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One Plus One Equals Blue
Twelve year-old Basil knows he’s special—he’s been associating numbers with colors since he was a kid. His gift (or curse) has turned him into somewhat of a loner, but his world begins to change when he meets Tenzie, the new girl in school who has similar freakisms. She, too, has synesthesia (a condition in which one type of stimulation evokes the sensation of another). At first, Basil is somewhat annoyed with Tenzie’s pushiness, but after Basil’s estranged mother returns, his life is turned upside down . . . and Tenzie may be the only person to help him put it back together again.
Once again, MJ Auch has written a thoughtful coming-of-age novel that explores friendship, family, and fitting in.
Once again, MJ Auch has written a thoughtful coming-of-age novel that explores friendship, family, and fitting in.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published April 30, 2013
17 people are currently reading
983 people want to read
About the author
Mary Jane Auch
48books68followersMary Jane Auch also writes as MJ Auch.
The thought of becoming a writer never occurred to MJ Auch as a child. Her only literary efforts in those days were the plays which she and her girlfriend, Noreen, wrote for their marionettes. They produced these extravaganzas in Noreen’s garage and organized the neighborhood boys into a sales force to sell tickets and refreshments.
Summer visits to both of MJ’s grandmothers led to her fascination with chickens. One grandmother had a small backyard flock and the other grandmother and two bachelor uncles had a large farm that supplied eggs to half of Long Island. MJ learned that a flock of chickens had almost the same range of personalities that could be found in a classroom, from the quiet, shy chicken to the big bully.
MJ loved books and read constantly. She wrote stories, drawn in comic book style with speech balloons for the dialog. Her interest in drawing continued through high school, and she went on to become an art major at Skidmore College. After graduation, MJ headed for New York City to seek fame and fortune, but after a year of designing prints for men's pajamas, she decided she wanted to do something more meaningful with her life. She enrolled in the Occupational Therapy program at Columbia University, which led to some wonderful years of working in a children's hospital near Hartford, Connecticut.
On a brief stop home to visit her parents before transferring to a new job in Denver, she met Herm Auch, a graphic artist and editorial cartoonist for the Rochester newspaper. It was love at first sight, and MJ never made it to Denver. They were married in 1967 and within a few years had produced a daughter, Katrin and a son, Ian. They moved from the city to a small farm, complete with chickens, ducks, and geese. Armed with a huge collection of Mother Earth News and absolutely no practical experience, they tackled farm life with gusto, gaining much comedy material for books MJ’s future books.
As the children grew older, MJ began to look for work in her original field of art. Like Jenna's mother in Mom Is Dating Weird Wayne, she had a brief stint as a “zit zapper� at a school picture factory. Then she started illustrating for Pennywhistle Press, a national children's newspaper, and this sparked her interest in illustrating children’s books.
In the summer of 1984, MJ took a week-long children's writing conference on Cape Cod. She tried to write a picture book manuscript to take to the conference, but instead found herself writing a middle-grade novel. When her instructor, Natalie Babbitt, told of starting out as an artist and finding she could paint better pictures with words, something clicked. MJ finally knew that she wanted to a writer.
She started sending manuscripts to publishers, writing four full-length novels before she sold the first one. Then she sold a second book to another publisher that same week. It had taken two years and thirteen rejections, but MJ had finally reached her goal!mShe continued writing books for older kids and abandoned her dream of illustrating for a while. Then, after nine books, she wrote and illustrated The Easter Egg Farm. This set in motion a series of picture books featuring poultry involved in the arts.
The Auchs have now become a family of artists. Their children are grown and pursuing art careers of their own. Kat, a graphic artist, is now working as Associate Art Director for Scrapbook Answers Magazine in San Francisco. Ian has been a graphic artist and 3-D animator and is now Assistant New Media Editor for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle newspaper. Ian is also a metal artist and created the chicken-sized beauty parlor chair for [b:Beauty and the Beaks|1918127|Beaut
The thought of becoming a writer never occurred to MJ Auch as a child. Her only literary efforts in those days were the plays which she and her girlfriend, Noreen, wrote for their marionettes. They produced these extravaganzas in Noreen’s garage and organized the neighborhood boys into a sales force to sell tickets and refreshments.
Summer visits to both of MJ’s grandmothers led to her fascination with chickens. One grandmother had a small backyard flock and the other grandmother and two bachelor uncles had a large farm that supplied eggs to half of Long Island. MJ learned that a flock of chickens had almost the same range of personalities that could be found in a classroom, from the quiet, shy chicken to the big bully.
MJ loved books and read constantly. She wrote stories, drawn in comic book style with speech balloons for the dialog. Her interest in drawing continued through high school, and she went on to become an art major at Skidmore College. After graduation, MJ headed for New York City to seek fame and fortune, but after a year of designing prints for men's pajamas, she decided she wanted to do something more meaningful with her life. She enrolled in the Occupational Therapy program at Columbia University, which led to some wonderful years of working in a children's hospital near Hartford, Connecticut.
On a brief stop home to visit her parents before transferring to a new job in Denver, she met Herm Auch, a graphic artist and editorial cartoonist for the Rochester newspaper. It was love at first sight, and MJ never made it to Denver. They were married in 1967 and within a few years had produced a daughter, Katrin and a son, Ian. They moved from the city to a small farm, complete with chickens, ducks, and geese. Armed with a huge collection of Mother Earth News and absolutely no practical experience, they tackled farm life with gusto, gaining much comedy material for books MJ’s future books.
As the children grew older, MJ began to look for work in her original field of art. Like Jenna's mother in Mom Is Dating Weird Wayne, she had a brief stint as a “zit zapper� at a school picture factory. Then she started illustrating for Pennywhistle Press, a national children's newspaper, and this sparked her interest in illustrating children’s books.
In the summer of 1984, MJ took a week-long children's writing conference on Cape Cod. She tried to write a picture book manuscript to take to the conference, but instead found herself writing a middle-grade novel. When her instructor, Natalie Babbitt, told of starting out as an artist and finding she could paint better pictures with words, something clicked. MJ finally knew that she wanted to a writer.
She started sending manuscripts to publishers, writing four full-length novels before she sold the first one. Then she sold a second book to another publisher that same week. It had taken two years and thirteen rejections, but MJ had finally reached her goal!mShe continued writing books for older kids and abandoned her dream of illustrating for a while. Then, after nine books, she wrote and illustrated The Easter Egg Farm. This set in motion a series of picture books featuring poultry involved in the arts.
The Auchs have now become a family of artists. Their children are grown and pursuing art careers of their own. Kat, a graphic artist, is now working as Associate Art Director for Scrapbook Answers Magazine in San Francisco. Ian has been a graphic artist and 3-D animator and is now Assistant New Media Editor for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle newspaper. Ian is also a metal artist and created the chicken-sized beauty parlor chair for [b:Beauty and the Beaks|1918127|Beaut
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
April 30, 2013
What lured me to One Plus One Equals Blue was the fact that the two main characters both have synesthesia, which I find fascinating and magical. Though One Plus One Equals Blue did not turn out to focus heavily on synesthesia itself, this novel is still a great read, and one sure to please middle grade readers. Auch's novel focuses primarily on accepting oneself and learning to appreciate the good things in life.
Since I read so much young adult fiction, it's always nice to read middle grade, which generally focuses more on family dynamics and friendship than on romance. Basil Feeney is an outcast. Having been homsechooled up until the seventh grade, he had little chance of popularity. However, what sealed his fate as the biggest loser in school was when he told his friend why he was so bad at math: the numbers appear to him as colors, and some of the colors are repeated. Ever since, he's been a freak, isolated from everyone else.
When a weird new girl, Tenzie, arrives, she throws his world for a loop. She sits at his lunch table (errr, desk), joins him on the bus, and invites herself over after school. Tenzie is just about the biggest pest he could ever imagine, and the cover captures his early attitude perfectly. He doesn't want her to get him noticed, and doesn't want to get close to her only to have her make fun of him later for being a freak. Plus, she takes his grandmother's attention away from him where it belongs.
When he realizes that she also sees numbers as colors, though, they really begin to develop a friendship. With some research, he realizes that they are not alone, and that what they are is synesthetic. I loved that, though they had somewhat similar synesthesia, it functioned quite differently for both of them, giving me a better idea of how varied synesthesia can be. The story shifts then from his friendship with Tenzie, though they do continue to grow closer throughout, with little setbacks along the way. Their friendship is very well-handled.
The rest of the book focuses on Basil's, and to a lesser degree Tenzie's, familial relationships. Basil never knew his father, was abandoned by his mother who went to Hollywood to pursue her dreams of being a star, and was raised by his Gram. Shortly after his life was changed by the introduction of the indefatigable Tenzie, he's thrown for a loop once again, when his mother makes her first appearance in seven years.
Carly Feeney is every bit the unreliable, neglectful mother so common in fiction. She has itchy feet, and likes the idea of being a caring mother much better than the reality of a sulky kid, which, even at the best of times, Basil rather is. Carly sweeps everyone else off their feet, though, helping out with the school play. Tenzie, especially, looks up to Carly, desperate for affection and affection, since her parents ignore her. Basil is torn between hope that his mom will finally love him and wishing she would just leave. All the poor parenting is a bit trite, but at least Basil's grandmother is loving and supportive, and also a totally awesome hippie, who listens to The Beatles and makes stained glass.
With well-drawn characters and realistic emotional arcs, One Plus One Equals Blue is a touching story of teenage outcasts finding one another and coming to terms with their family situations.
Since I read so much young adult fiction, it's always nice to read middle grade, which generally focuses more on family dynamics and friendship than on romance. Basil Feeney is an outcast. Having been homsechooled up until the seventh grade, he had little chance of popularity. However, what sealed his fate as the biggest loser in school was when he told his friend why he was so bad at math: the numbers appear to him as colors, and some of the colors are repeated. Ever since, he's been a freak, isolated from everyone else.
When a weird new girl, Tenzie, arrives, she throws his world for a loop. She sits at his lunch table (errr, desk), joins him on the bus, and invites herself over after school. Tenzie is just about the biggest pest he could ever imagine, and the cover captures his early attitude perfectly. He doesn't want her to get him noticed, and doesn't want to get close to her only to have her make fun of him later for being a freak. Plus, she takes his grandmother's attention away from him where it belongs.
