoyable read.
February 13, 2024
A book about the importance of feeling your emotions fully and not succumbing to toxic positivity? Blow-my-mind-lemon-lime! It had a very sweet message: it's okay to not be okay, discomfort is an important tool for learning, and talking through things helps. Toxic positivity is something that exists heavily in elementary/middle schools, so it is wonderful to help kids recognize that "bad" emotions have their place. It also normalized therapy for ALL ages.
Unfortunately, the execution of this book left me feeling confused. Cue the wiggly wildberry layer.
Some of the elements helped move the story along, whereas others felt very out of place. The interviews for the documentary were very strong, and I loved how they revealed a bit about each character. I also enjoyed the addition of the SerenityChat, as it drove home the idea that nothing was ever serene in Serenity. However, two emotions got chapters where they were personified? At one point, the hill in town was personified? It was very distracting from the story. Also, if the whole point of Serenity was that it was isolated like a chrysalis, then why was there still so much contact with the city? How was Mackenzie able to still see her therapist? The world-building was disjointed. Last thing: I've been in therapy since I was seven years old, and I got lost in a lot of the therapy-speak. If a teacher does this as a read-aloud, prepare for a loooooot of clarification needs.
I'm afraid that this will be confusing for middle-grade readers, and it will lead to them missing some of the important lessons. With a book rife with important lessons, it's disappointing dragon fruit to have them get lost in the tidal wave of wiggles.
One last note: in the eBook version. nearly every time there was a double-f in a word, one would get deleted (of instead of off, diferent instead of different, etc.). I'm not sure why that is, but I saw someone else have the same issue.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!
Unfortunately, the execution of this book left me feeling confused. Cue the wiggly wildberry layer.
Some of the elements helped move the story along, whereas others felt very out of place. The interviews for the documentary were very strong, and I loved how they revealed a bit about each character. I also enjoyed the addition of the SerenityChat, as it drove home the idea that nothing was ever serene in Serenity. However, two emotions got chapters where they were personified? At one point, the hill in town was personified? It was very distracting from the story. Also, if the whole point of Serenity was that it was isolated like a chrysalis, then why was there still so much contact with the city? How was Mackenzie able to still see her therapist? The world-building was disjointed. Last thing: I've been in therapy since I was seven years old, and I got lost in a lot of the therapy-speak. If a teacher does this as a read-aloud, prepare for a loooooot of clarification needs.
I'm afraid that this will be confusing for middle-grade readers, and it will lead to them missing some of the important lessons. With a book rife with important lessons, it's disappointing dragon fruit to have them get lost in the tidal wave of wiggles.
One last note: in the eBook version. nearly every time there was a double-f in a word, one would get deleted (of instead of off, diferent instead of different, etc.). I'm not sure why that is, but I saw someone else have the same issue.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!
April 30, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. Here is my honest review:
True Colors is such a compelling story. It causes the reader to think about emotions in a way that they may never have even considered before. It felt profound and captivating at the same time. I was glued to the page and couldn’t wait for each new chapter. As Mackenzie tries to fit in in a town where everyone is expected to be happy, but she very obviously isn’t always happy (the colors that surround her represent each emotion that she feels), she begins to discover new things about her emotions. Then she begins to discover that many people experience emotions that she has never experienced before herself. There is so much I can relate to in True Colors for not only Mackenzie, but also for the town as a whole, and many other characters in the story. Many times as I would read I would find myself thinking, “yes, I understand why this person says this, there is merit here, but what else is there that I might consider?” True Colors takes the reader on an intriguing journey as you learn about the unique life that everyone has in the town of Serenity that is so different from the rest of the world. I was able to agree and disagree in many parts with what was going on and feel that my thoughts were valid because the way that Cooper writes, you feel allowed to disagree or allowed to agree and still feel a part of the story and that it doesn’t matter what you feel, there is a place for you to read and experience not only the story here, but life. True Colors makes me feel that everything I live in life is okay, I can learn, and I can grow and I can make mistakes and I’ll keep living and its okay if all of these things are differing growth/mistakes from other people in and out of my life on this great Earth we live on.
