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Out of the Blue

3.7 of 5 stars 3.70 · rating details · 47 ratings · 15 reviews

Stu and his mom are heading to Minot, North Dakota, where she will assume command of the Air Force base. But this time it will be just the two of them. His brother is away at college, and their father has abruptly decided to move to Nevada. With his family scattered and his mother preoccupied with military duties, Stu finds himself on his own and adrift in this new environ...more

Hardcover, 297 pages

Published October 1st 2009 by Peachtree Publishers

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Jun 14, 2010 Jean rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: golden-sower-preview

Wow, there are a lot of books with this title! I could tell the author knows his subject in this book about an Air Force brat who is the son of a base commander at Minot. It was very realistic if not a little slow in spots (do we really need to know the exact items that were purchased at the BX?) Also, the realism was a little uncomfortable since this meant that there was profanity, alcohol, smoking, drugs, etc. Some of the character were a disturbing reminder of some of the kids in our ward whe...more

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Dec 11, 2009 Aaron rated it 4 of 5 stars

Stuart Ballentyne's mom is in the Air Force. This has meant that his family has been moving around a lot since he was a little kid. His mom is now taking over command of a base in Minot, North Dakota, which seems like the middle of no where. His older brother has gone off to college, and his father has had to go help Stuart's grandmother deal with a series of medical issues. This means it is just Stuart and his mom.

Everyone thought Stuart would end up being friends with Curtis. The two of them w...more Stuart Ballentyne's mom is in the Air Force. This has meant that his family has been moving around a lot since he was a little kid. His mom is now taking over command of a base in Minot, North Dakota, which seems like the middle of no where. His older brother has gone off to college, and his father has had to go help Stuart's grandmother deal with a series of medical issues. This means it is just Stuart and his mom.

Everyone thought Stuart would end up being friends with Curtis. The two of them were both about 16 years so it would make sense. Curtis is a bit rougher around the edges and tends to enjoy having fun at parties and experimenting with drugs. Surprisingly, Stuart finds himself bonding with Billy, Curtis' much-younger step-brother. Before long, it becomes clear that Curtis' mom is not all that interested in making sure that Billy is getting proper parenting, and Curtis is no help either.

As a result, Stuart finds himself noticing that Billy is facing border-line abandonment and abuse issues, and he is not sure what to do about it. He can't talk to his dad, and when his mother and most of the base is sent out on a deployment, he can't talk to her as well.

She has left Stuart in the charge of her assistant, Cardinal. The two guys get along well, but it is not the kind of relationship that leads to deep discussion. His only release is by talking with his e-pal, Taylor, who is also going to be coming to live on the base soon.

I thought this was a pretty good tale. I think it really does a great job of highlighting what it is like living on a military base and being an "army brat." At the core, Stuart is a good kid, though the fact that he is dealing with his parent's separation and watching his license being pushed off because neither of his parents can make the arrangements for him to get it on his 16th birthday. Like most kids his age, he makes some rash decisions, and they lead to some trouble.

I thought Stuart and most of the primary characters were pretty solidly constructed. Their actions and voices feel real. The story flows logically through the various plot points, though, I was really disturbed about the accident. (I won't go into more since I don't want to include a spoiler). My only problem is that the one final "surprise" was pretty predictable, but I think most teen guys would be just as surprised as Stuart was in the end.(less)

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May 05, 2010 Diane rated it 2 of 5 stars

Stu and his mom are headed to Minot ND where she will be in command of the Air Force base there. His dad has moved to Nevada to care for Stu’s grandmother, and his brother is off at college. When his mother is deployed to active duty somewhere, Stu is left alone under the supervision of his mom’s asst.
This is a story of military life from the perspective of the kids left behind – the absences, the military rules that apply to service members AND their families alike. Some family members thriv...more

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Feb 21, 2012 Darcy Jacobson rated it 5 of 5 stars