When he realizes that she also sees numbers as colors, though, they really begin to develop a friendship. With some research, he realizes that they are not alone, and that what they are is synesthetic. I loved that, though they had somewhat similar synesthesia, it functioned quite differently for both of them, giving me a better idea of how varied synesthesia can be. The story shifts then from his friendship with Tenzie, though they do continue to grow closer throughout, with little setbacks along the way. Their friendship is very well-handled.
The rest of the book focuses on Basil's, and to a lesser degree Tenzie's, familial relationships. Basil never knew his father, was abandoned by his mother who went to Hollywood to pursue her dreams of being a star, and was raised by his Gram. Shortly after his life was changed by the introduction of the indefatigable Tenzie, he's thrown for a loop once again, when his mother makes her first appearance in seven years.
Carly Feeney is every bit the unreliable, neglectful mother so common in fiction. She has itchy feet, and likes the idea of being a caring mother much better than the reality of a sulky kid, which, even at the best of times, Basil rather is. Carly sweeps everyone else off their feet, though, helping out with the school play. Tenzie, especially, looks up to Carly, desperate for affection and affection, since her parents ignore her. Basil is torn between hope that his mom will finally love him and wishing she would just leave. All the poor parenting is a bit trite, but at least Basil's grandmother is loving and supportive, and also a totally awesome hippie, who listens to The Beatles and makes stained glass.
With well-drawn characters and realistic emotional arcs, One Plus One Equals Blue is a touching story of teenage outcasts finding one another and coming to terms with their family situations.
October 7, 2022
Oh, I wanted to love this. And so much of it is charming. But it's really a MG book (not YA, as shelved by my library and as cover art implies) and is just too simple, too earnest, too sunny, to warrant 4 stars. Teens, with angst, more smarts or at least experience, and more independence, would have told the story better, imo.
But then, maybe I had the wrong expectations. I think I'll reread it.
But then, maybe I had the wrong expectations. I think I'll reread it.
October 20, 2022
I specifically decided to read Mary Jane Auch's 2013 One Plus One Equals Blue because the book synopsis on ŷ and on Amazon certainly seems to indicate that Auch's featured story would be focussing primarily on synethesia (and that I find how for some individuals numbers etc. are associated with colours, smells, sounds and textures, that there is sensory confusion being encountered, an intriguing scenario and possibility). However, that both main protagonist and first person narrator Basil and his new classmate Tenzie have synethesia, well, this is not at all a major theme in One Plus One Equals Blue but rather appears to be (at least in my humble opinion) mostly just some kind of rather basic narrative tool Mary Jane Auch makes use of to have Basil and Tenzie become friends and kindred spirits (and to be honest, while I understand Basil's math oriented synethesia, Tenzie's numbers and colour grid, totally mathematics zero I just cannot really understand and find massively confusing).
And indeed, after they, after Basil and Tenzie discover that for both of them, ALL numbers have and rather are associated with different colours, there is unfortunately and annoyingly subsequently hardly any mention AT ALL regarding synethesia encountered in One Plus One Equals Blue and with Auch's story just featuring mostly painfully predictable instances of family dysfunction, parental neglect and that the school drama department and how Basil's returning failed actress mother is majorly wreaking havoc seems to be much more important and much more to be considered than Basil's and Tenzie's colour and numbers associations (which I certainly have found not only kind of ridiculous but also majorly aggravating and misleading if one considers the book title being what it is, since One Plus One Equals Blue obviously and of course shows only numbers and a colour and thus for me totally says and leads readers to expect a primary synethesia focus).
And combined with the fact that for me, both Basil's first person narration and in fact every single character encountered within the pages of One Plus One Equals Blue feel and read gratingly on the surface, simplistic and as such also not exhibiting much if any nuance, no, said lack of textual developmental in One Plus One Equals Blue (and that the from the novel's title promised and described synethesia is only basically simply a rather momentary blip from Mary Jane Auch's pen), yes, One Plus One Equals Blue has been a decidedly unenthusiastic and annoyingly humdrum low two star reading experience.
And indeed, after they, after Basil and Tenzie discover that for both of them, ALL numbers have and rather are associated with different colours, there is unfortunately and annoyingly subsequently hardly any mention AT ALL regarding synethesia encountered in One Plus One Equals Blue and with Auch's story just featuring mostly painfully predictable instances of family dysfunction, parental neglect and that the school drama department and how Basil's returning failed actress mother is majorly wreaking havoc seems to be much more important and much more to be considered than Basil's and Tenzie's colour and numbers associations (which I certainly have found not only kind of ridiculous but also majorly aggravating and misleading if one considers the book title being what it is, since One Plus One Equals Blue obviously and of course shows only numbers and a colour and thus for me totally says and leads readers to expect a primary synethesia focus).
And combined with the fact that for me, both Basil's first person narration and in fact every single character encountered within the pages of One Plus One Equals Blue feel and read gratingly on the surface, simplistic and as such also not exhibiting much if any nuance, no, said lack of textual developmental in One Plus One Equals Blue (and that the from the novel's title promised and described synethesia is only basically simply a rather momentary blip from Mary Jane Auch's pen), yes, One Plus One Equals Blue has been a decidedly unenthusiastic and annoyingly humdrum low two star reading experience.
April 23, 2013
One + One = Blue was, for me, one of those unassuming titles that just happened to creep into my life at the perfect time. When I received it, I thought the cover and premise were cute, and that it’d be one of those nice little contemporary middle grade stories about friendship and bonding over your similar differences from the larger group. I’d probably think it was good, but it probably wouldn’t stick with me for any length of time because, really, it’s just another contemporary middle grade. But then, the day I happened to sit down to read One + One = Blue also happened to be a day that I was inwardly raging about bad parents who were a drain on their children’s lives, and several hours later I looked up having turned the last page, finding MJ Auch’s latest to be one of the most cathartic reading experiences I’d had in some time.
A blurb that is somewhat misleading, One + One = Blue appears to be a novel about children with synesthesia and the bond of friendship that is formed when you realize that someone shares your “freakism�. For me, it was hardly about friendship at all–it was more a book about family dynamics, and realizing that where one belongs does not always follow the most traditional sense of family. The kids involved, Basil and Tenzie, just happen to have synesthesia, a neurological condition in which senses get crossed resulting in a person’s ability to experience sounds in relation to movement, taste in relation to texture, or, in this case, color in relation to numbers. Synesthesia creates a bond between the two characters, a gift MJ Auch shares herself, highlighting a rare but fascinating and varied condition in a way that adds to the story but is recognizably not the story itself.
Basil is a deeply introverted young man whose best and only friend is his grandmother who has raised him since his mother abandoned him to seek success in Hollywood years previously. When the new girl at school, Tenzie, barges her way into his life unasked and uninvited, Basil is torn between the joy of having a friend, and the strings that come with it. To me, Tenzie was never really a good friend to Basil. Raised as an only child in a family that is constantly moving, Tenzie feels as neglected and ignored at home as Basil does outside of his, and as a result she latches on to Basil and his home life firmly. She is a character so concerned with her own problems, that she shows little understanding or regard for Basil’s, pushing him into situations from her own perspective without considering his.
It is this tendency perhaps, that forges a bond between Tenzie and Basil’s mother, Carly, when Carly returns to Basil and her mother’s home after years of not making it in Hollywood. Carly too, sees little beyond her own needs and desires, seeing her son as selfish for wanting her to have been part of his life all of these years past.
One + One = Blue was so cathartic for me because it showed the reality that sometimes people don’t grow and change. A lot of the time, things aren’t all going to be okay simply because two people share a bond of genetics, and that there needs to be more there. In my mind, children should come first in every parent’s life, no matter how having that child may set back personal goals you had once set for yourself. In a case such as Carly’s where she is too selfish to be a competent, stable, and loving parent, I am so grateful to see that Basil had a loving home in his grandmother. The bond that Tenzie felt for Carly was heartbreaking for me, as it reflected how even in the most traditional homes children can feel neglect, and the confusion that can arise between attention and affection.
I don’t think that One + One = Blue is a book that will speak to all readers, but it will speak greatly to a particular audience. This is an excellent book to put into the hands of any kid being raised in a non-traditional situation–the kids who are justifiably angry over their parents� behavior. One + One = Blue helps to show that it is productive at times to accept a behavior and move on without dwelling or holding out hope for change. Alternatively, that it can be productive to begin a conversation about why a child is having difficulties at school or at home. It meant a lot to me on the day that I picked it up, and I know it will mean a lot to many young men and women who do the same.
I was very happy that MJ Auch included her gift of synesthesia in this novel through Basil and Tenzie. Here’s a short glimpse into Basil’s mind:
Listening to Tenzie try to spell her name, I realized for the first time that there was a “ten� in it, which was ridiculous, because ten is white/white, and white is quiet. It didn’t fit her at all. Not only did Tenzie wear a lot of loud colors, but her personality was like the brass section of a band. White would be somebody timid like Miss Chelmski, the assistant in the guidance office, who wrote hall passes when you were late for class.
Originally review posted at .
A blurb that is somewhat misleading, One + One = Blue appears to be a novel about children with synesthesia and the bond of friendship that is formed when you realize that someone shares your “freakism�. For me, it was hardly about friendship at all–it was more a book about family dynamics, and realizing that where one belongs does not always follow the most traditional sense of family. The kids involved, Basil and Tenzie, just happen to have synesthesia, a neurological condition in which senses get crossed resulting in a person’s ability to experience sounds in relation to movement, taste in relation to texture, or, in this case, color in relation to numbers. Synesthesia creates a bond between the two characters, a gift MJ Auch shares herself, highlighting a rare but fascinating and varied condition in a way that adds to the story but is recognizably not the story itself.
Basil is a deeply introverted young man whose best and only friend is his grandmother who has raised him since his mother abandoned him to seek success in Hollywood years previously. When the new girl at school, Tenzie, barges her way into his life unasked and uninvited, Basil is torn between the joy of having a friend, and the strings that come with it. To me, Tenzie was never really a good friend to Basil. Raised as an only child in a family that is constantly moving, Tenzie feels as neglected and ignored at home as Basil does outside of his, and as a result she latches on to Basil and his home life firmly. She is a character so concerned with her own problems, that she shows little understanding or regard for Basil’s, pushing him into situations from her own perspective without considering his.
