National Network for Equitable Library Service

Fifteen-year-old Aura Ambrose has been hiding a secret. Her mother, a talented artist and art teacher, is slowly being consumed by schizophrenia, and Aura has been her sole caretaker ever since Aura's dad left them. Convinced that "creative" equals crazy, Aura shuns her own artistic talent. But as her mother sinks deeper into the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet draws Aura toward the depths of her imagination. Just as desperation threatens to swallow her whole, Aura discovers that art, love and family are profoundly linked—and together may offer an escape from her fears. Praise: "Breathtakingly, gut-wrenchingly authentic... A haunting, realistic view of the melding of art, creativity, and mental illness and their collective impact on a young person’s life." —BOOKLIST, starred review "Any story about mental illness will not be an easy read, but a very good one will reward those who stick with it. A Blue So Dark definitely falls in that category, so powerful is the empathy the author has built for her main character." —SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL "An excellent first novel—a definite must-read. Schindler's debut novel is a lyrical tapestry... a work of poetry." —VOYA "This story provides a realistic viewpoint of a teen living with a schizophrenic parent. Schindler shows how one teen copes with her ill mother, while trying to juggle the demands of school." —ALAN ONLINE