In this book Martin and his mom move to Minot's Air Force Base. Martin quickly finds out that one of his neighbors smokes "drugs" and pushes his brother around. In the end many people are hurt. One person even dies! Martin was sentenced by a court to do comunity service and he can't drive on base.
I like how the characters pressure the other characters to do stuff as a group. I also like how the characters show real conflicts in the home. One unique thing about Rottman's writing style is that i...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Nancy rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is an excellent story about a 15, almost 16-year-old boy whose mother is the commanding officer at an Air Force base in Minot, North Dakota. With his brother off to college, his father off helping his grandmother in Las Vegas, and his mother deployed on a secret mission, Stuart just wants his life to be normal. Stuart gets himself into trouble by not telling people in authority what should be told, and finds himself having to live with the consequences of his decisions for the rest of his l...more

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Mar 02, 2012 Kelly Thielen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Stu moves with his mother to Minot, ND. His mother and father recently separated and so they are moving on their own. Stu must adjust to the move, the separation, starting in a new school and his brother's move to Oklahoma for college. If this isn't enough, his mom is Commander of the base. Stu struggles with the idea of making new friends once again, only to move again, but he finally decides he has to do that to survive the move. As he navigates these new friendships, it becomes painfully obvi...more Stu moves with his mother to Minot, ND. His mother and father recently separated and so they are moving on their own. Stu must adjust to the move, the separation, starting in a new school and his brother's move to Oklahoma for college. If this isn't enough, his mom is Commander of the base. Stu struggles with the idea of making new friends once again, only to move again, but he finally decides he has to do that to survive the move. As he navigates these new friendships, it becomes painfully obvious that something bad is happening at the home of a neighbor across the street. Ten year-old Billy, the younger of the two children seems okay, but his older step-brother Curtis seems to be nothing but trouble. Try as he might to avoid Curtis, the boy just keeps crossing paths and their interactions are not positive ones. As time goes on, Stu finds himself in a situation where he thinks he is doing the right thing, but the consequences are devastating. Some drug and alcohol use in the story. Overall, I found it to be a chilling tale.

Book Talk Notes: Stu moves with his mother to Minot, ND. His mother and father recently separated and so they are moving on their own. Stu must adjust to the move, the separation, starting in a new school and his brother's move to Oklahoma for college. If this isn't enough, his mom is Commander of the base. Shortly after they arrive, Stu's Mom tells him that she is being deployed and her assistant, Captain Cardinal will be staying with Stu. This upsets Stu mostly because his mother won't be here on his 16th birthday to take him to get his license, but also because he'll be without family again.

Stu struggles with the idea of making new friends once again, only to move again, but he finally decides he has to do that to survive the move. As he navigates these new friendships, it becomes painfully obvious that something bad is happening at the home of a neighbor across the street. Ten year-old Billy, the younger of the two children seems looks to Stu for attention. He's a lot younger than 16-year-old Stu, but he's okay. His older step-brother Curtis, on the other hand, seems to be nothing but trouble. Try as he might to avoid Curtis, the boy just keeps crossing paths and their interactions are not positive ones. For example, Curtis has a party and against his better judgment, Stu and some friends decide to go over. When they get there, Stu encounters a drunk and high Billy. He rescues him from the situation, but doesn't tell anyone which turns out to be a poor decision on his part. More family dysfunction follows across the street and Stu tries confronting Curtis about how he is treating Billy with no effect. As time goes on, Stu finds himself in a situation with Curts where he thinks he is doing the right thing in order to keep Billy safe, but the consequences are devastating. Some drug and alcohol use in the story. Overall, I found it to be a chilling tale.(less)

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Feb 02, 2010 Ryan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: stuff-for-the-teen-age, school-library-journal, nypl-blogs

I initially didn’t think the story of a boy named Stuart who lived with his mother on an army base would be very compelling. First off, the boy’s name was Stuart. Second… the army? Snooze-fest. The cover has a lot of gray and looks kind of dreary. I couldn’t even give you a reason to pick this book up. Then… I read it.

I was pleasantly proven wrong.

The funny thing is, not much actually happens in this book. If anything, it’s more of a case study on how boring life for a teenager on an army base c...more I initially didn’t think the story of a boy named Stuart who lived with his mother on an army base would be very compelling. First off, the boy’s name was Stuart. Second… the army? Snooze-fest. The cover has a lot of gray and looks kind of dreary. I couldn’t even give you a reason to pick this book up. Then… I read it.