It is this tendency perhaps, that forges a bond between Tenzie and Basil’s mother, Carly, when Carly returns to Basil and her mother’s home after years of not making it in Hollywood. Carly too, sees little beyond her own needs and desires, seeing her son as selfish for wanting her to have been part of his life all of these years past.
One + One = Blue was so cathartic for me because it showed the reality that sometimes people don’t grow and change. A lot of the time, things aren’t all going to be okay simply because two people share a bond of genetics, and that there needs to be more there. In my mind, children should come first in every parent’s life, no matter how having that child may set back personal goals you had once set for yourself. In a case such as Carly’s where she is too selfish to be a competent, stable, and loving parent, I am so grateful to see that Basil had a loving home in his grandmother. The bond that Tenzie felt for Carly was heartbreaking for me, as it reflected how even in the most traditional homes children can feel neglect, and the confusion that can arise between attention and affection.
I don’t think that One + One = Blue is a book that will speak to all readers, but it will speak greatly to a particular audience. This is an excellent book to put into the hands of any kid being raised in a non-traditional situation–the kids who are justifiably angry over their parents� behavior. One + One = Blue helps to show that it is productive at times to accept a behavior and move on without dwelling or holding out hope for change. Alternatively, that it can be productive to begin a conversation about why a child is having difficulties at school or at home. It meant a lot to me on the day that I picked it up, and I know it will mean a lot to many young men and women who do the same.
I was very happy that MJ Auch included her gift of synesthesia in this novel through Basil and Tenzie. Here’s a short glimpse into Basil’s mind:
Listening to Tenzie try to spell her name, I realized for the first time that there was a “ten� in it, which was ridiculous, because ten is white/white, and white is quiet. It didn’t fit her at all. Not only did Tenzie wear a lot of loud colors, but her personality was like the brass section of a band. White would be somebody timid like Miss Chelmski, the assistant in the guidance office, who wrote hall passes when you were late for class.
Originally review posted at .
June 26, 2017
This book was more about a kid looking for his mom than synesthesia. A little bit disappointed to be honest but a cute read I guess...
April 12, 2013
I was so excited when I picked up ONE + ONE = BLUE and saw that the book deals with synesthesia. When I read about the condition in R.J. Anderson’s ULTRAVIOLET I quickly became fascinated with how people associate every day things with colors, or taste emotions. Could imagine being able to smell fear? M.J. Auch didn’t delve into the logistics as much as I was hoping she would, but with this novel we got a really cute story about relationships and family.
Basil is a 12 year old boy who has just entered the public school system for the first time after being homeschooled by his grandmother. Quickly we see that he is having a lot of trouble in math due to his condition. When he looks at a worksheet instead of seeing numbers and problems, he sees a rainbow. What’s worse is that some numbers in his pallet have the exact same color (1 & 0 both being white for example.) I felt really bad as he struggled with keeping up with the students around him. It was quite frustrating at the same time because he just wouldn’t ask for help and instead tried to BS his way through everything. Through this and other aspects of his life it became clear that Basil was pretty thick headed and stubborn. Oftentimes I found myself really frustrated with him because he had a tendency to be downright rude. But we do get to see a softer side of him as Tenzie begins to break down the barriers that he has had up for so long. Tenzie had such a big personality, she knew who she was and didn’t follow all of the social norms. I liked what she brought out in Basil (or Pesto as she would have us call him.) She was an incredibly sweet girl who showed Basil that he wasn’t alone as she pretty much forced herself into his life.
As these two get to know each other we learn a lot about their families and things aren’t always great in that department. Tenzie’s story broke my heart. She had ever present parents but ones who didn’t pay attention to her at all. They were so tied up in their work and they didn’t make time for her. They were also pretty selfish, always putting what they needed first and what Tenzie needed (like school supplies) second. Basil’s home life had issues too. Sure he lived with his sweet grandmother (who was awesome and artsy by the way) but he was left there by her mother as she shipped off to pursue her Hollywood dreams. As you can probably imagine, circumstance sets Basil and Tenzie off on an adventure that brings them and their families together in a great way.
A fun story about relationships and characters, ONE + ONE = BLUE is a sweet story for any middle grader. It is definitely one of the more simplistic and innocent stories I have read in the genre but it was a fun read nonetheless. I do wish we had gotten more about the synesthesia that Tenzie and Basil both had because I feel like for much of the story that was put on the back burner and only mentioned here and there. Touching lightly on junior high bullying and heavily on the importance of family this is a cute story that is sure to please any young reader.
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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You can read all of my reviews at .
Basil is a 12 year old boy who has just entered the public school system for the first time after being homeschooled by his grandmother. Quickly we see that he is having a lot of trouble in math due to his condition. When he looks at a worksheet instead of seeing numbers and problems, he sees a rainbow. What’s worse is that some numbers in his pallet have the exact same color (1 & 0 both being white for example.) I felt really bad as he struggled with keeping up with the students around him. It was quite frustrating at the same time because he just wouldn’t ask for help and instead tried to BS his way through everything. Through this and other aspects of his life it became clear that Basil was pretty thick headed and stubborn. Oftentimes I found myself really frustrated with him because he had a tendency to be downright rude. But we do get to see a softer side of him as Tenzie begins to break down the barriers that he has had up for so long. Tenzie had such a big personality, she knew who she was and didn’t follow all of the social norms. I liked what she brought out in Basil (or Pesto as she would have us call him.) She was an incredibly sweet girl who showed Basil that he wasn’t alone as she pretty much forced herself into his life.
As these two get to know each other we learn a lot about their families and things aren’t always great in that department. Tenzie’s story broke my heart. She had ever present parents but ones who didn’t pay attention to her at all. They were so tied up in their work and they didn’t make time for her. They were also pretty selfish, always putting what they needed first and what Tenzie needed (like school supplies) second. Basil’s home life had issues too. Sure he lived with his sweet grandmother (who was awesome and artsy by the way) but he was left there by her mother as she shipped off to pursue her Hollywood dreams. As you can probably imagine, circumstance sets Basil and Tenzie off on an adventure that brings them and their families together in a great way.
A fun story about relationships and characters, ONE + ONE = BLUE is a sweet story for any middle grader. It is definitely one of the more simplistic and innocent stories I have read in the genre but it was a fun read nonetheless. I do wish we had gotten more about the synesthesia that Tenzie and Basil both had because I feel like for much of the story that was put on the back burner and only mentioned here and there. Touching lightly on junior high bullying and heavily on the importance of family this is a cute story that is sure to please any young reader.
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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You can read all of my reviews at .
March 25, 2013
Meet Basil. He has got synesthesia which is an interesting disorder that causes you to experience two sensations at the same time (ish). He’s 12 years old and also, rather firmly, attached to his position as the class loser. Then there’s Tenzie. She’s also 12 and she also has synesthesia.
Both of them have parental issues. Basil’s mom abandoned him when he was a baby and he has no idea who his dad is. But he lives with his grandmother who is pretty darned cool in a superawesome house. Tenzie’s situation is a bit sadder because even though both her parents are very much present and accounted for, she may be a piece of furniture for all the attention they give her.
The novel is rather simple and lacks the complexity that makes for excellent crossover appeal. However, I think that younger readers will appreciate it and empathize with Basil’s bottom feeder status. He is a bit too surly at times for my taste but I think he is remarkably levelheaded for someone so young. Tenzie, on the other hand, starts out as smart and put together but her issues unravel her rather rapidly.
One thing I do have to mention though is that though the novel seems to set itself up as an exploration of synesthesia, it does not, in fact, go into very great detail about the disorder except at a very superficial level. Most of the narrative is engaged with Basil’s here and gone again mother who really does not add anything to the narrative. If you are really curious about synesthesia and would like to read about it in a fictional setting, I recommend Ultraviolet by R. J. Anderson (YA) and A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass.
One plus One equals Blue is more about relationships. Between parents and children, between grandparents and grandkids. The book is about choosing your own family and being okay with being different. This will be a good book to give to kids who are having trouble at school or are being bullied.
Both of them have parental issues. Basil’s mom abandoned him when he was a baby and he has no idea who his dad is. But he lives with his grandmother who is pretty darned cool in a superawesome house. Tenzie’s situation is a bit sadder because even though both her parents are very much present and accounted for, she may be a piece of furniture for all the attention they give her.
The novel is rather simple and lacks the complexity that makes for excellent crossover appeal. However, I think that younger readers will appreciate it and empathize with Basil’s bottom feeder status. He is a bit too surly at times for my taste but I think he is remarkably levelheaded for someone so young. Tenzie, on the other hand, starts out as smart and put together but her issues unravel her rather rapidly.
One thing I do have to mention though is that though the novel seems to set itself up as an exploration of synesthesia, it does not, in fact, go into very great detail about the disorder except at a very superficial level. Most of the narrative is engaged with Basil’s here and gone again mother who really does not add anything to the narrative. If you are really curious about synesthesia and would like to read about it in a fictional setting, I recommend Ultraviolet by R. J. Anderson (YA) and A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass.
One plus One equals Blue is more about relationships. Between parents and children, between grandparents and grandkids. The book is about choosing your own family and being okay with being different. This will be a good book to give to kids who are having trouble at school or are being bullied.
May 15, 2014
Basil thinks he’s alone in his ability to see numbers as colors until he meets Tenzie. She has an entire mental grid of number and color combinations. Their disclosure and Tenzie’s explanation that she knows others who have this mental quirk lead Basil to do research and find its name: synesthesia. Basil and Tenzie proceed to become friends after Basil’s initial reluctance, and they conquer some bullies, reunite (briefly and unhappily) with Basil’s absent mother, and confront (briefly and unhappily) Tenzie’s detached parents. Basil’s grandma begins and ends as the book’s hero with her funky artsy earthmother patience and wisdom. Synesthesia is a fascinating topic, but this book makes it sound hokey. The book’s cover is possibly its best asset and it, too, is a bit cheesy (two teens sitting on a park bench with colored drops and numbers raining onto them). The plot is predictable and the writing has no style or subtlety. For example, the neighborhood Tenzie lives in is the stereotypical clean & tidy cookie-cutter subdivision while Basil and his grandma’s house is eclectic and just across the way from this modern eyesore. The neighborhood’s description includes, of course, beige indiscriminate houses, which would have been enough. But the author names the neighborhood Elegant Acres. AND Basil has to pass by Stylish Street, Handsome Way, and Fashionable Road to get to Tenzie’s -- 11 Tasteful Lane. I wish I was kidding. The only reason I would recommend this book would be for teachers to use it to distinguish good writing from bad writing. Read a chapter of Wendy Mass’s A Mango Shaped Space and read a chapter from One + One = Blue, and students will begin to understand how a similar story can be told in an artful and artless way.