True Colors is such a compelling story. It causes the reader to think about emotions in a way that they may never have even considered before. It felt profound and captivating at the same time. I was glued to the page and couldn’t wait for each new chapter. As Mackenzie tries to fit in in a town where everyone is expected to be happy, but she very obviously isn’t always happy (the colors that surround her represent each emotion that she feels), she begins to discover new things about her emotions. Then she begins to discover that many people experience emotions that she has never experienced before herself. There is so much I can relate to in True Colors for not only Mackenzie, but also for the town as a whole, and many other characters in the story. Many times as I would read I would find myself thinking, “yes, I understand why this person says this, there is merit here, but what else is there that I might consider?” True Colors takes the reader on an intriguing journey as you learn about the unique life that everyone has in the town of Serenity that is so different from the rest of the world. I was able to agree and disagree in many parts with what was going on and feel that my thoughts were valid because the way that Cooper writes, you feel allowed to disagree or allowed to agree and still feel a part of the story and that it doesn’t matter what you feel, there is a place for you to read and experience not only the story here, but life. True Colors makes me feel that everything I live in life is okay, I can learn, and I can grow and I can make mistakes and I’ll keep living and its okay if all of these things are differing growth/mistakes from other people in and out of my life on this great Earth we live on.
June 22, 2024
True Colors is a social emotional focused, captivating, spellbinding, creative, relatable, lesson-filled, and impactful read. This middle grade is absolutely phenomenal! I devoured it! As someone who is working towards becoming a licensed social worker and has interned in schools with all age ranges I cannot say enough how important books like this are. This is the story our middle grade youth need. Emotions run high this age especially as they begin to reinterpret the world, connections, and their role in it. No one should feel like they have to hide their emotions. All emotions are okay. It is so important to openly talk about how you feel even if....... you can't put a finger on it, the feeling makes you uncomfortable, you aren't sure if people will accept your feelings, or you are afraid of feeling them. This book expresses this message in a beautiful almost tangible way!
Mackenzie Werner is a twelve year old girl living in the most desired town ever. Serenity is a town with the unique rule of looking on the brightside, rejecting negativity, and embracing optimism. When asked, everyone is always good, great, fantastic......except Mackenzie. No one has to ask her how she feels because her feelings appear as a colorful haze around her body for all to see. Even the slightest changes can add layers to the haze surrounding her making it apparent a new emotion is on the rise. For Mackenzie it is isolating, frustrating, and worrisome. Everyone else is always fantastic; how can she prove she is fantastic too? When a stressor arises which releases her power, others find they now have Mackenzie's haze too the truth is shocking.
#ad #partner #gifted Thank you to the publisher @astrakidsbooks for our review copy!
Mackenzie Werner is a twelve year old girl living in the most desired town ever. Serenity is a town with the unique rule of looking on the brightside, rejecting negativity, and embracing optimism. When asked, everyone is always good, great, fantastic......except Mackenzie. No one has to ask her how she feels because her feelings appear as a colorful haze around her body for all to see. Even the slightest changes can add layers to the haze surrounding her making it apparent a new emotion is on the rise. For Mackenzie it is isolating, frustrating, and worrisome. Everyone else is always fantastic; how can she prove she is fantastic too? When a stressor arises which releases her power, others find they now have Mackenzie's haze too the truth is shocking.
#ad #partner #gifted Thank you to the publisher @astrakidsbooks for our review copy!
June 10, 2024
Thank you to the author and Astra Young Readers for sharing an early copy with #bookexpedition. My students and I love Abby’s books for their magical realism components, and True Colors does not disappoint!
Set in the town of Serenity, where citizens must agree to look on the bright side, speak only positively, and focus on the good things in life, 12 year old Mackenzie (who has the rare gift of her emotions manifesting as colorful hazes around her body) feels safe. Since Serenity is a place where “Every day is a great day,” Mackenzie doesn’t need to worry about her “grumbly grapefruit,” “anxious apricot,” or “worried watermelon” hazes when they project.
When a filmmaker moves into Serenity to make a documentary about their perfect town, everything changes. When Mackenzie can no longer hold emotions back, her haze explodes onto those around her, revealing their real feelings (which are not always Serenity approved!)
