A Solitary Blue is a novel by Cynthia Voigt. In 1984, it was a Newbery Honor book. This novel is set during about the same time as Dicey's Song, that won the Newbery Medal in 1983. This story is centered around Jefferson Greene, a boy who accepts Dicey Tillerman for who she is.
Plot[]
A Solitary Blue is about a boy named Jeff Greene. His mother leaves him at the age of 7 because she believes it is her duty to "save the world." Jeff's father, Horace Greene, is very flat and emotionless, and is also known as "The Professor." Jeff tries to make everything perfect for him, because he is afraid he will leave, too.
After several years without any contact with his mother, Jeff gets a letter from her. She asks him to visit her in her family's home in South Carolina. When he arrives in Charleston, he meets his Melody, his mother, and has an extraordinary time. After his first visit, Jeff does not have communication with Melody, because she doesn't answer any of his letters.
The next summer, Jeff goes to South Carolina again, but something has changed. His mother does not spend much time with him anymore, and shows that she doesn't really love him. This was incredibly different from the last summer. Jeff is extremely heartbroken and withdraws himself even more than before. He starts failing classes and doesn't open up to anyone about his feelings.
When Jeff meets the Tillermans, he learns to accept himself, and his relationship with his father, which becomes a true relationship. Also, Jeff falls in love with Dicey, whom is attracted by the songs he plays on his guitar. In the end, Jeff learns to put the bad times with his mother behind and bond with his father. He changes from being alone and withdrawn to being open and social.