April 19, 2013
Wow. One Plus One Equals Blue is a beautiful and heart-wrenching read that made me happy, made me sad, and most of all, kept me engaged the entire time.
This book is filled with so many emotions. Our main character, Basil, made me really connect with him. I felt bad for him whenever he would be bullied or picked on by kids in his class, and I really appreciated that bullying and the affects it has on kids was thrown into the book. And since we got to see through the eyes of someone who has a disability and is being bullied really made me connect to Basil. And Tenzie was great as well! She's going through the same problem, but she has a better outlook on it - Tenzie is probably my most favorite thing about One Plus One Equals Blue.
The writing style is also very connectable. Auch's poetic words flowed seamlessly off the page, and I couldn't get enough of this book. Right from page one, I was sucked into the mysterious and vibrant world of Basil and Tenzie, and MJ Auch did a phenomenal job at crafting together this world.
Another thing I thought that was so cool is that what are main character's have (synesthesia), the author has it too, which means that Auch knew exactly how to describe this condition to the reader and let us explore it. I loved that part, as well as One Plus One Equals Blue entirely.
Overall, One Plus One Equals Blue is a stellar novel that should not be missed. I can't recommend this book enough!
This book is filled with so many emotions. Our main character, Basil, made me really connect with him. I felt bad for him whenever he would be bullied or picked on by kids in his class, and I really appreciated that bullying and the affects it has on kids was thrown into the book. And since we got to see through the eyes of someone who has a disability and is being bullied really made me connect to Basil. And Tenzie was great as well! She's going through the same problem, but she has a better outlook on it - Tenzie is probably my most favorite thing about One Plus One Equals Blue.
The writing style is also very connectable. Auch's poetic words flowed seamlessly off the page, and I couldn't get enough of this book. Right from page one, I was sucked into the mysterious and vibrant world of Basil and Tenzie, and MJ Auch did a phenomenal job at crafting together this world.
Another thing I thought that was so cool is that what are main character's have (synesthesia), the author has it too, which means that Auch knew exactly how to describe this condition to the reader and let us explore it. I loved that part, as well as One Plus One Equals Blue entirely.
Overall, One Plus One Equals Blue is a stellar novel that should not be missed. I can't recommend this book enough!
June 4, 2014
One plus one equals blue is about seventh grade boy named Basil who lives with his grandma and has synesthesia. It is his first year not being home schooled and he makes a friend with a girl named Tenzie, later found out she also has synesthesia too. Both Tenzie and Basil don't see there parents very often. Basil's mom decide to come back home from Hollywood after trying to become a star and not see her son for 7 years. Again after making promises with Basil and Tenzie she leaves because of arguments with her mom. So Basil and Tenzie go after her finally figuring out that she is not all she seems to be.
When the main character Basil says "I took a deep breath and jumped in with both feet" this shows how he has become accepting of his life. At the time he said this Basil begins to explain synesthesia to Tenzie who he was never comfortable with. He was also scard to even tell his grandma about how every number has a a color. So when he explains this to Tenzie he is accepting of his synestesia.
When Basil says "Gram is my rock." he is refering to his grandma and how he has always has her around. In him saying this he shows that he accepts the fact that his mother will never truly be there for him. He shows that he accepts his life the way that it is now.
When the main character Basil says "I took a deep breath and jumped in with both feet" this shows how he has become accepting of his life. At the time he said this Basil begins to explain synesthesia to Tenzie who he was never comfortable with. He was also scard to even tell his grandma about how every number has a a color. So when he explains this to Tenzie he is accepting of his synestesia.
When Basil says "Gram is my rock." he is refering to his grandma and how he has always has her around. In him saying this he shows that he accepts the fact that his mother will never truly be there for him. He shows that he accepts his life the way that it is now.
July 18, 2013
The world of twelve-year-old loner Basil Feeney is rocked when free-spirited Tenzie Verplank befriends him at school. She's new in town and dealing with parents who are so busy working to pay much attention to him, and they both have synesthesia and associate numbers with colors. Basil lives with his grandmother who has taken care of him ever since his mother left for Hollywood. As Tenzie makes her way into Basil's world, his mother, Carly returns briefly and drops a bombshell during an argument with her mother. While I liked Basil and Tenzie for different reasons, I couldn't buy the fact that Basil would take off of after his mother and be angry with his grandmother so quickly. While I could certainly understand Carly's flightiness, much of your behavior was simply inexcusable. There are some strange folks and strange actions in this book, and I don't mean strange as far as the synesthesia. After a promising start, this one lost steam for me.
May 13, 2013
The blurb for One + One = Blue is a little misleading. The focus appears to be on 12-year-old Basil's synesthesia, but that turns out to be just one part of the story. Liked, but didn't love.
The full text of this review may be found in . An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
The full text of this review may be found in . An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
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June 29, 2015This book is too childish. I think, i'd liked it in my 10 or so. I don't understand, why it was on 'young adults' bookshelf.
On the one hand, phenomenon of synesthesia is interesting, but on the other hand, life of Basil and his grandmother is such utopia, I didn't really understand some of his actions, as well as Tenzie's expectations about Carly, and of course Carly's actions. In my 12 I was more adult, I think.
So, I rate "One plus one equals blue" as 3/5.
On the one hand, phenomenon of synesthesia is interesting, but on the other hand, life of Basil and his grandmother is such utopia, I didn't really understand some of his actions, as well as Tenzie's expectations about Carly, and of course Carly's actions. In my 12 I was more adult, I think.
So, I rate "One plus one equals blue" as 3/5.
September 26, 2015
The plot was pretty far-fetched, but this was the best description of synesthesia I've ever come across. It doesn't surprise me that the author has synesthesia herself.
October 18, 2015
Actual Rating: 2.5 stars
August 2, 2018
I went into this book thinking it was young adult, only to discover that it was actually middle-grade. While our main character is really angsty, I loved his development through the novel, as well as the friendship he makes with Tenzie. The synopsis makes the story seem more about the aspect of Synesthesia (which both the main character and Tenzie have), but in reality, it's more about their friendship and the main character's family issues. I couldn't help being a bit disappointed because it went in a different direction the expected, but it is still a great middle-grade book about friendship an family.
July 30, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Two of my favorite students have raves about this one for a couple years now and look guys - I finally read it! Basil has lived with his grandmother since his mom took off when he was five. He has been homeschooled, but starts seventh grade at public school. When he tells another kid at school that he associates colors with each number, his classmates make fun of him; however, when quirky Tenzie moves in and confesses the same, they form a fast friendship. But when Carly, Basil’s mom, returns to the picture, Tenzie and Basil don’t exactly see eye to eye about her situation. Highly recommended for fans of Coyote Sunrise (ugh HOW GOOD is that one?) and Stargirl.
October 15, 2014
I know, it sounds like some Fifty Shades of Grey spinoff, but it's a very good book with a very real story and characters.
A quick synopsis, but not too much, because I honestly would like for you to read it as well. Basil is an eighth grader with no friends and a very strange gift (how original is this sounding) called synesthesia. This sensual condition is very common and strange, and it involves language, perception and your senses. Sounds might have colors and shapes, letters and days of the week have colors, tastes have colors, smells have numbers, you name it. Basil has the version where numbers have distinct colors. He believes he is the only one in the world with the condition, and he feels very alone and sad, his only friend and only family member being his grandmother, but he soon realizes that Tenzie, an annoying girl at school, has synesthesia as well. And just when she couldn't get any more annoying, his mom that left him as a kid suddenly returns. Tenzie begins to realize this and does her best to set things to normal again in Basil's life. Of course, I left a lot out, but you really need to let M.J. Auch show you and not have me tell you how great a world this is.
I love this book a lot. M.J. Auch's writing is very cute and really well emulates the lives and minds of teens, and I enjoyed reading it; it was very relaxing at times and exciting at others like real life. There were moments and feelings that I exactly related to that I knew and were funny and sad, sometimes at the same time.
A great defining factor of One Plus One Equals Blue book is its characters, the main character Basil and Carly his mother in specific. Through the comments and description that is given towards Carly you can tell she is a nice person, and she has her flaws, but in the perspective of Basil you gradually begin to feel his hate for her, and near the end she nearly becomes the antagonist, although there is no clear antagonist throughout the book, she nearly becomes one because of all of the hatred shown for her. And, besides being a bit cliche at times, the writing itself is really nice as well.
One of the few flaws in this book is the same flaw that most media stories that are likewise to real life run into (Chronicle, the early Harry Potter books in my opinion), which is that the story line is very random. However, this makes sense because it is a story about the lives of two teens. Life can be pretty random at times, and likewise are the storylines of real life-like books.
One Plus One Equals Blue is a really interesting story of little lives, a story that reminds you that you aren't the only one with problems (whether they be synesthesia or depression or whatever) and that you aren't alone.
My rating system for books is I give it points out of 10 in each category based on the amount of times I'd step back and say, "I really liked that." Five being average and one being not a lot, and ten being perfect. Examples would be Under the Dome 33.5 (pretty good), Ender's Game 43(Really good), Hunger Games 25 (not very good), Civics Today 0 (A textbook)
Writing: 7.5/10
Characters: 9.25/10
Plot: 5/10
Setting: 7.25/10
Conflict/Conclusion: 6/10
35 out of 50
(Very good!)
Thanks for reading my dialogue essay. It was fun writing it and I am looking forward to doing it again.
