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Eleven Kinds of Blue
An art-obsessed twelve-year-old learns to paint outside the lines to confront her fears and find her strength when her depressed mom’s disastrous boyfriend moves in.
Twelve-year-old Margot Stafford is an observer and an artist, far different from her activist older brother and idol, Eli. She spends her time drawing and painting on her own and hanging out with her best friend, Suzanne. Her art class—taught by the eccentric Mr. Grunwald—is the one place where Margot can truly be herself. But even there, she holds on to worries about her depressed mother, whose boyfriend, JP, moves into their house and seems to change her mom in ways Margot can’t understand.
JP becomes harsh and quick-tempered, and Eli is too busy to notice. For Margot, neither school nor home feels good right now. Trouble in Math class has forced her into an after-school tutoring program that she resents. And if all that weren’t enough, Suzanne is drifting into another friend group and leaving Margot even more alone.
But the words of Mr. Grunwald give her confidence in her own art … and in her ability to recognize the beauty around her. A chance discovery in an abandoned art studio inspires Margot to follow a new path. Slowly, she finds that just as neglected artwork can be restored and celebrated … neglected people can be restored and celebrated, too.
The story of Margot brings to light the rich imagination of a child who finds herself adjacent to mental illness. With equal parts heartache and hope, this debut novel about one girl and her resilience is also a colorful picture of family love, even in the face of crisis.
"In her debut work, Wolff, with her own sharp eye, effectively conveys both the overwhelming feelings that come from being hypervigilant, with details piling up one after another, and the wonder of being absorbed in a work of art."—School Library Journal
Twelve-year-old Margot Stafford is an observer and an artist, far different from her activist older brother and idol, Eli. She spends her time drawing and painting on her own and hanging out with her best friend, Suzanne. Her art class—taught by the eccentric Mr. Grunwald—is the one place where Margot can truly be herself. But even there, she holds on to worries about her depressed mother, whose boyfriend, JP, moves into their house and seems to change her mom in ways Margot can’t understand.
JP becomes harsh and quick-tempered, and Eli is too busy to notice. For Margot, neither school nor home feels good right now. Trouble in Math class has forced her into an after-school tutoring program that she resents. And if all that weren’t enough, Suzanne is drifting into another friend group and leaving Margot even more alone.
But the words of Mr. Grunwald give her confidence in her own art … and in her ability to recognize the beauty around her. A chance discovery in an abandoned art studio inspires Margot to follow a new path. Slowly, she finds that just as neglected artwork can be restored and celebrated … neglected people can be restored and celebrated, too.
The story of Margot brings to light the rich imagination of a child who finds herself adjacent to mental illness. With equal parts heartache and hope, this debut novel about one girl and her resilience is also a colorful picture of family love, even in the face of crisis.
"In her debut work, Wolff, with her own sharp eye, effectively conveys both the overwhelming feelings that come from being hypervigilant, with details piling up one after another, and the wonder of being absorbed in a work of art."—School Library Journal
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Published July 7, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 16, 2026
This book seems to have been written by an adult who has read a lot of YA stories but not spent much time around real teens. It follows the standard list format. The girl has to name 11 kinds of blue to fulfill an assignment from her saintly art teacher and, while doing so, she experiences personal growth.
Besides the familiar plot device, I had issues with the villain. He was no prince, but after 20 years of teaching teenagers, I can tell you that a whole lot of kids wish their moms' new boyfriends were only as bad as JP.
The main character -- I can't even remember her name -- was a self-absorbed brat who never got any consequences for her behavior.
Younger readers new to the YA market might enjoy this one, but anyone who's read a few teen books will see where this is going pretty quickly.
Besides the familiar plot device, I had issues with the villain. He was no prince, but after 20 years of teaching teenagers, I can tell you that a whole lot of kids wish their moms' new boyfriends were only as bad as JP.
The main character -- I can't even remember her name -- was a self-absorbed brat who never got any consequences for her behavior.
