Silhouetted by the Blue

Over Memorial Day weekend, I read 2 of the 2013-14 Truman nominees.  Silhouetted by the Blue, by Traci L. Jones is a story about 7th grader Serena Shaw.  Her mom died in a car accident 18 months ago and Serena's father becomes gripped with depression.  When her mother was alive, she would call these periods her dad went through "the blue".  Serena's dad becomes so deep in the blue that it becomes Serena's responsibility to run her household and take care of her 8 year old brother, Henry.  With school and the lead role in the middle school musical, life becomes nearly impossible for Serena to juggle it all.  She has to figure out how to ask for help and get her family through a really tough situation.