Sincerely Yours,
Becket Clark
A quick synopsis, but not too much, because I honestly would like for you to read it as well. Basil is an eighth grader with no friends and a very strange gift (how original is this sounding) called synesthesia. This sensual condition is very common and strange, and it involves language, perception and your senses. Sounds might have colors and shapes, letters and days of the week have colors, tastes have colors, smells have numbers, you name it. Basil has the version where numbers have distinct colors. He believes he is the only one in the world with the condition, and he feels very alone and sad, his only friend and only family member being his grandmother, but he soon realizes that Tenzie, an annoying girl at school, has synesthesia as well. And just when she couldn't get any more annoying, his mom that left him as a kid suddenly returns. Tenzie begins to realize this and does her best to set things to normal again in Basil's life. Of course, I left a lot out, but you really need to let M.J. Auch show you and not have me tell you how great a world this is.
I love this book a lot. M.J. Auch's writing is very cute and really well emulates the lives and minds of teens, and I enjoyed reading it; it was very relaxing at times and exciting at others like real life. There were moments and feelings that I exactly related to that I knew and were funny and sad, sometimes at the same time.
A great defining factor of One Plus One Equals Blue book is its characters, the main character Basil and Carly his mother in specific. Through the comments and description that is given towards Carly you can tell she is a nice person, and she has her flaws, but in the perspective of Basil you gradually begin to feel his hate for her, and near the end she nearly becomes the antagonist, although there is no clear antagonist throughout the book, she nearly becomes one because of all of the hatred shown for her. And, besides being a bit cliche at times, the writing itself is really nice as well.
One of the few flaws in this book is the same flaw that most media stories that are likewise to real life run into (Chronicle, the early Harry Potter books in my opinion), which is that the story line is very random. However, this makes sense because it is a story about the lives of two teens. Life can be pretty random at times, and likewise are the storylines of real life-like books.
One Plus One Equals Blue is a really interesting story of little lives, a story that reminds you that you aren't the only one with problems (whether they be synesthesia or depression or whatever) and that you aren't alone.
My rating system for books is I give it points out of 10 in each category based on the amount of times I'd step back and say, "I really liked that." Five being average and one being not a lot, and ten being perfect. Examples would be Under the Dome 33.5 (pretty good), Ender's Game 43(Really good), Hunger Games 25 (not very good), Civics Today 0 (A textbook)
Writing: 7.5/10
Characters: 9.25/10
Plot: 5/10
Setting: 7.25/10
Conflict/Conclusion: 6/10
35 out of 50
(Very good!)
Thanks for reading my dialogue essay. It was fun writing it and I am looking forward to doing it again.
Sincerely Yours,
Becket Clark
August 23, 2018
UPDATED REVIEW COMING SOON
I wasn’t impressed. The story was decent enough, I guess, but it was just so flat. From reviews I’d read, I’d expected something touching and an amazing chronicle of synesthesia, but instead I found a juvenile story of a boy struggling with the fact that his mother dumped him, and the difference a friend has on him.
Though at first glance this appears to be a story about synesthia, it really only is an element. The real story is about Basil, a boy raised by his grandmother ever since his mother, Carly, dumped him as a child. He struggles with that, with having friends, with school in general. The synesthia adds a cool element, but it wasn’t the focus at all.
The characters were inconsistant and unlikeable. I’m sorry, but it’s how I felt. Basil was so inconsistant and bitter it was impossible to feel bad or like him. One scene he says he misses his mother so much and wants her back and the next he’s shouting at her and saying he hates her. Back and forth. Back and forth. Maybe it would have been believable if it was written well, but the writing wasn’t all that good at all. Tenzie was too everything: too cheery, too happy, too energetic, too loud, too outgoing. She didn’t seem realisitic at all. True, in the end she seems a bit more dejected when she runs away—but overall, she never changes and is just too much.
The storyline felt forced. It kind of made no sense to me and the twists were not done well. I couldn’t figure out who was good and who was bad: one scene Carly’s the good guy, the next she’s not, the next she is…There were so many twists that really just flopped, despite the potential it had to be good. The whole runaway thing made no sense to me; rather it seemed like the author was just trying to fill space. The ending was unnatural and too long. The actual ending I guess was sweet, but it took so long to get to it. I just got so bored by the end. It was just so repetitive—that’s the word I was looking for. It was extremely repetitive and most of the plot made no sense and contributed in no way to the storyline. Like the Peter Pan play. It shows up in full drama for ten pages and then disappears off the face of the earth, never to return. What was the point of it, exactly? One minute Carly is being painted as a kind, goodhearted girl, and the next a deadbeat mom who’s wicked and messed up. Back and forth. Repeating. Predictable.
This was also extremely juvenile and unrealisitic. Seventh graders are not studying multiplication problems, yet in this book they are. It felt like a fantasy, not a real life book, and the unrealisitic school facts didn’t contribute. These characters are supposed to be middle schoolers, yet they’re still doing math problems like �74 x 9.� Seriously, M.J. Auch? Seriously?
All and all, though, I did like it enough to finish it and the few facts about synesthia were fascinating. I just really wasn’t impressed and rather kind of disappointed. I guess it is a pretty sweet story, just for me personally I did not love it. Most people will probably love this story; but as for me as a writer, I see the writing flaws and my vision of a book depends on how good the writing is, and in the case of One Plus One Equals Blue, it just wasn’t good enough for me to really love it. 3.0 stars.
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I wasn’t impressed. The story was decent enough, I guess, but it was just so flat. From reviews I’d read, I’d expected something touching and an amazing chronicle of synesthesia, but instead I found a juvenile story of a boy struggling with the fact that his mother dumped him, and the difference a friend has on him.
Though at first glance this appears to be a story about synesthia, it really only is an element. The real story is about Basil, a boy raised by his grandmother ever since his mother, Carly, dumped him as a child. He struggles with that, with having friends, with school in general. The synesthia adds a cool element, but it wasn’t the focus at all.
The characters were inconsistant and unlikeable. I’m sorry, but it’s how I felt. Basil was so inconsistant and bitter it was impossible to feel bad or like him. One scene he says he misses his mother so much and wants her back and the next he’s shouting at her and saying he hates her. Back and forth. Back and forth. Maybe it would have been believable if it was written well, but the writing wasn’t all that good at all. Tenzie was too everything: too cheery, too happy, too energetic, too loud, too outgoing. She didn’t seem realisitic at all. True, in the end she seems a bit more dejected when she runs away—but overall, she never changes and is just too much.
The storyline felt forced. It kind of made no sense to me and the twists were not done well. I couldn’t figure out who was good and who was bad: one scene Carly’s the good guy, the next she’s not, the next she is…There were so many twists that really just flopped, despite the potential it had to be good. The whole runaway thing made no sense to me; rather it seemed like the author was just trying to fill space. The ending was unnatural and too long. The actual ending I guess was sweet, but it took so long to get to it. I just got so bored by the end. It was just so repetitive—that’s the word I was looking for. It was extremely repetitive and most of the plot made no sense and contributed in no way to the storyline. Like the Peter Pan play. It shows up in full drama for ten pages and then disappears off the face of the earth, never to return. What was the point of it, exactly? One minute Carly is being painted as a kind, goodhearted girl, and the next a deadbeat mom who’s wicked and messed up. Back and forth. Repeating. Predictable.
This was also extremely juvenile and unrealisitic. Seventh graders are not studying multiplication problems, yet in this book they are. It felt like a fantasy, not a real life book, and the unrealisitic school facts didn’t contribute. These characters are supposed to be middle schoolers, yet they’re still doing math problems like �74 x 9.� Seriously, M.J. Auch? Seriously?
All and all, though, I did like it enough to finish it and the few facts about synesthia were fascinating. I just really wasn’t impressed and rather kind of disappointed. I guess it is a pretty sweet story, just for me personally I did not love it. Most people will probably love this story; but as for me as a writer, I see the writing flaws and my vision of a book depends on how good the writing is, and in the case of One Plus One Equals Blue, it just wasn’t good enough for me to really love it. 3.0 stars.
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May 14, 2013
As soon as a learned that MJ Auch's One Plus One Equals Blue explored synesthesia, I just knew I had to read it. Synesthesia is a neurological condition in which one type of stimulation evokes the sensation of another. I've been completely fascinated by this condition for years and was really looking forward to meeting Auch's two main characters, Basil and Tenzie, who have this gift. While I found One Plus One Equals Blue to be an enjoyable middle-grade read, it turned out to be quite different than I was expecting.
One Plus One Equals Blue focuses on 12 year old loner Basil. Basil has always associated numbers with colors and doesn't realize that most other people don't do the same until he starts public school (after being home-schooled). Basil doesn't tell anyone about what he calls his “freakisms�, but when the pushy new girl, Tenzie, befriends him, Basil learns that he's not alone; Basil and Tenzie share synesthesia characterizations. When Basil's absent mother shows up after many years away, Basil's life starts to crack and crumble, and when he and Tenzie get swept into his mother's complicated life, they must rely on each other to keep from falling a part.
One Plus One Equals Blue ended up being more than I expected. I went into this book expecting a heartwarming, cute middle-grade read, but instead got something a bit heavier and complex. MJ Auch has certainly written a thoughtful and entertaining story about friendship, family, and acceptance, yet it failed to wow and capture me the way I wanted it to.
Auch explores some heavy stuff in One Plus One Equals Blue, like bullying, absent parents, neglected children, and hints of mental illness, and while written in a way that is appropriate for its intended audience, I feel like something is missing in this exploration. The story touches upon some truly thought-provoking ideas, but I think they lack a certain depth. But I do really appreciate how real the situations and characters feel; the author creates a great atmosphere of authenticity.
Seeing synesthesia from the eyes of two young characters who have it, and have been created by an author who also has the gift, is a cool experience. I found Basil and Tenzie's descriptions and explanation of their condition, how it affects them, and how they deal with it, to be really interesting. Auch does a great job of showing both the positive and negative aspects of this complex condition. However, I do wish the characters' synesthesia actually played a bigger role in the story and was focused on more.
Basil and Tenzie are likable, realistic young characters, but not truly memorable. I like them far more as a pair than as individuals and find their friendship endearing. At times I found it hard to connect with these two, but I was emotionally invested in their story. I don't really care for any of the grown-up characters, which is a bummer.
The story itself took some unexpected and interesting and maybe a few unnecessary turns, but the ending is satisfying.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: This middle-grade contemporary lacks that super special spark that makes me LOVE a MG book, but I did like it. Thoughtfully and authentically created, One Plus One Equals Blue is a mostly enjoyable and good read.
One Plus One Equals Blue focuses on 12 year old loner Basil. Basil has always associated numbers with colors and doesn't realize that most other people don't do the same until he starts public school (after being home-schooled). Basil doesn't tell anyone about what he calls his “freakisms�, but when the pushy new girl, Tenzie, befriends him, Basil learns that he's not alone; Basil and Tenzie share synesthesia characterizations. When Basil's absent mother shows up after many years away, Basil's life starts to crack and crumble, and when he and Tenzie get swept into his mother's complicated life, they must rely on each other to keep from falling a part.
One Plus One Equals Blue ended up being more than I expected. I went into this book expecting a heartwarming, cute middle-grade read, but instead got something a bit heavier and complex. MJ Auch has certainly written a thoughtful and entertaining story about friendship, family, and acceptance, yet it failed to wow and capture me the way I wanted it to.
Auch explores some heavy stuff in One Plus One Equals Blue, like bullying, absent parents, neglected children, and hints of mental illness, and while written in a way that is appropriate for its intended audience, I feel like something is missing in this exploration. The story touches upon some truly thought-provoking ideas, but I think they lack a certain depth. But I do really appreciate how real the situations and characters feel; the author creates a great atmosphere of authenticity.
Seeing synesthesia from the eyes of two young characters who have it, and have been created by an author who also has the gift, is a cool experience. I found Basil and Tenzie's descriptions and explanation of their condition, how it affects them, and how they deal with it, to be really interesting. Auch does a great job of showing both the positive and negative aspects of this complex condition. However, I do wish the characters' synesthesia actually played a bigger role in the story and was focused on more.
Basil and Tenzie are likable, realistic young characters, but not truly memorable. I like them far more as a pair than as individuals and find their friendship endearing. At times I found it hard to connect with these two, but I was emotionally invested in their story. I don't really care for any of the grown-up characters, which is a bummer.
The story itself took some unexpected and interesting and maybe a few unnecessary turns, but the ending is satisfying.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: This middle-grade contemporary lacks that super special spark that makes me LOVE a MG book, but I did like it. Thoughtfully and authentically created, One Plus One Equals Blue is a mostly enjoyable and good read.
April 19, 2013
I love middle grade books and I don't read nearly enough of them. This one sounded so good and I really love the cover. It was actually much different than I was expecting, but I still did really enjoy it. I had never read a book about this particular issue, and I was really interested in it. It's something I have heard of, but nothing I really knew anything about. I was really hoping that the book would go more into it, but unfortunately it fell short on that part, but I really enjoyed getting to know Basil.
Basil Feeney lives with his grandmother and has always been home schooled. Going into 7th grade he decides that he wants to go to public school. He learns quickly that he doesn't fit in and that he is different. He isolates himself and doesn't have any friends. He becomes friends with the new girl Tenzie, but is still very unsure of their friendship, and worse, his personal life. His mother who abandoned him when he was a kid is now back in the picture and causing quite a stir. He doesn't really know what to think or what to do, but in the end, I really liked the growth that he had. He really did learn a lot though everything that happened.
Then there's Tenzie. She is a character that I felt bad for in some ways, but didn't really ever like. She was bossy, and impulsive. She was self centered, and didn't think about consequences of things. I get why she acts out, and I do think that she had some reason, but I do think some of the things she does and how she feels are a bit extreme. Of course, she is only eleven so things seem more dramatic at that age I guess, and you don't really think about things as a whole. Do I think she grew as a character? Yes and no. I think she was more forced to than anything, but it does seem like with Basil's help she could do much better.
When Tenzie starts school there she instantly attaches herself to Basil. At first he sees her as an annoyance and tries to get rid of her, but he realizes that she is a friend, then more than that, learns she has the same condition as he does. She both is his best friend, and most aggravating person. He feels like she is integrating herself into his life and family, and feels a bit jealous and threatened maybe, but he really does come to care about her and she cares about him and sticks up for him. She also pushes him to do a lot of things he doesn't want, but ultimately I think that it really helps him learn some valuable lessons.
This book was more about friendship, forgiveness, and letting go than anything else I think. I liked Basil, but besides him, I never really liked many of the other characters much. Okay, his grandmother was really great, and I thought that she was smart and talented, and also very fun. His mom was a train wreck and I couldn't stand her at all. Even when she tries to redeem herself it falls short. I thought that this book would be more about the condition synesthesia, but it was really only a backdrop for the story. I thought the story would be about it, but it was more about family issues than anything. Still a good and fast read though. I did enjoy it.
Basil Feeney lives with his grandmother and has always been home schooled. Going into 7th grade he decides that he wants to go to public school. He learns quickly that he doesn't fit in and that he is different. He isolates himself and doesn't have any friends. He becomes friends with the new girl Tenzie, but is still very unsure of their friendship, and worse, his personal life. His mother who abandoned him when he was a kid is now back in the picture and causing quite a stir. He doesn't really know what to think or what to do, but in the end, I really liked the growth that he had. He really did learn a lot though everything that happened.
Then there's Tenzie. She is a character that I felt bad for in some ways, but didn't really ever like. She was bossy, and impulsive. She was self centered, and didn't think about consequences of things. I get why she acts out, and I do think that she had some reason, but I do think some of the things she does and how she feels are a bit extreme. Of course, she is only eleven so things seem more dramatic at that age I guess, and you don't really think about things as a whole. Do I think she grew as a character? Yes and no. I think she was more forced to than anything, but it does seem like with Basil's help she could do much better.
When Tenzie starts school there she instantly attaches herself to Basil. At first he sees her as an annoyance and tries to get rid of her, but he realizes that she is a friend, then more than that, learns she has the same condition as he does. She both is his best friend, and most aggravating person. He feels like she is integrating herself into his life and family, and feels a bit jealous and threatened maybe, but he really does come to care about her and she cares about him and sticks up for him. She also pushes him to do a lot of things he doesn't want, but ultimately I think that it really helps him learn some valuable lessons.
This book was more about friendship, forgiveness, and letting go than anything else I think. I liked Basil, but besides him, I never really liked many of the other characters much. Okay, his grandmother was really great, and I thought that she was smart and talented, and also very fun. His mom was a train wreck and I couldn't stand her at all. Even when she tries to redeem herself it falls short. I thought that this book would be more about the condition synesthesia, but it was really only a backdrop for the story. I thought the story would be about it, but it was more about family issues than anything. Still a good and fast read though. I did enjoy it.
April 23, 2013
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One Plus One Equals Blue was adorable and a little heartbreaking. Basil is a loner, having been homeschooled until he was old enough for middle school, and then not making any friends because everyone else treats him like he's weird. He's used to having no friends, so when Tenzie comes along and immediately starts trying to push her way into his life, things start to get frustrating for Basil. Without giving away too much, we follow Basil as he tries to navigate having this new, outspoken friend who doesn't seem to care about the social conventions and cliques at school. Things get even more difficult whenever Basil's mom, who has been living in California, returns to stay for a while. Basil is conflicted about these changes in his life, and as the saying goes, he needs to "use his words" to do something about it, a task that he struggles with.
I did have to keep reminding myself that the characters are 11 and 12 years old. They kept making choices that I thought were ridiculous and dangerous, with only a little bit of awareness of how these were totally bad ideas, Tenzie in particular. Basil appeared to have more common sense, but didn't know how to say no to Tenzie. I am being vague so as to not spoil anything, but seriously, Basil lets Tenzie talk him into some really, super ill-advised activities and I just kept waiting for things to end horribly. (They don't, fortunately.)
There are a lot of small lessons in this story about drawing boundaries in your life -- Tenzie is a pushy friend, Basil's mom is pushy, and Basil's grandmother lets it all happen, for one reason or another. I was concerned for a lot of the story with how things were going to end. It would have been really easy for this book to wave its magic wand and make everything all better, but not address any of the issues in Basil's or Tenzie's lives. It addresses some, but not all, of them, and I was pretty pleased with the ending. (I actually skipped ahead to read the last few pages at one point because I was getting really worried that I was going to have issues with the ending.) Everyone learns a lesson, although some of them are more subtle than I would have preferred. I guess it's age-appropriate to keep the lessons less heavy handed, and could make for good discussion afterwards, "why do you think Basil's mom does X" or "why do you think Basil did Y? what would you have done?", those sorts of things.
As a side note, the way that synesthesia is worked into the story is very well done. It's not a defining characteristic for either Basil or Tenzie, but it does inform the way both of them see and interact with the world. Their methods for coping with the synesthesia helps highlight the differences between Basil and Tenzie. It's not a major focal point of the story, though, so if you're looking for a book which solely focuses on this, then this is not it.
One Plus One Equals Blue was adorable and a little heartbreaking. Basil is a loner, having been homeschooled until he was old enough for middle school, and then not making any friends because everyone else treats him like he's weird. He's used to having no friends, so when Tenzie comes along and immediately starts trying to push her way into his life, things start to get frustrating for Basil. Without giving away too much, we follow Basil as he tries to navigate having this new, outspoken friend who doesn't seem to care about the social conventions and cliques at school. Things get even more difficult whenever Basil's mom, who has been living in California, returns to stay for a while. Basil is conflicted about these changes in his life, and as the saying goes, he needs to "use his words" to do something about it, a task that he struggles with.
I did have to keep reminding myself that the characters are 11 and 12 years old. They kept making choices that I thought were ridiculous and dangerous, with only a little bit of awareness of how these were totally bad ideas, Tenzie in particular. Basil appeared to have more common sense, but didn't know how to say no to Tenzie. I am being vague so as to not spoil anything, but seriously, Basil lets Tenzie talk him into some really, super ill-advised activities and I just kept waiting for things to end horribly. (They don't, fortunately.)
There are a lot of small lessons in this story about drawing boundaries in your life -- Tenzie is a pushy friend, Basil's mom is pushy, and Basil's grandmother lets it all happen, for one reason or another. I was concerned for a lot of the story with how things were going to end. It would have been really easy for this book to wave its magic wand and make everything all better, but not address any of the issues in Basil's or Tenzie's lives. It addresses some, but not all, of them, and I was pretty pleased with the ending. (I actually skipped ahead to read the last few pages at one point because I was getting really worried that I was going to have issues with the ending.) Everyone learns a lesson, although some of them are more subtle than I would have preferred. I guess it's age-appropriate to keep the lessons less heavy handed, and could make for good discussion afterwards, "why do you think Basil's mom does X" or "why do you think Basil did Y? what would you have done?", those sorts of things.