Younger readers new to the YA market might enjoy this one, but anyone who's read a few teen books will see where this is going pretty quickly.
July 29, 2026
I would classify this as a middle school book. It contains some big topics- depression, job loss, verbal abuse and several cuss words. Margot’s mom has depression and hasn’t had a job for a while. When her mom’s boyfriend JP moves in, things go from bad to worse. Margot is an artist and the author does a great job using artistic expression in her writing- lots of similes and metaphors. She did a great job describing things through an artists eye. You can tell she really loves and appreciates art. Margot loves and feels responsible for her mom. That’s relatable to some kids. Margot’s mom is clueless about what her daughter is doing or where she’s going and Margot doesn’t have consequences for her actions. This story shows the reality of friends drifting apart. I read it as an audio book and I liked the narrators voices.
Recommended for grades 6-8 for fans of realistic fiction.
Recommended for grades 6-8 for fans of realistic fiction.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Margot Stafford's father died before she was born, and her mother, Ruth-Ann, who has recently lost her job as a kindergarten teacher, has struggled with depression. Margot and her older brother Eli try to help as much as possible, but have their own interests. Margot's best friend, Suzanne, and her mother, Joan, try to help as well. School isn't Margot's favorite place, but she does enjoy art class with Mr. Grunwald, even if she isn't wild about some of the assignments, like mixing different shades of one color and naming them. When Ruth-Ann's current boyfriend, JP, moves in, the kids are wary. JP is a landscaper who has lost his daughter (a student of Ruth-Ann's) is a freak accident, and he is temperamental and often controlling. Hoping to show her mother that she doesn't need JP's help, Margot visits a new local art gallery to apply for a job. The owner, Alice, offers to let her work off the cost of a vase she has broken by cleaning the upstairs annex, and then to continue for minimum wage under the table. Margot is entranced by the gallery and her proximity to art, and when she finds six prints, takes them home and frames them herself, hoping to prove her worth to Alice. Suzanne is busy with her own activities, and Margot is trying to balance working at the gallery with watching out for her mother. She does meet Lex at a tutoring group that JP makes her attend in order to improve her math skills, and is enthralled with the carefree way Lex approaches life. When things with JP and the gallery reach a crisis point, Margot realizes that she needs help dealing with her mother, and is helped by Joan. Things end happily, with Ruth-Ann being offered a job running a town-sponsored art program at the gallery.
Strengths: It would be great if there were more middle grade books with children who had jobs; it would be great if more middle grade students were trusted to have jobs. Babysitting, lawn mowing, dog walking, and cleaning are all things that tweens should be able to do to earn money and experience. Cleaning out an art annex would be fascinating, and Margot does enjoy it. Navigating changing middle school friendships is also something that interests young readers, so Lex and her different approach to life (She has a tattoo! And used to live in the city! Her parents are interesting!) is quite intriguing. There's some adventure, and the very real problem of dealing with a parent who needs help. Having Joan around was reassuring and helpful. Despite the heavy quality of a lot of the storyline, there is a happy ending.
Weaknesses: This would have been a fresher and more upbeat story without the inclusion of not only the deceased father (whose overalls Margot wears every day), but of JP's daughter, who was crushed under a folding table of casseroles at a family gathering. The inclusion of so much grief slowed the story down. This is always my pet peeve, so other readers may not agree. I also found it a bit disturbing that there were few consequences for Margot taking the paintings or for moving JP's things specifically to annoy him, since this had rather serious consequences.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who found Braden's The Benefits of Being an Octopus or Keller's The Science of Breakable Things interesting.