With themes of family, community, and friendship, this novel would make a great read aloud for middle grade students, especially as a companion to SEL lessons on emotion management and regulation.
Things I loved:
*the names the author used for emotion hazes, such as pumped-up pineapple, beaming lemon bliss, bubblegum burst, blood-orange blush, wiggly wildberry, and guilty guava.
*Mackenzie sees a therapist. Appreciate seeing this as a norm in middle grade lit.
*the different ways chapters are separated (chats, contracts, town norms) and sometimes from a different character’s point of view.
*seeing my name on page 5! “ Mr. and Mrs. Reilley are reading on the porch in front of their house.”
Set in the town of Serenity, where citizens must agree to look on the bright side, speak only positively, and focus on the good things in life, 12 year old Mackenzie (who has the rare gift of her emotions manifesting as colorful hazes around her body) feels safe. Since Serenity is a place where “Every day is a great day,” Mackenzie doesn’t need to worry about her “grumbly grapefruit,” “anxious apricot,” or “worried watermelon” hazes when they project.
When a filmmaker moves into Serenity to make a documentary about their perfect town, everything changes. When Mackenzie can no longer hold emotions back, her haze explodes onto those around her, revealing their real feelings (which are not always Serenity approved!)
With themes of family, community, and friendship, this novel would make a great read aloud for middle grade students, especially as a companion to SEL lessons on emotion management and regulation.
Things I loved:
*the names the author used for emotion hazes, such as pumped-up pineapple, beaming lemon bliss, bubblegum burst, blood-orange blush, wiggly wildberry, and guilty guava.
*Mackenzie sees a therapist. Appreciate seeing this as a norm in middle grade lit.
*the different ways chapters are separated (chats, contracts, town norms) and sometimes from a different character’s point of view.
*seeing my name on page 5! “ Mr. and Mrs. Reilley are reading on the porch in front of their house.”
June 25, 2024
In Serenity, Minnesota, everyone agrees to think positively and always look at the bright side of things. For twelve-year-old Mackenzie, who has the rare gift of her emotions showing as a colorful haze around her, this town is the promise of never having to deal with bullies. But when a documentary team comes to town and starts asking questions, Mackenzie gets overwhelmed and explodes - giving everyone in town their own haze. As Mackenzie learns that she’s really not the only person who struggles with being happy all the time, the whole town must figure out how to go forward when their true colors are on display for all.
This book has aspects of magical realism in it. Through reading, this novel teaches middle schoolers how to acknowledge their feelings and emotions and how to process through them. It also teaches that even though someone may look happy on the outside, they may be dealing with all sorts of emotions on the inside.
This story was mostly told through Mackenzie’s point of view, but also included messages and chat board discussions between the Serenity adults. There were also members of the community as if it was their interview section in the documentary.
I loved how Mackenzie named her colors, usually candy or bakery themed. And when she was learning about all the types of emotions that didn’t really have names in English, but did in other languages.
Overall, I would highly recommend this to preteens. It also has good discussion points I feel like for a classroom read as well. I think adults would get a kick out of it simply for the naming of colors to emotions, cause yea - sometimes you may feel worried watermelon or anxious apricot.
This book has aspects of magical realism in it. Through reading, this novel teaches middle schoolers how to acknowledge their feelings and emotions and how to process through them. It also teaches that even though someone may look happy on the outside, they may be dealing with all sorts of emotions on the inside.
This story was mostly told through Mackenzie’s point of view, but also included messages and chat board discussions between the Serenity adults. There were also members of the community as if it was their interview section in the documentary.
I loved how Mackenzie named her colors, usually candy or bakery themed. And when she was learning about all the types of emotions that didn’t really have names in English, but did in other languages.
Overall, I would highly recommend this to preteens. It also has good discussion points I feel like for a classroom read as well. I think adults would get a kick out of it simply for the naming of colors to emotions, cause yea - sometimes you may feel worried watermelon or anxious apricot.
