Out of the Blue

by Sarah Ellis

Never in a million years could Megan have predicted the surprise she gets for her 12th birthday. She first senses something’s up when her organized, never-waste-a-minute mother becomes “this soft, slow person” who sings happy songs. Soon Megan learns why: she has a half-sister. It seems that when Megan’s mother was a teenager, she had a baby who she gave up for adoption. But now she and 24-year-old Natalie have reestablished contact, and Natalie is coming to meet the family. Although Megan’s little sister, Betsy, is thrilled at the idea of being a flower girl in her new big sister’s wedding, Megan is not as enthusiastic. She grows increasingly resentful and anxious as her mother becomes totally absorbed in Natalie. Even more troubling is Megan’s nagging worry that she can no longer trust her parents. If they didn’t tell her about Natalie, can she ever believe anything else they say? As in her previous works, author Sarah Ellis keenly observes the nuances of relationships within families and the effects of change on those relationships.

Genres: Childrens, Canada

120 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Writer, columnist, and librarian Sarah Ellis has become one of the best-known authors for young adults in her native Canada with titles such as The Baby Project, Pick-Up Sticks, and Back of Beyond: Stories of the Supernatural. In addition to young adult novels, Ellis has also written for younger children and has authored several books about the craft of writing. Praised by Booklist contributor Hazel Rochman as "one of the best children's literature critics," Ellis "writes without condescension or pedantry. . . . Her prose is a delight: plain, witty, practical, wise."

Ellis was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in 1952, the youngest of three children in her family. As she once noted, "[My] joy in embroidering the truth probably comes from my own childhood. My father was a rich mine of anecdotes and jokes. He knew more variations on the 'once there were three men in a rowboat' joke than anyone I've encountered since.

Reviews

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book for $.25 at the Friends of the Library book sale. I’m not sure why it was withdrawn from the shelves.

Sarah Ellis is a wonderful Canadian writer who I met through CLNE (Children’s Literature New England).
This is a YA book perfect for girls 11+. Sarah gets inside of twelve-year-old Megan with compassion and insight. A lovely read.

[Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long lost adopted daughter is revealed to family.

[Amanda Skinner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read much Sarah Ellis. From what I have heard she is a very dependable author. I enjoyed the book until the end. I am sorry to say it left me a little cold.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story. I read this book years ago with our daughter, and took it out for our granddaughter to read. It's a lovely story, funny at times in a real modern family situation and I would rate it as 4.5. I thought the ending should have included a bit more of the family history going forward.\

I would recommend it for ages 7 to Senior. I am quite senior and gots lots of smiles from it.