Margot Stafford's father died before she was born, and her mother, Ruth-Ann, who has recently lost her job as a kindergarten teacher, has struggled with depression. Margot and her older brother Eli try to help as much as possible, but have their own interests. Margot's best friend, Suzanne, and her mother, Joan, try to help as well. School isn't Margot's favorite place, but she does enjoy art class with Mr. Grunwald, even if she isn't wild about some of the assignments, like mixing different shades of one color and naming them. When Ruth-Ann's current boyfriend, JP, moves in, the kids are wary. JP is a landscaper who has lost his daughter (a student of Ruth-Ann's) is a freak accident, and he is temperamental and often controlling. Hoping to show her mother that she doesn't need JP's help, Margot visits a new local art gallery to apply for a job. The owner, Alice, offers to let her work off the cost of a vase she has broken by cleaning the upstairs annex, and then to continue for minimum wage under the table. Margot is entranced by the gallery and her proximity to art, and when she finds six prints, takes them home and frames them herself, hoping to prove her worth to Alice. Suzanne is busy with her own activities, and Margot is trying to balance working at the gallery with watching out for her mother. She does meet Lex at a tutoring group that JP makes her attend in order to improve her math skills, and is enthralled with the carefree way Lex approaches life. When things with JP and the gallery reach a crisis point, Margot realizes that she needs help dealing with her mother, and is helped by Joan. Things end happily, with Ruth-Ann being offered a job running a town-sponsored art program at the gallery.
Strengths: It would be great if there were more middle grade books with children who had jobs; it would be great if more middle grade students were trusted to have jobs. Babysitting, lawn mowing, dog walking, and cleaning are all things that tweens should be able to do to earn money and experience. Cleaning out an art annex would be fascinating, and Margot does enjoy it. Navigating changing middle school friendships is also something that interests young readers, so Lex and her different approach to life (She has a tattoo! And used to live in the city! Her parents are interesting!) is quite intriguing. There's some adventure, and the very real problem of dealing with a parent who needs help. Having Joan around was reassuring and helpful. Despite the heavy quality of a lot of the storyline, there is a happy ending.
Weaknesses: This would have been a fresher and more upbeat story without the inclusion of not only the deceased father (whose overalls Margot wears every day), but of JP's daughter, who was crushed under a folding table of casseroles at a family gathering. The inclusion of so much grief slowed the story down. This is always my pet peeve, so other readers may not agree. I also found it a bit disturbing that there were few consequences for Margot taking the paintings or for moving JP's things specifically to annoy him, since this had rather serious consequences.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who found Braden's The Benefits of Being an Octopus or Keller's The Science of Breakable Things interesting.
Review of advance copy
Margot's family has been going through some tough times, what with her single mother losing her job, and issues with her mother's depression. Margot finds refuge in art, as she loves painting and her art class at school, and aspires to be an artist. But then she gets forced into an after-school youth tutoring group she didn't want to do, and her mother's controlling-boyfriend-with-anger-issues moves in and starts belittling everything her mother does, her older brother seems oblivious, and her best friend seems to be making new friends. Margot finds help in befriending wild-child Lex at her group, and in getting a part-time job at a new art gallery in town. When she makes a discovery there, she has some decisions to make--and what will happen if she makes the wrong one?
The part of this I liked best was the art teacher's assignment about finding and naming eleven different shades of one color, and how Margot found her eleven blues, all connected to various parts of her life. I also liked how she saw art, and loved it. Beyond that, though, this felt as though too many components were crammed into one story, so none of the storylines really got enough weight. Some of the storylines also felt a bit expected, though that's not unusual in middle school fiction--similar themes crop up over and over because they happen to so many kids, like best friends pulling away, and kids won't have read as many books about them as I have! But I do like a book that can surprise me, and there are a lot of books about kids with artistic abilities and aspirations, kids with difficult home lives, etc. I guess this didn't surprise me enough? But the art storyline felt the strongest. Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
The part of this I liked best was the art teacher's assignment about finding and naming eleven different shades of one color, and how Margot found her eleven blues, all connected to various parts of her life. I also liked how she saw art, and loved it. Beyond that, though, this felt as though too many components were crammed into one story, so none of the storylines really got enough weight. Some of the storylines also felt a bit expected, though that's not unusual in middle school fiction--similar themes crop up over and over because they happen to so many kids, like best friends pulling away, and kids won't have read as many books about them as I have! But I do like a book that can surprise me, and there are a lot of books about kids with artistic abilities and aspirations, kids with difficult home lives, etc. I guess this didn't surprise me enough? But the art storyline felt the strongest. Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
August 3, 2026
Margot has an art teacher that is inspiring her. When he asks the class to pick a color and identify eleven shades of it, Margot is ready and willing to explore those shades and colors and the facets of art that she finds beautiful. She even lands a job at an art gallery that helps her in more ways than one because things are getting serious at home. Her mother's new boyfriend who has moved in is unkind, abusive, and impossible to be around which leads her brother to leave the house often to find other places to be than home and her mom isn't ready yet to see what's happening in the house, even though it's attributable to a past trauma of his own.
