Born Blue

Jun 10, 2009 Bianka rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 9th-grade-advisory-books

Born Blue
By Han Nolan
277 pp.Orlando, Florida
Harcourt Inc. $6.95
ISBN- 0-15-204697-6

Born Blue by Han Nolan is an inspirational book because of the growth and strength a girl builds with the lack of family and stability. Her actions are clearly stated and foster teenagers can relate to her. This book portrays the developing years from a child to young adult of a Caucasian girl bouncing around from place to place. Until she ends up with the woman that left her in the beginning – her mother. You neve...more Born Blue
By Han Nolan
277 pp.Orlando, Florida
Harcourt Inc. $6.95
ISBN- 0-15-204697-6

Born Blue by Han Nolan is an inspirational book because of the growth and strength a girl builds with the lack of family and stability. Her actions are clearly stated and foster teenagers can relate to her. This book portrays the developing years from a child to young adult of a Caucasian girl bouncing around from place to place. Until she ends up with the woman that left her in the beginning – her mother. You never want to put it down because each chapter has an adventure in store. This novel is realistic and does not have a happily ever after as some books do in the case that this girl is in. It's hard to imagine a teenage girl experiencing what 21 year olds might have not even experienced. At such a young age, she experiences from giving birth to witnessing a man's death. If you love drama, you should be on your way to the library, looking through the drama section for this one.
Han Nolan does an excellent job of writing in first person as Leshaya herself. Since Leshaya was born and from the south of the United States, her language is different. It was hard at first and it took some time to get used to all the “in's” and improper grammar. I remember... “Nothin' else in the world would matter if I could sing and people would listen. Ain't nothin' else in the world like singin'.” I found it normal to read the rest of this 277 paged book once I got used to the style. If you are a member of the 'grammar police' than maybe this book wouldn't exactly fit your bookshelf.
The drama is never ending in this book, with all the different themes. Ranging from the fact that her mother sold her for drugs -- to her letting what ever male she wants, having sexual intercourse with her. But it makes you think in general, Is it really worth selling something so precious and delicate – your own blood for the pleasure that only lasts a few hours? You can't blame Leshaya for acting the way she did, not having any sort of role-model. I remember my jaw literally dropping when I read that she was pregnant. It's hard picturing myself being pregnant right now, since Leshaya was just around my age. I made it clear in my mind not to make the same mistake as she did. But it didn't seem like a mistake for her...
The consideration of how realistic this book is and it happens to people, even in these times, captivates me. Taking drugs, drinking alcohol, concerts, parties, sex, pregnancy, no adults taking care of her – all at such a young age. It's amazing. And sad of course, but it happens to certain teenagers out there. Not at a point in their age or life where they know whats right or wrong, good or bad for them. Leshaya's strength can undeniably be considered as well. I try portraying myself in her place and I don't even think I can last till the fifth chapter.
I haven't read a book filled with so much drama and events as Born Blue, published in 2001, in a long time. It was interesting to see what a girl my age is capable of doing. Teenagers should particularly have interest in this book, no doubt. With a pinch of southern aura and the captivating words a young women uses to open up her mind, heart and soul, Born Blue will forever be a part of you.(less)

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Mar 27, 2008 Natalie Norris added it

Shelves: good-teen-novels

I realy wasn't expecting to like this novel as much as I did. I wasn't into the bad childlike writing and language. Though as I kept reading I had begun to see what it all meant.

This story is about a troubled young girl, named Janie, but She later changes her name to leshaya. In this novel, you will see how this young woman overcomes her obstacles and never gives up on her dreams.

At only 4 years old, Janie is taken from her mother Linda and put into Foster care. I believe, since she told us this...more I realy wasn't expecting to like this novel as much as I did. I wasn't into the bad childlike writing and language. Though as I kept reading I had begun to see what it all meant.

This story is about a troubled young girl, named Janie, but She later changes her name to leshaya. In this novel, you will see how this young woman overcomes her obstacles and never gives up on her dreams.

At only 4 years old, Janie is taken from her mother Linda and put into Foster care. I believe, since she told us this first, this event was her most significant memory and the beggining of her major troubles. She begins her story, by describing her very first memory. She fought through the water and thinks her mother is going to mad at her. At one point she thinks she is dead, but screams anyway, for her mother, who never came. She awoke in a dark room surrounded by strangers, and begs to see her mother. All she was told, was her mom was sick and is going to get help.