I was pleasantly proven wrong.

The funny thing is, not much actually happens in this book. If anything, it’s more of a case study on how boring life for a teenager on an army base can be. Stuart is left with very little to do on a daily basis. Life on the base is revealed through his eyes. The book educates the reader on what living on an army base is actually like while still weaving an entertaining story. He befriends the only other kids his age on the base. He gets interested in one of the only girls who is available for him to even think about dating.

The story manages to fit into the “young adult” angst category by giving Stuart some family drama; his older brother leaves for college before the story starts, and his father is essentially absent for almost the entire tale. His mother is the breadwinner in the family and his father, who spent most of his wife’s career as a stay at home dad, is it seems fed up dealing with his marriage. So his dad is off in Nevada caring for Stuart’s grandmother. Stuart feels abandoned for much of the story, which is only exacerbated by the demands of his mother’s job, since her promotion means she is now commanding the entire base.

A story begins to develop in the background. Stuart has an eight-year old neighbor who, especially towards the beginning of the story, doesn’t leave him alone. He’s there when he moves in. He’s there several times over the next few weeks. This child, Billy, needs a friend. It seems he’s decided Stuart is it. While Stuart isn’t initially interested in being this kid’s friend, it kind of happens against his better judgment. There’s nothing to do; befriending his young neighbor makes Stuart a little less bored, a little less lonely. It’s obvious however, that things are not okay in Billy’s household. Like many teenagers would realistically choose to do, Stuart really doesn’t do anything. After all, it’s none of his business. It all comes to a head in the final chapter when someone gets hurt.

I can’t admit to being a fan of realistic fiction, but I am a fan of this book. I was with Stuart every step of the way. His relationship with his parents is not contrived (as you often find with other young adult novels based in “reality”). He loves his family, but he’s kind of mad at them, too. In a way, they’re sort of all he’s got. His loneliness is perhaps the biggest resonator for teen readers; odds are, they’ve felt the way Stuart has but hopefully to a lesser extent. One of the best young adults to come out in 2009. Recommended.
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Dec 17, 2010 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-realistic

Stu and his mom, a career Air Force officer, move to yet another base, this one in Minot, ND. Stu has a lot of growing up to do, and it's hard with his dad staying behind to care for his mom and his brother off to college. Stu is on his own, and he makes some mistakes that are hard to undo.

I enjoyed the characters, and I was moved by Stu's mom's love for the Air Force and its traditions.

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Aug 05, 2010 Jennifer (Teen Librarian) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Stu is accustomed to moving a lot because his family is in the military. But this move is different. His father and brother do not make the move and their new neighbors seem to be hiding something.

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Jan 03, 2011 LibrariAnne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very few contemporary novels deal with military families. This one was set at the air base where my son is stationed in Minot, ND, so now I'd love to get him to read it, to get his take on accuracy.

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Apr 14, 2013 Bernice rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another good Rottman story that I think kids will enjoy. A little mature content (drugs) but offers many different conflicts and layers for discussion about making the right choices. Great book for military kids.

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Dec 11, 2011 Linnet rated it 1 of 5 stars

The trials and adventures of Stuart, son of the female officer newly assigned to the air force base at Minot SD.

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Jan 03, 2010 Heather G rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-shelf, 2010-goal

Another great one by one of my favorite autors...hate the interval between books from this one!

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Oct 30, 2009 Joleen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really liked this book. It kept me engaged and wanted to read but threw in some surprises too.

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Jun 13, 2012 Danny Edmonds rated it 3 of 5 stars

The book, out of the blue is definitely a book to pick up. It follows a boy named Stuart who has just moved to a military base with his mother in Minot,North Dakota. His mother is the new base commander there but that isn't what is ruining his day. He knows no one there and because he is the commander's child he knows he will be treated differently. It is similar to a child transferfing to a new school because they know they will not fit in right away. All in all, this book was great.

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Nov 11, 2012 Scott Maclean rated it 4 of 5 stars

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Jun 21, 2012 Devyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

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