April 25, 2024
Mackenzie Werner's emotions manifest around her in a colorful haze. To keep her safe, her parents moved to Serenity, a small closed community built around being positive and choosing happiness all the time. Mackenzie tries to keep her haze happy - shades of yellow - but when a new family moves into town to film a documentary about Serenity, the questions asked begin to dig deeper than Mackenzie was ready for. These hard questions about emotions, about how to stay happy all the time and should you are too much for her and her haze explodes, infecting everyone in her parents bakery with her at the time. Now, other kids in the town, like her best friends and kids that walk the line of being mean and cruel and the adults have to deal with their emotions being on display and the questions that brings up. Though an interesting read, the interludes of emotions and inanimate objects pull a reader out of the main story. The new girl, Rayna, seems to be the only person in town that understands what emotions are as even her mother shooting the documentary tends to just push, as seen in interviews held with many of the side characters. Though there is some character growth about learning to deal with emotions and face them head on instead of suppressing them, there was more room in the story for this to happen more organically.
June 11, 2024
Thank you NetGalley, Astra Young Readers, and Abby Cooper for the early access copy and delightful experience of True Colors.
True Colors tells the story of Mackenzie, who was born with the gift of showing her emotions through a colorful haze. Mackenzie and her family moved to a small town named Serenity, where everyone looks on the bright side to foster a positive living environment. Mackenzie has had to learn how to manage her emotions so she looks happy, even when she may be feeling other emotions. When a documentary maker comes to town to film Serenity, overwhelmed Mackenzie explodes spreading the haze to the rest of the town. Mackenzie is now recognizing that she may not be the only one who is feeling other emotions than happiness and the town must learn how to handle their emotions on display.
True Colors does an exemplary job of showing through the characters how emotions and life experiences can impact actions, thought processes, and a person. In a town where negative emotions are not meant to be shown, Abby Cooper does a fantastic job in showing how important it is to be honest with yourself on your experiences. I highly suggest this title for any library or educator of middle schoolers who are looking to a tool to help bridge conversations about emotions and personal experiences.
True Colors tells the story of Mackenzie, who was born with the gift of showing her emotions through a colorful haze. Mackenzie and her family moved to a small town named Serenity, where everyone looks on the bright side to foster a positive living environment. Mackenzie has had to learn how to manage her emotions so she looks happy, even when she may be feeling other emotions. When a documentary maker comes to town to film Serenity, overwhelmed Mackenzie explodes spreading the haze to the rest of the town. Mackenzie is now recognizing that she may not be the only one who is feeling other emotions than happiness and the town must learn how to handle their emotions on display.
True Colors does an exemplary job of showing through the characters how emotions and life experiences can impact actions, thought processes, and a person. In a town where negative emotions are not meant to be shown, Abby Cooper does a fantastic job in showing how important it is to be honest with yourself on your experiences. I highly suggest this title for any library or educator of middle schoolers who are looking to a tool to help bridge conversations about emotions and personal experiences.
April 17, 2024
True Colors by Abby Cooper is a Middle-Grades book about emotions, and what can happen in a society where there is too much toxic positivity. It is mainly a stream of consciousness narration by the main character, Mackenzie, who is a sixth grader. Mackenzie literally wears her emotions on her sleeve, in the form of a colorful “haze” which surrounds her. She has learned to name all of her emotions by the colors. For example, bubblegum burst is the color name for when she feels very uncomfortable, like she’s going to “burst.”
The setting and idea of the haze are really unique. The rainbow color haze is presented as almost a handicap for Mackenzie, which is the reason her family moved to the “perfect” town of Serenity, Minnesota. To be a resident in Serenity everyone needs to assume positive intentions and see the good in any person or problem or difference.
I would recommend True Colors overall, but I gave it 4 stars because as an adult (retired teacher), at times I had to infer and re-read a lot to figure out the author’s intent. Also my feelings about the book were slanted because I'm not crazy about the first person point of view. It feels clunky to me, but that’s definitely personal opinion.
The setting and idea of the haze are really unique. The rainbow color haze is presented as almost a handicap for Mackenzie, which is the reason her family moved to the “perfect” town of Serenity, Minnesota. To be a resident in Serenity everyone needs to assume positive intentions and see the good in any person or problem or difference.
I would recommend True Colors overall, but I gave it 4 stars because as an adult (retired teacher), at times I had to infer and re-read a lot to figure out the author’s intent. Also my feelings about the book were slanted because I'm not crazy about the first person point of view. It feels clunky to me, but that’s definitely personal opinion.