She was sent to live with Patsy and Pete, her new foster parents. She desperatly wanted to be with her mother. When she finally saw her mom again, she begged and cried to live with her again. All her mother said was, " No you can't, Im sick again.

Before I tell the whole story and spoil it for you, I will only tell a few more important parts.

Well as I began to write this I told you, the narrators use of childrens language, such as the at the beggining she says " He cracked a bit of a smile, so I could see his lower teeth and they was kinda crooked. Janie also shows her immaturity. I thought about this and she was only four when her mother died, that is near the age children can speak sentenses. I wondered if she was educated, after the age of four. This make not make any sense to you, but it does to me. If that was the start of her pain and troubles, was it also the end of her caring about an education. When I lost my grandmother to cancer, what I used to find a top priority iun my life, ment nothing to me anymore. I gave up for a little while, maybe she did too? Though her mother is not diseased, she is from her life.

Another part I found to be important in this novel, is she finds her most happiness in music. She dreams of one day being a famous singer. She knew the odds of living her dream were against her most of the time, but she refuses to give up on them. Her other happiness was the attention she had always craved, which she found in Harmon. Harmon was true friend, and the only good thing about with Patsy and Pete. Harmon is a black guy, witha tall and beefy figure. I found it to also be important that she fell in love with him. I found it amazing that when she decribes him, she throws out the fact that hes black and describes him to us saying "He got the friendliest face I ever seen in a person, too, witha bigsmile so fullof goodwill it could melt anybody's heart." This shows me, that Janie dosnt care about color what others say. Also she loves people for them and what what they have, not what they dont have.

So does she live her dream in them end? Whell you have to read and find out, Ive told to much.(less)

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Jan 20, 2009 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Born Blue is a really great book because it is about the reality of being homeless.This a situation that some people have to face everyday that i never understood until now.You get to know the main character Leshaya really good,you almost feel like know her personally.She has a special talent for singing and has a dream to someday be a famous singer.Her story is touching and meaningful.

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Feb 17, 2009 Desiray added it

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Mar 03, 2013 Allie Williams rated it 5 of 5 stars

Born Blue by Han Nolan is an exceptional book. Han Nolan has written many other books, all very successful. She grew up in New York and has always loved to make up stories. Han has always been very active and has written her whole life.

Born Blue is about a girl, who is first named Janie, with a mother that is addicted to heroin. When Janie was just a little girl she was left by her high mother “Mama Linda” in the Gulf Of Mexico while she was drowning. Janie later changes her name to Leyshaya a...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Rhiannon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-all-the-way, music, teen-fiction

Janie, Leshaya or whatever she is called has a dream. Since she was six she had the singing voice of a real famous blues singer like Etta James. Her mother, a heroin addict trades her for more drugs, then Janies is a foster child but her foster parents are sent to jail, then she gets a unwanted pregnancy and then finds a group of smoking drugies who love playing music themselves.
I guess you could call Janie a singing runaway, but what exactly is she running away from? The people that love her, h...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Aleetha rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

Setiap orang memiliki alasan dibalik semua hal yang dilakukannya. Kalimat itulah yang menjadi pegangan saya sejak lama ketika berhadapan dengan orang – orang yang jauh berbeda terutama dari segi pemikiran. Walaupun kalimat itu tidak cukup ampun untuk membuat saya berhenti memberi cap baik dan buruk. Semua itu karena pemahaman yang saya pikir sudah mengakar begitu dalam. Semua itu kembali saya ungkapkan ketika membaca novel karya Han Nolan ini.

Di usia yang sangat belia, Janie harus tinggal terpis...more Setiap orang memiliki alasan dibalik semua hal yang dilakukannya. Kalimat itulah yang menjadi pegangan saya sejak lama ketika berhadapan dengan orang – orang yang jauh berbeda terutama dari segi pemikiran. Walaupun kalimat itu tidak cukup ampun untuk membuat saya berhenti memberi cap baik dan buruk. Semua itu karena pemahaman yang saya pikir sudah mengakar begitu dalam. Semua itu kembali saya ungkapkan ketika membaca novel karya Han Nolan ini.

