This emotional and evocative novel explores the lives of three young women. Madeline, Desiree, and Ariel - who narrate alternating chapters - may live in separate decades, but they struggle with issues that transcend time and place. Madeline is worn down by caring for her alcoholic mother and has been teased since childhood for being overweight. Angry, foul-mouthed Desiree will do anything to avoid her neglectful mother and the unwanted advances of her mother's boyfriend. And sensitive Ariel struggles with the pressures of taking AP classes and coping with a domineering boyfriend. As the girls' individual stories progress, the truth unfolds that they are actually three generations of one family. And when the tales ultimately intersect, present-day Ariel's breakthrough is also a triumph for her mother and grandmother. Beautifully written and impossible to put down, "Blue Plate Special" offers teen readers a fresh look at familiar topics, while also imparting a powerful message about self-respect, empathy, and forgiveness.

 

This book is the winner of numerous awards. It was recognised by the Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award. It was recognised in the YA category by the South Carolina Childrens Junior and Young Adult Book Award. It also was recognised by the Sequoyah Book Award. It was recognised in the Fiction - YA category by the Cybils Award. The Cybils Awards is a group of readers passionate about seeking out and recognizing books that represent diversity, inclusion, and appropriate representation for children and teens. To accomplish that goal, the Cybils Awards works to recognize books written for children and young adults that combine both the highest literary merit and popular appeal.

There are 304 pages in this book. This book was published 2009 by Chronicle Books .

Michelle Kwasney was born and raised in the Finger Lakes region of New York State and has taught art in public schools for over twenty years. Her first novel, BABY BLUE (Henry Holt, 2004, 978-0805070507), was named a Booksense Pick and earned the New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age distinction. Her second novel, ITCH, was published in April 2008 (Henry Holt, 978-0805080834). Michelle currently lives in Northampton, Massachusetts where she writes and continues to teach art.