June 10, 2024
True Colors (Hardcover)
by Abby Cooper
The concept of showing your emotions on your sleave is fundamentally brought forward in this book. The book is geared for late childhood, and middle school students. A social emotional learning book for the classroom. How would you react if you had a haze of colors that change with your emotions. Although Its easily known that people feel more than one emotion at the time, the descriptive words used for the colors does draw away from the story. It would be a good discussion with a class, on how they feel and showing that they can have more than one emotion at a time. This has come up in the social emotional learning lessons I have given this year. I Think this book would be a great 4 th or above book to read as a class, to understand that emotions are not always relayed easily and that emotions are complicated. The town without technology is its own discussion.
A list of resources for children and adults at the end of the book is remarkable. Some of them are great books for talking about emotions.
by Abby Cooper
The concept of showing your emotions on your sleave is fundamentally brought forward in this book. The book is geared for late childhood, and middle school students. A social emotional learning book for the classroom. How would you react if you had a haze of colors that change with your emotions. Although Its easily known that people feel more than one emotion at the time, the descriptive words used for the colors does draw away from the story. It would be a good discussion with a class, on how they feel and showing that they can have more than one emotion at a time. This has come up in the social emotional learning lessons I have given this year. I Think this book would be a great 4 th or above book to read as a class, to understand that emotions are not always relayed easily and that emotions are complicated. The town without technology is its own discussion.
A list of resources for children and adults at the end of the book is remarkable. Some of them are great books for talking about emotions.
August 21, 2024
Literary Merit: 3.5/5 This is a character focused novel focused on exploring your emotions. The main character's emotions and experiences are consistent and make sense for each situation. The side characters aren't really as developed as the main character, even with their emotions being revealed. The major growth are the relationships and the main characters understanding of others as she understands more about her self. I especially appreciated the suggested reading list at the back. Plot wise it follows a standard coming of age conflict and resolution. Overall a thoughtful read.
Originality: 5/5 The theme of emotional expression and regulation was a unique take for a middle grade novel.
Accuracy: 5/5 Characters felt authentic and their emotional expression and regulation felt varied and realistic.
Clarity: 4/5 The characters were clear and consistent throughout; however, I was sometimes confused about the town of Serenity and what was actually happening.
Total: 17.5/20
Age Range: KR ages 9-13, PW ages 10+
Originality: 5/5 The theme of emotional expression and regulation was a unique take for a middle grade novel.
Accuracy: 5/5 Characters felt authentic and their emotional expression and regulation felt varied and realistic.
Clarity: 4/5 The characters were clear and consistent throughout; however, I was sometimes confused about the town of Serenity and what was actually happening.
Total: 17.5/20
Age Range: KR ages 9-13, PW ages 10+
February 3, 2024
In Serenity’s closed-off bubble of happiness and positive thinking, things go awry when the haze extends itself to the other residents. Initially, Mackenzie only has the haze, where her emotions—both the good and the bad—are on full display to everyone. Now a good amount of people's emotions are on display as well. This sends everyone panicking because everything in Serenity is supposed to be okay, nice, happy, normal, positive, kindness, all smiles and good intent, staying in that lavender haze.
This was a story on the importance of emotions—acknowledging them and feeling them. It reminds us that it’s okay to not be okay and we have to feel some uncomfortable emotions so we can enjoy life and be true to ourselves. It’s a great analogy for mental health care and emotional intelligence. It doesn’t just focus on kids; it also highlights that the adults need to feel things, too, and that we shouldn’t run from our emotions.
Thank you to NetGalley and Astra books for the ARC :>
This was a story on the importance of emotions—acknowledging them and feeling them. It reminds us that it’s okay to not be okay and we have to feel some uncomfortable emotions so we can enjoy life and be true to ourselves. It’s a great analogy for mental health care and emotional intelligence. It doesn’t just focus on kids; it also highlights that the adults need to feel things, too, and that we shouldn’t run from our emotions.