It's a serious book with a focus (like Speak by Anderson) on how art can help heal). It's a little short, maybe unfinished but maybe it's that it spent a lot of time in the figurative instead of the literal.
It's a serious book with a focus (like Speak by Anderson) on how art can help heal). It's a little short, maybe unfinished but maybe it's that it spent a lot of time in the figurative instead of the literal.
July 8, 2026
I liked the idea of using different shades of blue to represent different emotions, and there were some thoughtful moments throughout the story. The book explores family struggles, and while things improve a little by the end, it felt a bit too depressing for my taste.
The tone also felt off at times—it often sounded more like an adult's perspective than an eleven or twelve-year-old's, which made the main character's voice hard for me to believe.
That said, I appreciated the creative symbolism, some heartfelt relationships, and the hopeful message that healing and change are possible, even if they're slow. Overall, it had good ideas, but the execution didn't quite work for me.
*a advanced copy was given to me, but all opinions are my own.
The tone also felt off at times—it often sounded more like an adult's perspective than an eleven or twelve-year-old's, which made the main character's voice hard for me to believe.
That said, I appreciated the creative symbolism, some heartfelt relationships, and the hopeful message that healing and change are possible, even if they're slow. Overall, it had good ideas, but the execution didn't quite work for me.
*a advanced copy was given to me, but all opinions are my own.
July 10, 2026
I would like to thank RB Media \ Recorded Books and NetGalley for a free ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I thought this was a pretty grown up and nuanced middle grade book, although I found it lacked a little something extra to keep a young person (or an old person like me) fully engaged the whole time. I liked the plot but it was delivered a little too blandly even for a somber subject matter (which this was). Overall, I would read more from this author, but this book didn't capture me as much as I wanted to be captured.
I thought this was a pretty grown up and nuanced middle grade book, although I found it lacked a little something extra to keep a young person (or an old person like me) fully engaged the whole time. I liked the plot but it was delivered a little too blandly even for a somber subject matter (which this was). Overall, I would read more from this author, but this book didn't capture me as much as I wanted to be captured.
August 28, 2026
This was just okay. Good to see the mom's depression and resulting actions through Margot's eyes. The side story with the art gallery and new fun friend was a bit over the top. Many middle grade books deal with friends drifting apart. I appreciated the different direction that the author went on that topic. Thanks to libro.fm for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
July 15, 2026
Listened to the audiobook of this and I loved it! Very engaging narration and an easy to follow and interesting story. I loved how the narrator always gave JP such an arrogant and aggressive tone which made me feel so uncomfortable to listen to - really highlighted what a nasty character he was!
August 10, 2026
Ive read more middle grade books that I love more. I wasn't connected or drawn into the story at all. Every relationship ship felt pretty surface level even tho there were heavy things as happening. Mental health, physical and mental abuse.
July 19, 2026
A good middle grade novel about art, growing up, and tough family dynamics. I think the author handled verbal abuse in an age appropriate way.
July 23, 2026
Excellent audiobook. The protagonist acted her age and stage of life to a t. The friendships were very authentic, and the story was engrossing.
August 1, 2026
I really did not like this book. It felt inauthentic and I hated every single character. There were so many plot holes and storylines that didn’t make sense.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews