The Color Of Sound (juvenile fiction)

"Don't tell anyone you can see music as colors.
Don't tell anyone you can hear colors as music.
Don't tell anyone you're Jewish."
Emily Beth Isler's The Color of Sound reminds me of a symphony. Just as the different sections of the orchestra enter and merge, building up to a rich and complex crescendo, the individual strains of the narrative enter and merge, building up to a rich and complex story.
This is very fitting because a very important strand is music. Rosie (12) is an elite musician. She plays violin at a level most adults can't achieve. Her mother's full time job is managing all aspects of her professional life. There are drawbacks to her proficiency. It leaves her no time for other interests like art or pre teen activities. She's on strike, much to her mother's dismay.
Another strand is synesthesia. For someone who has it an input that would stimulate one sense in most people will stimulate multiple senses. Rosie can hear colors and see music. It's an aspect of her personality that her mother tells her she should keep a secret.
The third strand is family and religion. As punishment for her strike Rosie has to spend six weeks with her mother at her grandparents' home. Her grandmother whom she hardly knows is dying. Her one request of Rosie is that she play the Hungarian song. As she tries to discover what it is she learns about her family and their faith.
And could the strange girl she keeps meeting up with in a shed be her mother's time traveled pre teen self?
On a purrrsonal note, I had an adventure yesterday. I went to the Black Bear Exchange on campus to score food and new clothes. I lucked out on threads—really cool stuff including Mexicali Blues overalls and Hollister short shorts. And the freezers had frozen veggies and berries. Getting two bags of frozen broccoli inspired me. I decided I would cook supper. To put this in perspective, in all the months since the stroke I have only made four suppers because my culinary skills have not evolved beyond basic. But I made the supper and Eugene was some happy to see it when he came home late. This made me very happy.
A great big shout goes out to Black Bear Exchange and Lisa Morin who runs it. They do so much good for so many members of the UMaine community.
Jules Hathaway