As a side note, the way that synesthesia is worked into the story is very well done. It's not a defining characteristic for either Basil or Tenzie, but it does inform the way both of them see and interact with the world. Their methods for coping with the synesthesia helps highlight the differences between Basil and Tenzie. It's not a major focal point of the story, though, so if you're looking for a book which solely focuses on this, then this is not it.
September 14, 2013
Seventh-grader Basil feels isolated because he mentally associates numbers with unique colors. He has no idea that anyone else experiences numbers this way, until he meets Tenzie, a brassy newcomer to his neighborhood and school. Tenzie also sees numbers as colors, and together they form a tentative friendship, as Basil and Tenzie learn about synesthesia. The descriptions of the condition ring true, possibly because Auch also experiences synesthesia. Readers will find that synesthesia only serves as a device to form a bond between the characters. The focus is ultimately on Basil’s journey to come to terms with his relationship with his mother.
Basil’s relationship with his grandmother is warmly affectionate. She has been his primary friend and mentor for many years, homeschooling Basil when synesthesia complicated his public school experience, and filling in for his absent mother, Carly. Basil believes that Carly abandoned him as a small child to pursue her dream of becoming a movie star in Hollywood. When the prodigal daughter returns, still flighty and somewhat worse for the wear, Basil is forced to re-examine the story of his life. All is not as it seemed.
Heart-hungry Tenzie insinuates herself into Basil’s small family. Basil resents Tenzie’s relationship with his hippy-era grandmother and his estranged, charismatic, but unreliable mother, Carly. He refuses to acknowledge that Tenzie, who has two parents pursuing time-consuming, high profile careers, feels lonely, unwanted, and rejected by her mother and father. When Carly skips town rather than face the fallout from a disastrous stint as director of the youngster’s school play, Tenzie convinces Basil to run away with her and find Carly. The journey takes a harrowing turn when Carly abandons the youngsters in a library hundreds of miles from home, and they must find a way to return on their own.
Well-drawn characters balance an uneven plot and settings. Readers will be drawn to Basil, his eccentric grandmother, Carly and Tenzie. However, promising story-lines, such as the expectation that synesthesia will play a greater role in the plot, fade away, and the story rushes in several directions before crashing to a close. Basil’s bedroom and his grandmother’s studio are described in loving detail, while later scenes become increasingly atmospheric and less descriptive. The characters will keep readers engaged until the final page, and while the protagonist, Basil, does undergo change, other characters, such as his grandmother and Tenzie, also come to grips with persistent issues.
Basil’s relationship with his grandmother is warmly affectionate. She has been his primary friend and mentor for many years, homeschooling Basil when synesthesia complicated his public school experience, and filling in for his absent mother, Carly. Basil believes that Carly abandoned him as a small child to pursue her dream of becoming a movie star in Hollywood. When the prodigal daughter returns, still flighty and somewhat worse for the wear, Basil is forced to re-examine the story of his life. All is not as it seemed.
Heart-hungry Tenzie insinuates herself into Basil’s small family. Basil resents Tenzie’s relationship with his hippy-era grandmother and his estranged, charismatic, but unreliable mother, Carly. He refuses to acknowledge that Tenzie, who has two parents pursuing time-consuming, high profile careers, feels lonely, unwanted, and rejected by her mother and father. When Carly skips town rather than face the fallout from a disastrous stint as director of the youngster’s school play, Tenzie convinces Basil to run away with her and find Carly. The journey takes a harrowing turn when Carly abandons the youngsters in a library hundreds of miles from home, and they must find a way to return on their own.
Well-drawn characters balance an uneven plot and settings. Readers will be drawn to Basil, his eccentric grandmother, Carly and Tenzie. However, promising story-lines, such as the expectation that synesthesia will play a greater role in the plot, fade away, and the story rushes in several directions before crashing to a close. Basil’s bedroom and his grandmother’s studio are described in loving detail, while later scenes become increasingly atmospheric and less descriptive. The characters will keep readers engaged until the final page, and while the protagonist, Basil, does undergo change, other characters, such as his grandmother and Tenzie, also come to grips with persistent issues.
April 24, 2013
One + One = Blue is a quick middle grade read that focuses on Basil, a young loner with synesthesia. Between the arrival of the crazy new girl Tenzie and the return of his even more crazy estranged mother, Basil's world is about to be turned upside down!
I really enjoyed the aspects of the book that focused on synesthesia. I was introduced to in my intro psychology class last year. The class I took was science-focused, so I learned a bit of brain science and when my prof covered synesthesia, it was one of my favourite subjects. There's something about hearing colours or tasting sounds that is just so fascinating! However, synesthesia is more of just a background in this book, which instead focuses on family drama.
It seems that my character frustrations from last week have carried over into this week as well. I really wanted to like these characters! I did! But the only one I ended up enjoying was Grams. She was awesome! I love how she was so creative and also how connected she was to the earth and to her food. She had chickens in her backyard, which is something I want when I finally move to my dream acreage. Unfortunately, she was the only one I really enjoyed. While Basil did improve towards the end, he was so grumpy and a bit whiny in the beginning. He would make mean little comments whenever things weren't going his way and I just wanted him to be nicer to everyone, especially Tenzie. Although his major redeeming quality for me was his thoughtfulness when it came to Grams. Tenzie also got on my nerves a bit. She was so pushy and reckless. But the character that completely drove me up the wall was Basil's mother, Carly. What is wrong with this woman?!?! Do people like this actually exist? I hope not, but I'm sure they do. If you read this one, you'll see what I mean.
Overall, One + One = Blue gives us a glimpse into synesthesia, along with a large dose of family drama. The characters weren't spot on for me, but it's worth a read if you have any interest in synesthesia or psychology in general. And I'm confident the synesthesia parts are legit, since the author blurb states that MJ Auch has synethesia herself. How cool!
I really enjoyed the aspects of the book that focused on synesthesia. I was introduced to in my intro psychology class last year. The class I took was science-focused, so I learned a bit of brain science and when my prof covered synesthesia, it was one of my favourite subjects. There's something about hearing colours or tasting sounds that is just so fascinating! However, synesthesia is more of just a background in this book, which instead focuses on family drama.
It seems that my character frustrations from last week have carried over into this week as well. I really wanted to like these characters! I did! But the only one I ended up enjoying was Grams. She was awesome! I love how she was so creative and also how connected she was to the earth and to her food. She had chickens in her backyard, which is something I want when I finally move to my dream acreage. Unfortunately, she was the only one I really enjoyed. While Basil did improve towards the end, he was so grumpy and a bit whiny in the beginning. He would make mean little comments whenever things weren't going his way and I just wanted him to be nicer to everyone, especially Tenzie. Although his major redeeming quality for me was his thoughtfulness when it came to Grams. Tenzie also got on my nerves a bit. She was so pushy and reckless. But the character that completely drove me up the wall was Basil's mother, Carly. What is wrong with this woman?!?! Do people like this actually exist? I hope not, but I'm sure they do. If you read this one, you'll see what I mean.
Overall, One + One = Blue gives us a glimpse into synesthesia, along with a large dose of family drama. The characters weren't spot on for me, but it's worth a read if you have any interest in synesthesia or psychology in general. And I'm confident the synesthesia parts are legit, since the author blurb states that MJ Auch has synethesia herself. How cool!
April 25, 2013
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect going into this. The cover makes it look light and fun, the synopsis adds a bit of seriousness to it, but after reading it I found that it’s a lot more emotional and “real�. I felt like Auch tackled Synesthesia enough so readers could get a decent sense of what it is and how it’s different for everyone who has it, while also weaving in intricately with a sweet and innocent story of two kids finding common ground and changing each other for the better. What you see more of in this book is Basil & Tenzie dealing with their feelings for their parents and the issues that arise from that, which surprised me, but it fit into the story of their friendship nicely.
Basil is a very relatable and sweet kid. It was cool seeing the world through his eyes and mind, getting a real sense at how people with Synesthesia handle problem solving and environmental sensations. It did bother me that it takes awhile for him to realize his gift, although that might be how it is in real life, since I don’t know how the usually diagnose his. Still, I felt like his grandmother and teachers could’ve caught this quicker than he would. To be honest, I didn’t really care for Tenzie at all. I did like that she changed Basil, made him open up more and lighten up, but that was about it. I think my feelings for her changed after Basil’s mom showed up. I understood her issues and why she did the things she did, but I think she took it too far and I felt the author barely touched the surface of what could’ve happened to her and Basil due to her actions. They’re young and naive, I get that, but her personality just rubbed me the wrong way. Also, Basil’s mother was the worst and I couldn’t have hated her more.
It’s a lot more serious and emotional than you’d originally think. The characters grapple with newfound friendship, problems with their parents, being different, and growing up. You definitely don’t get as much about Synesthesia as you’d think, but it’s there. Everything flowed pretty smoothly and I read it pretty quickly, so overall it’s a decent read.
Basil is a very relatable and sweet kid. It was cool seeing the world through his eyes and mind, getting a real sense at how people with Synesthesia handle problem solving and environmental sensations. It did bother me that it takes awhile for him to realize his gift, although that might be how it is in real life, since I don’t know how the usually diagnose his. Still, I felt like his grandmother and teachers could’ve caught this quicker than he would. To be honest, I didn’t really care for Tenzie at all. I did like that she changed Basil, made him open up more and lighten up, but that was about it. I think my feelings for her changed after Basil’s mom showed up. I understood her issues and why she did the things she did, but I think she took it too far and I felt the author barely touched the surface of what could’ve happened to her and Basil due to her actions. They’re young and naive, I get that, but her personality just rubbed me the wrong way. Also, Basil’s mother was the worst and I couldn’t have hated her more.
It’s a lot more serious and emotional than you’d originally think. The characters grapple with newfound friendship, problems with their parents, being different, and growing up. You definitely don’t get as much about Synesthesia as you’d think, but it’s there. Everything flowed pretty smoothly and I read it pretty quickly, so overall it’s a decent read.