Thank you to NetGalley and Astra books for the ARC :>
December 30, 2025
Mackenzie Werner was born with a haze of colors around her that convey how she's feeling. But she lives in Serenity, a town where the residents are only ever happy, which means that when she starts experiencing new, not so happy feelings, she can't talk about them. But when the rest of the town also ends up with hazes, people start talking about their feelings and begin to realize that it simply isn't possible to be happy aal the time.
I really loved the message in this book. Twelve is a hard age and it comes with lots of confusing feelings, so I love that this story encourages kids and teens to be honest about how they feel. I like how it also touches on the fact that you don't have to be controlled by your feelings, but it is a good idea to acknowledge them. This is a great book to give to any middle schooler experiencing a lot of big feelings who wants to know more about them.
I really loved the message in this book. Twelve is a hard age and it comes with lots of confusing feelings, so I love that this story encourages kids and teens to be honest about how they feel. I like how it also touches on the fact that you don't have to be controlled by your feelings, but it is a good idea to acknowledge them. This is a great book to give to any middle schooler experiencing a lot of big feelings who wants to know more about them.
March 18, 2024
This is a great introduction to dystopian fiction for young readers, like a "dystopian light." Mackenzie's parents moved them to Serenity, a town where everything is fine and everyone is happy, after she was treated badly at school due to the colorful haze around her body that shows her emotions. Since her emotions can be seen by everyone, she works really hard to always keep them a happy yellow, as seems to be required by the town. She's managing fine until a documentary maker and her daughter come to town and start asking questions that no one asks each other. A good look at feelings and how we can each contain multitudes of seemingly contradictory feelings. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
April 4, 2024
The others in Mackenzie’s kindergarten class shunned her because of her colorful haze so the family moved to Serenity where “all are welcome” and happiness rules the day. Mackenzie’s colors reflect her feelings and as much as she tries to radiate blow-your-mind-lemon-lime and banana-cream-life’s-a-dream the others such as grumbly grapefruit, raging raspberry and worried watermelon won’t go away. And one day they explode and spread through the whole town. This is a fun way to show middle schoolers that pushing down those uncomfortable feelings is the wrong strategy. Acknowledging them and devising strategies to deal with them works better. The back matter recommends books for kids as well as adults who may need help in dealing with their feelings. Recommended middle grade read.
August 17, 2025
This book was selected for our Middle School reading program and I'm so excited to discuss this one with my students. What a prefect book to create discussion on the complexity of emotions.
The main character, Mackenzie, lives in a community that is always happy. The town rules state that citizens are always happy and positive...no bad feelings allowed! It reminds me of Stepford Wives or the city in The Truman Show. But Mackenzie shows her true feelings, though, with an aura of colors that everyone can see. She does her best to not show the "bad colors."
"...how real can a friendship be if all you do is smile and agree? Maybe true friends should know your true feelings, even if those feelings might hurt theirs."
The main character, Mackenzie, lives in a community that is always happy. The town rules state that citizens are always happy and positive...no bad feelings allowed! It reminds me of Stepford Wives or the city in The Truman Show. But Mackenzie shows her true feelings, though, with an aura of colors that everyone can see. She does her best to not show the "bad colors."
"...how real can a friendship be if all you do is smile and agree? Maybe true friends should know your true feelings, even if those feelings might hurt theirs."
March 12, 2024
Mackenzie and her family moved to the small town of Serenity when she was just five years old. Everything is perfect in Serenity and people are only ever happy and positive.
At least that’s how it appears, except for Mackenzie who has a haze that visibly displays the spectrum of her feelings like an aura.
However when feeling overwhelmed her haze explodes and suddenly most of the town also has their feelings on display and they’re not all cheery.
This was a great middle grade novel about the importance of feeling all the feelings and avoiding toxic positivity. Also excellent resources at the end for kids and parents (and a yummy cookie recipe!).
At least that’s how it appears, except for Mackenzie who has a haze that visibly displays the spectrum of her feelings like an aura.
However when feeling overwhelmed her haze explodes and suddenly most of the town also has their feelings on display and they’re not all cheery.
This was a great middle grade novel about the importance of feeling all the feelings and avoiding toxic positivity. Also excellent resources at the end for kids and parents (and a yummy cookie recipe!).
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