Di usia yang sangat belia, Janie harus tinggal terpisah dengan ibunya, Mama Linda. Saat itu ia masih terlalu kecil untuk mengerti mengapa ia tak seperti anak – anak lain yang hidup di rumah yang nyaman. Yang ia tahu hanyalah ia hanya akan bertemu Mama Linda satu ataupun dua kali tanpa pernah tahu kapan waktunya untuk meninggalkan rumah bau milik Patsy dan Pete. Beruntung ia memiliki Harmon, anak laki – laki yang bernasib sama dengannya.

Bersama Harmon, terkadang Janie tidak lagi mempermasalahkan ketidakhadiran Mama Linda ataupun kondisi rumah Patsy dan Pete yang bobrok serta tindakan keji yang harus diterimanya. Apalagi Harmon membiarkannya ikut mendengarkan suara- suara emas yang dimiliki oleh penyanyi – penyanyi perempuan dari kaset tua milik Harmon. Janie sungguh tergila – gila dengan semua lagu yang mereka nyanyikan.Bahkan jika ditanya apa yang berharga dalam hidup, kaset milik harmon akan disebutnya. Tak heran ketika akhirnya Jaine memutuskan untuk mengikuti jejak mereka. dengan suara yang tak kalah merdu, Jaine yakin bukan hal yang sulit untuk mewujudkan mimpinya

Namun bukan namanya hidup jika penuh dengan rintangan. Banyak hal yang tak jarang memberikan pukulan telak pada Jaine yang akhirnya memutuskan untuk mengubah namanya menjadi Leshaya. Dari kepindahan Harmon yang mendadak sampai peculikan di usianya yang sangat muda. Bahkan ketika satu demi satu peristiwa tragis datang menghampiri pun ternyata tidak mengurungkan niatnya untuk menjadi seorang penyanyi terkenal. Anak perempuan ini sungguh terobsesi.

Harapan saya memang terlalu tinggi pada tokoh utama ini. Tingkahnya yang sedikit liar dan pemberontak membuat saya menjadi gerah. image anak perempuan yang manis menghilang dalam waktu sedetik. Obsesinya menjadi seorang penyanyi benar – benar membuatnya buta. Segala cara pun ditempuhnya seakan – akan waktunya akan habis jika tidak segera melakukan hal – hal tersebut. padaal kalau saja ia mau bersabar, mungkin tak perlu sampai merugikan banyak orang termasuk dirinya sendiri.

Tokoh Leshaya membuat saya teringat dengan Alice di Go Ask Alice, anak perempuan yang tidak tingkahnya setali tiga uang dengan Leshaya. Seakan Alice adalah perwujudan Leshaya di kehidupan nyata. Beberapa hari kemudian saya kembali menemukan sosok lain Leshaya dalam sebuah film yang dibintangi oleh Leonardo Dicaprio, Basket Ball Diaries.

Baik Alice maupun anak laki-laki di Basket Ball Diaries , kedua sama-sama sempat terjatuh di dunia gelap dan kedua – dua sama – sama punya nilai buruk di mata saya. saya punya alasan kuat untuk itu. Mereka berdua bukan tak punya pilihan. Mereka hanya terlalu terburu-buru dalam menentukan jalan mana yang harus mereka ambil. Tidak perlu terkejut dengan kalimat saya diatas. Saya akui saya memang tidak sanggup untuk melepaskan sepatu yang saya kenakan sekarang dan menggantinya dengan yang mereka gunakan saat itu. Bukan hal yang mudah untuk dilakukan.

Walau tak menyukai cerita yang satu ini, setidaknya ada beberapa pelajaran dapat di petik dari buku ini. Bagaimana peran orang tua sangat penting dalam kehidupan seorang anak dan memegang pengaruh besar pada kehidupannya di masa depan. Dan untuk keseribukalinya dan tak pernah bosan untuk mengingat bahwa ganja, heroin dan obat – obatan sejenis hanyalah racun kehidupan. Yang tak kalah penting adalah pelajaran dalam mengejar mimpi. Pengorbanan memang mutlak dilakukan namun tidak berarti sampai membuat orang lain ikut menjadi korban. Apalagi sampai menghalalkan segala cara. Lepas dari semua tingkah Leshaya yang menjengkelkan itu, semangat dan tekatnya nya patut diacungi jempol. Seakan memberi tahu kepada semua orang yang sedang mengejar mimpi bahwa tak ada hal yang tak mungkin. (less)

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Sep 29, 2012 Virna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: abandoned-children, ya, fiction, the-south, mothers, music

Reading this book reminded me of my troubled students. One thing for sure, parents make all the difference. I can tell lots of stories about my silver-spoon-fed students - those whose parents told them they don't have to worry about money the rest of their lives - and they are no different with Janie/Leshaya of this story.