April 1, 2013
Source: ARC from the publisher for review
Review: One + One = Blue is an exceptional book with a unique tone and story. It dives right into Basil’s story and right into his differences. It does not focus on Basil’s synesthesia however. Instead, synesthesia is in the background, a part of Basil’s life that makes him special, that gives him both trouble and advantages, but which is never his defining feature. The true story here is that of Basil’s’s relationships, particularly with Tenzie and with his mother.
This approach is perfect, as it demonstrates to young readers that a character and a life are made of many parts. Bullies may pick out one thing to mock, but bullies are short-sighted. Putting synesthesia towards the background takes something away from the book only once. Tenzie casually mentions that she is able to use her number/color associations to help her with math, but her explanation of a rainbow grid is a little vague. Readers interested in mathematics or synesthesia would love to learn more about Tenzie’s process and Auch misses a great opportunity to explain possible benefits or creative uses by glossing over the moment.
One + One = Blue is a little gritty and a little glamorous and a little weird. It is action-packed and it is funny. It addresses a lot of tough issues, including Basil’s differences and his dealing with an unstable absent mother, but all these issues are treated with care and humor. Kids who are different themselves, or who are artsy, or who are daring will fall in love with Auch’s work and with her characters.
This is a special book, chronicling the life of a normal kid who faces crazy circumstances, sometimes reluctantly, sometimes foolishly, and sometimes bravely. It ultimately demonstrates the beauty of differences, of passion, of love, and of friendship. The world of One + One = Blue is a little insane, but entirely wonderful.
Review: One + One = Blue is an exceptional book with a unique tone and story. It dives right into Basil’s story and right into his differences. It does not focus on Basil’s synesthesia however. Instead, synesthesia is in the background, a part of Basil’s life that makes him special, that gives him both trouble and advantages, but which is never his defining feature. The true story here is that of Basil’s’s relationships, particularly with Tenzie and with his mother.
This approach is perfect, as it demonstrates to young readers that a character and a life are made of many parts. Bullies may pick out one thing to mock, but bullies are short-sighted. Putting synesthesia towards the background takes something away from the book only once. Tenzie casually mentions that she is able to use her number/color associations to help her with math, but her explanation of a rainbow grid is a little vague. Readers interested in mathematics or synesthesia would love to learn more about Tenzie’s process and Auch misses a great opportunity to explain possible benefits or creative uses by glossing over the moment.
One + One = Blue is a little gritty and a little glamorous and a little weird. It is action-packed and it is funny. It addresses a lot of tough issues, including Basil’s differences and his dealing with an unstable absent mother, but all these issues are treated with care and humor. Kids who are different themselves, or who are artsy, or who are daring will fall in love with Auch’s work and with her characters.
This is a special book, chronicling the life of a normal kid who faces crazy circumstances, sometimes reluctantly, sometimes foolishly, and sometimes bravely. It ultimately demonstrates the beauty of differences, of passion, of love, and of friendship. The world of One + One = Blue is a little insane, but entirely wonderful.
March 9, 2015
One Plus One Equals Blue has made me come to the conclusion that realistic middle grade books are not for me. And that’s okay! I’m not the target audience anyway, obviously. However, I don’t think 12-year-old Stormy would have liked this book much either.
One Plus One Equals Blue starts out by introducing us to Basil. Basil has a form of synesthesia in which he sees numbers as colors, and it’s made him “weird� in school. Up until the current school year, his grandmother had taught him at home, so he already feels like an outsider already. He’s pretty much a loner until Tenzie comes along, and by accident they realize they both have synesthesia.
From the summary, that sounds like it’ll be the basis of the story, but that’s fairly misleading. I wasn’t expecting Basil’s synesthesia to play a HUGE role since that’s not really a conflict in and of itself, but I did expect it to impact the story, and it barely does at all except being something Basil and Tenzie bond over. The real story is Basil’s estranged relationship with his mother, who left when he was young to try and be a Hollywood actress. She comes back, but then leaves again, and Basil and Tenzie decide to go after her. There’s a lot of family dynamics and the real focus of the story is on Basil’s relationships with his mother and grandmother.
Some of it’s pretty touching, but I found One Plus One Equals Blue didn’t really have a focus. The first half of the book seemed to be telling one story, and the second have a totally different one. There was mood whiplash like whoa, and at the end I was left pretty much just tapping my foot and going “So . . . what was the point?� I didn’t feel like Basil or Tenzie grew that much over the course of the story except that their once-rocky friendship was on solid ground. Which is something, I suppose, but it’s different than having the characters actually grow on their own.
One Plus One Equals Blue starts out by introducing us to Basil. Basil has a form of synesthesia in which he sees numbers as colors, and it’s made him “weird� in school. Up until the current school year, his grandmother had taught him at home, so he already feels like an outsider already. He’s pretty much a loner until Tenzie comes along, and by accident they realize they both have synesthesia.
From the summary, that sounds like it’ll be the basis of the story, but that’s fairly misleading. I wasn’t expecting Basil’s synesthesia to play a HUGE role since that’s not really a conflict in and of itself, but I did expect it to impact the story, and it barely does at all except being something Basil and Tenzie bond over. The real story is Basil’s estranged relationship with his mother, who left when he was young to try and be a Hollywood actress. She comes back, but then leaves again, and Basil and Tenzie decide to go after her. There’s a lot of family dynamics and the real focus of the story is on Basil’s relationships with his mother and grandmother.
Some of it’s pretty touching, but I found One Plus One Equals Blue didn’t really have a focus. The first half of the book seemed to be telling one story, and the second have a totally different one. There was mood whiplash like whoa, and at the end I was left pretty much just tapping my foot and going “So . . . what was the point?� I didn’t feel like Basil or Tenzie grew that much over the course of the story except that their once-rocky friendship was on solid ground. Which is something, I suppose, but it’s different than having the characters actually grow on their own.
September 20, 2014
I want to give this three stars due to the second half of the book, however the weak writing and basically non-existent plot makes me take off at least half a star. Also, the summary of the book (it being about rarely talked about mental quirks in young children and how it affects their day to day lives.) was terribly misleading, as very little of it was actually about what it advertised.
HOWEVER. I loved, love loved the relationship between Basil and his mother Carly and how it was written/presented. Often in middle-grade books you'll see neglectful and immature parents incapable of taking care of their child being sugar coated with happy endings and "well, she'll get better." with endings that have previously terrible parents suddenly becoming capable of being nurtures. This book was so refreshing in the fact that it pulled no punches in presenting Carly as she truly was. A woman with good intentions, but no ability to make them come true. Throughout the book, Basil becomes painfully aware of his mom's flaws, calls her on them, and then accepts them. It was bittersweet and very well done and I applaud the author for it.
This, though, only happened in the second half which meant the first half was plotless stream of thought that really had no substance or meaning to it. If anything, it was just sort of...blah until Carly entered the scene and the real issues were brought up. If anything, I wish this book's summary talked more about how it was a boy struggling with a mental quirk, but more importantly his relationship with his mother because in the end, that's really what it was about. All in all, it wasn't bad, it just wasn't everything it could have been. 2 1/2 stars.
HOWEVER. I loved, love loved the relationship between Basil and his mother Carly and how it was written/presented. Often in middle-grade books you'll see neglectful and immature parents incapable of taking care of their child being sugar coated with happy endings and "well, she'll get better." with endings that have previously terrible parents suddenly becoming capable of being nurtures. This book was so refreshing in the fact that it pulled no punches in presenting Carly as she truly was. A woman with good intentions, but no ability to make them come true. Throughout the book, Basil becomes painfully aware of his mom's flaws, calls her on them, and then accepts them. It was bittersweet and very well done and I applaud the author for it.
This, though, only happened in the second half which meant the first half was plotless stream of thought that really had no substance or meaning to it. If anything, it was just sort of...blah until Carly entered the scene and the real issues were brought up. If anything, I wish this book's summary talked more about how it was a boy struggling with a mental quirk, but more importantly his relationship with his mother because in the end, that's really what it was about. All in all, it wasn't bad, it just wasn't everything it could have been. 2 1/2 stars.
April 20, 2013
Basil tells his story in ONE + ONE = BLUE. He has just started middle school after years of being homeschooled. He has settled in at the bottom of the social latter partially because he hasn't ever had any contact with other kids and partially because he has synesthesia which has him associating numbers with colors.
When new kid Tenzie pushes her way into friendship with him, his life expands. At first he is rude and hurtful to her and completely lacking in empathy. But her constant presence begins to grow on him. the friendship grows when he learns that she has synesthesia too.
Neither kid has a stellar home life. Tenzie's parents are neglectful. She says she comes in after her mother's canary in the family pecking order. Basil has a great relationship with his Gram who has raised him since his mother abandoned him for life in Hollywood when he was five. Now his mother is coming home and wants to be his mother. Carly and Tenzi form a close relationship because Tenzie want to be an actress. Things seem to be going along well; Carly gets the job directing the school play, but then things fall apart. It has been Carly's pattern to give up and move on when things get tough.
When Carly leaves, Tenzie convinces Basil to run away from home with her to find Carly. She is sure that Carly wants them both and that they will all soon be living the good life in Hollywood. Basil is much more reluctant because he has more common sense and a clearer view of Carly.
This story was a good exploration of friendship and a good story about what a real family is. Middle grade readers will enjoy getting to know both Basil and Tenzie.
When new kid Tenzie pushes her way into friendship with him, his life expands. At first he is rude and hurtful to her and completely lacking in empathy. But her constant presence begins to grow on him. the friendship grows when he learns that she has synesthesia too.
Neither kid has a stellar home life. Tenzie's parents are neglectful. She says she comes in after her mother's canary in the family pecking order. Basil has a great relationship with his Gram who has raised him since his mother abandoned him for life in Hollywood when he was five. Now his mother is coming home and wants to be his mother. Carly and Tenzi form a close relationship because Tenzie want to be an actress. Things seem to be going along well; Carly gets the job directing the school play, but then things fall apart. It has been Carly's pattern to give up and move on when things get tough.
When Carly leaves, Tenzie convinces Basil to run away from home with her to find Carly. She is sure that Carly wants them both and that they will all soon be living the good life in Hollywood. Basil is much more reluctant because he has more common sense and a clearer view of Carly.
This story was a good exploration of friendship and a good story about what a real family is. Middle grade readers will enjoy getting to know both Basil and Tenzie.
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