Janie grew up in foster care; her mother gave her up to an abusive foster parents. From the beginning there's always been someone who still cared for her, like Doris, the soci...more Reading this book reminded me of my troubled students. One thing for sure, parents make all the difference. I can tell lots of stories about my silver-spoon-fed students - those whose parents told them they don't have to worry about money the rest of their lives - and they are no different with Janie/Leshaya of this story.

Janie grew up in foster care; her mother gave her up to an abusive foster parents. From the beginning there's always been someone who still cared for her, like Doris, the social worker who's assigned to check up on her from time to time. She's got a best friend in Harmon, who introduced her to 'the ladies' - the jazz greats Etta, Aretha, Odetta, Roberta - and made her sing. She could hit the right notes since she was little and people were struck by her youth when they turned around and see who sang.

However, life hadn't spared her from bad parenting. The whole story took the readers to the downward spiral of Janie, reinventing herself into Leshaya, from an innocent 9 year-old kidnapped by a pair of drug dealers (her mom traded her for heroin) to a 13 year-old club singer who gave away her own daughter. At times people actually cared for her, but it had always been hard to trust people due to her upbringing, she ended up 'burning bridges' and either ran away or had herself kicked out.

Some reviewers wondered how Leshaya failed to appreciate all the cares she received, but after spending time with middle-schoolers, I know that children has to be both taught and nurtured, and even when they thought they know everything about the world, they do not. Also, you cannot make a difference in someone's life unless you are willing to sacrifice yourself. It takes a long time for people to turn away from bad influences, especially when you've known these things growing up.

Being a teacher means seeing a lot of different kids come and go. By the time kids reach middle school, they come with a lot of baggage, be it good or bad. I've been a teacher for almost 3 years, and sometimes I regret the way I acted toward some of my troubled kids, now going on to higher grades. Some kids have came up to me and acknowledged how my discipline have helped them in high school, but most just stayed their old same selves and made me wonder, if only I got to be their parents, I'd probably manage to change their bad habits.

This book opened my eyes wider about being a good influence to people around you who need help. Sometimes you think you don't make any difference by helping someone in trouble, but as long as you do it because it's right, you've touched that person's life and maybe, just maybe, someday they'll appreciate it and touch other people's life because of you.

Lastly, a word about the way this novel's written - it'd remind you of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' where the writer uses spelling and wording commonly found in the South, so please don't judge the book by its writing! And the way she ends the story, while it may exasperates some readers, I think it's a good way to end so we know that either way, Janie realized how this one decision may change the course of her daughter's life. (less)

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May 29, 2012 Kailey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Born Blue Review

Some people don’t always have the easy, relaxed life. Not knowing

your own father, always moving from home to home, and experiencing

things a normal teenager never should. But this happens to be reality

for some people.Take a journey through this tough lifestyle. It’s not a

walk in the park. You can literally feel your gut wrench, not knowing

what's going to be the end result. I’m not a bookworm by any means, but

I was for this book! My hands were super glued to Born Blue, I ju...more

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May 24, 2012 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-on-htbh

When I eat by myself in the cafeteria I bring a book with me so I don’t seem so pathetic. But really I only read about a page because I am trying to get in and out as fast as possible.
Tonight during dinner I opened up Born Blue and it was 20 minutes before I realized I had stopped eating. And once I realized that I didn’t want to get up because I didn’t want to lose the time I could be reading it on the walk back to my dorm.
I first read Born Blue by Han Nolan in 7th grade. It was my first time r...more
When I eat by myself in the cafeteria I bring a book with me so I don’t seem so pathetic. But really I only read about a page because I am trying to get in and out as fast as possible.
Tonight during dinner I opened up Born Blue and it was 20 minutes before I realized I had stopped eating. And once I realized that I didn’t want to get up because I didn’t want to lose the time I could be reading it on the walk back to my dorm.
I first read Born Blue by Han Nolan in 7th grade. It was my first time reading a book that was sort of in Ebonics, my first time reading a book that involved drug use, foster care, teen pregnancy and real true heartbreak.
At the time I had a hard time getting through it, partially because the dialect was so different than what I was used to and partially because nothing that happened in the book was familiar to me at all. But I still loved it, and reading it again I love and appreciate it even more.
The book follows Leshaya through her life as she survives things that I couldn’t even fathom as a little girl in the suburbs. Being kidnapped out her foster home by her heroin addict mother, becoming pregnant at 13 and most painfully, facing rejection everywhere she went.
Leshaya was born Janie but became Leshaya. Reviewers refer to her as either Janie or Leshaya, and her name is just part of the comlexity and confusion in her life. Leshaya is as blond and blue eyed as I am, but feels she is black. She has the singing voice of a grown woman when she is only 7 years old. She seems to have this maturity that makes it hard to remember that she is so young for most of the book, but at the same time her actions remind you how young she really is. While she is still in middle school she has sex, but she also spills milk in an attempt to get affection.
This book will break your heart. Leshaya isn’t perfect but any stretch or even very likable, but her longing leaks out of the page and keeps you from eating dinner.
Born Blue came out in 2003, so I don’t know how well known it is. But a book doesn’t have to be under-appreciated to need more attention. (less)

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Aug 21, 2011 Alexandria Cintron rated it 4 of 5 stars

Born lue by Han Nolan Is an inspiraton an a national award-winning book. han Nolan is also the author of "dancing on the edge". This breath taking book is about a young girl named Janie Leshaya. janies birth mother was a herion addict, nerly dorwning at the age f fur because her mother wasnt able to take care of her she is sent to a foster home in Alambama. janie has a bestfriend who is also like a abrother to her, Harmon. She is also very close to her social worker Doris. Harmon Finch and Dois...more

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Jan 24, 2011 Carlyn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2011

Born Blue had interesting characters and a pretty good storyline, but it was honestly a let down. Although it took me less than a day to read through the book, I found myself re-reading lines, and then re-reading them again because the writing was so odd. It wasn't bad, per say, but it was different in the sense that barely any of the book was written in proper English. The first sentence is "In my first memory, I be drowning." The book did catch me there, and I was confused by that line so I co...more Born Blue had interesting characters and a pretty good storyline, but it was honestly a let down. Although it took me less than a day to read through the book, I found myself re-reading lines, and then re-reading them again because the writing was so odd. It wasn't bad, per say, but it was different in the sense that barely any of the book was written in proper English. The first sentence is "In my first memory, I be drowning." The book did catch me there, and I was confused by that line so I continued reading. In the end, though, I was very disappointed.
Leshaya, or Junie...whatever the heck her name is...annoyed me. Don't take it personally, Leshaya/Junie, most female characters annoy me. However, this girl just rubbed me the wrong way. She was just completely irritating! Mistake after mistake, burning bridge after bridge, following in her heroin addict mother's footsteps - it was a nightmare! Throughout the entire book, I was just hoping for someone to teach her how to speak properly. By the end of the book, I ended up translating each sentence into proper English; if I hadn't done that, I'm not sure if I would have been able to make it through the book.
There were about three redeeming qualities/parts to this book, which made it worth reading. The first redeeming quality was the characters. Just one, really. Paul, who is the first person to teach Leshaya how to read music and play the piano. He was possibly the only character that I felt a connection to, no matter how many times Leshaya went on about Harmon and "the girls" and all the however many guys she slept with.
Another redeeming quality was Leshaya's determination. That's possibly the only thing I didn't find annoying about her. She was dedicated to her dreams, and followed them; she refused to let anyone get in her way or tell her that she wasn't good enough to become a famous singer.
The third, and - in my opinion - the last redeeming quality was the ending to the book. I'm not going to say it, because that's a spoiler, and I wouldn't want to give anything away to those of you who plan to read it so that you might judge it for yourself, but it was possibly the only thing I was happy with.(less)

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Oct 16, 2009 Brandi rated it 5 of 5 stars

There's this girl named Jamie who loves and lives to sing. She grows up with a drug addict for a mother who eventually almost drowns her in the Gulf of Mexico. Then Jamie is taken into a foster home where she meets her future best friend, Harmon. Harmon and Jamie spend time together until Harmon is eventually adopted by the Smiths, an upper class black family. Then, one day, while Jamie is on her way home, she is kidnapped by her mother. Her mother takes her to live with a drug dealer named Mitc...more

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Mar 13, 2012 Ariel rated it 4 of 5 stars

I keep thinking Leshaya's black! But so far at page 141, I'm enjoying the book. Leshaya's insecurities and lack of maturity is starting to annoy me a little.

I might be slow, but maybe why Janie decided to change her name to Leshaya was because she didn't like who she was. Her identity. Maybe that's why she keeps ruining things for people. But boy, is she selfish.

Leshaya makes me think of a girl that is trying so hard to make herself happy(?) that she lies to herself and makes her beliefs come tr...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Caterina rated it 2 of 5 stars

NUTSHELL: I'm up early, so this will be short. 7 because the writing is amazing, but the story feels... eh.

How so? Because I'm having trouble coming to grips with the fact that Nolan chose to tell the story of a girl who keeps making bad choices. It's a compelling story, no question, but if I wanted to know about the horrors of the foster care system, I'd read nonfiction.

Does that even exist? It does, but you'd have to raid a college library for that.

Why did you even finish it? Because Nolan i...more

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Jun 14, 2011 Harun Harahap rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiksi, punya, terjemahan

"Luar biasa; seperti musik blues, kisah ini menyentuh jiwa...Para pembaca akan terserap dalam perjalanan yang akrab dan menyedihkan ini." -School Library Journal-

"Luar biasa... Leshaya memikat kita dengan kekuatannya dan tekad bajanya... Tak terlupakan."-Kirkus Review-

MEH, BO'ONG!

Lah pegimane! Sampai akhhir cerita, tokoh utamanya, Leshaya, nggak menyentuh jiwa dalam artian positif. Malah rasanya pengen ngegeplak kepala Leshaya trus diunyeng-unyeng. Dia begitu egois dan tidak peduli dengan orang...more

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May 25, 2012 Janet rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Han Nolan is a master of getting inside the different flavors of pain and showing you what it's like to live there. Janie, who renames herself Leshaya, is a heroin addict's daughter who lives in a series of households - foster homes, drug dealers, couch-crashing - but never has a home. She never learns how to speak conventional English, how to be considerate of others, or how to control her instinct to lash out, out of jealousy and rage, in self-destructive ways. She can't comprehend what her fo...more

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Feb 17, 2009 Paige rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 07, 2011 Athena rated it 5 of 5 stars

Very emotionally intense, and I won't lie, but very depressing. At times frustrating (with the character). Appalling, poignant, deep, and unexpected... It was the first book I picked up, when I was younger, that didn't have a happy ending, but it definitely opened my eyes to the darker realities in life: growing up being sent to multiple foster homes-- where some were abusive-- falling under the the black, destructive spells in which drugs, sex, greed, pregnancy, addiction, & selfishness can...more

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Feb 11, 2010 Irma added it

I think the theme of this book is that sometimes when people want to be independent they make the mistake of being afraid to rely on others, and this sets them up for failure. Janie the main character has been moving from house to house, shes a foster kid. while shes never had her mother there to take care of her and help her because all her mother cared about was drugs. But she did have her best friend. He was always there to help her and support her but when a couple adopted him she was all al...more

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Jan 24, 2011 Mina Rivera added it

i thought this book was very sad. it was sad how the girl Janie didnt know who she really was. she acted like a person who was trying to be on her own and acted like she knew everything when she didnt know anything. it was that she had felt like she had been on her own for so long that she can only depend on herself. also, the amount of things that had happened to her should affect on how she thinks and stuff. but i think she should have realized earlier in the book that she shouldnt push people...more

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Jul 20, 2008 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: no one

You start off by feeling bad for this poor little girl and then just end up getting annoyed with a stupid teenager who becomes a slut and a druggie and your not sure she's really learned her lesson by the end of it. You want to care for her but at the same time she's been given so many options to turn her life around and she never took them.

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Apr 23, 2009 3Manny Dunbar added it

Born Blue is one of the best books ever. one of the reasons why it is a great book is because of the main character Janie. Janie has no other choice but to stay with her abusive foster parents Patsy and pete. She is starved to death everyday. The only thing she eats is sugar and bread. Janie only has one thing that keeps her sanity and that is singing. Janie's inspirations for singing are etta James, Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Odetta etc. the only best friend that Janie has throughout thi...more Born Blue is one of the best books ever. one of the reasons why it is a great book is because of the main character Janie. Janie has no other choice but to stay with her abusive foster parents Patsy and pete. She is starved to death everyday. The only thing she eats is sugar and bread. Janie only has one thing that keeps her sanity and that is singing. Janie's inspirations for singing are etta James, Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Odetta etc. the only best friend that Janie has throughout this story was the foster child Harmon Finch. Harmon was the only one that Janie could really talk to since Patsy and Pete were too busy taking care of babies all day. Harmon was always their for Janie. without Harmon Janie would have probably lost her mind in the foster home with Patsy and Pete.
Another element of this story I would like to look at is the trouble that Janie goes through in her life in this book. when she was in the foster home Patsy and Pete never fed her because they didn't have much to eat in the house. Janie made white bread and sugar her satisfier for hunger. whenever she got that growling feeling in her stomach thats all she would reach for. While in the foster home Janie makes a really tight bond with harmon who by the way was black. Patsy and pete knew that they could get Janie to do anything if Harmon was going to get hurt.
Later on in the book Harmon gets a visit from his social worker Doris Mellon. She offers to take Harmon to church. Harmon then asks why Janie couldn't come. So she finds no problem with bringing Janie. Janie was excited for her first day of church. Harmon warned her to stay away from the boys on the church band. But she eventually ends up hanging with the wrong crowd and ends up having a baby out of wedlock. She goes back home and asks Harmon if he could take care of the baby while she chases her dream of becoming a wonderful singer.

In conclusion Born Blue is a book that would be great to read for teens. They would be fascinated by the determination of Janie and how she tries her best to make the best out of every bad situation that happens in her life. So the next time you go to the library asks if they have the book Born Blue by Hans Nolan. Trust me you will love it(less)

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Sep 03, 2009 Sandra Strange rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This story of the child of a heroin addict includes it all--orphanage, revolving foster homes, physical abuse, stealing, teen sex, drug abuse, running away, homelessness, teen pregnancy. The story traces the search of Janie/Leshaya for a life that will allow her to pour out all emotion in singing, the only thing that means much to her. Although the ending is fairly positive, the language and explicitness of the book make it hard to recommend to any young person. This girl lies, steals and has se...more

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Feb 08, 2009 Meliana rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novel

kalau hidup adalah pilihan, mengapa beberapa orang memilih untuk mengacaukan hidupnya?

janie memilih mengganti namanya menjadi leshaya, meninggalkan sekolah, menggunakan heroin, melemparkan dirinya ke setiap lelaki yang dia suka, membakar jembatan penghubung dengan orang-orang yang menyayanginya dan bertingkah menyebalkan.

apakah pilihan untuk bersikap manis dan membuka hati untuk dicintai adalah ketakutan yang terbesar akan rasa kehilangan? atau hanya sebentuk ketidak pedulian pada hidup yang tid...more

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Oct 29, 2010 Andres Salgado rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was absolutely outstanding. It is about this girl that is white, but considers herself black that has an outstanding singing voice. Her mother is a cocaine and heroin addict, and she was put to adoption by her mom so that she could afford her daily dose of coke and heroin. ******SPOILER ALERT****** The girl, Janie (later calls herself Leshaya), also eventually becomes a drug addict, and loses her virginity in a bar. She became pregnant, and was forced to give her daughter to adoption b...more

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Nov 03, 2009 Justin rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 11, 2012 Wendy Barlow rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fiction

I loved this book. This book is about a young caucasian girl who is raised with a young African-American boy for a short time while she's in foster care. Because of this relationship, she developed an affinity for the Blue's and becomes an incredible singer. Unfortunately, her biological mother steals her to sell to her dealer for drugs. Because of this tumultuous upbringing, this aspiring young singer really struggles with life. She is such an interesting character and Han Nolan has a gift for...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Aisha rated it 5 of 5 stars

read this book a while back maybe like in 7th grade and now I'm a sophmore in college. its been so long but I still remember how much I love this book. Is still one of my favorite book. it is a story filled with pain and u get to see a life that will leave u feeling heartbroken. that's how I felt when I read it in 7thvgrade. I do remember crying when she was raped and didn't know who the father was of her child. its a good book not really sure what age group but I liked it when I was in 7th grad...more

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Dec 15, 2011 Amber.w rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was very intertaining eye opening. I really loved this book a lot. She was so strong through out everything she had going on in her life. She strived to do her best and didn't care what anyone else thought about her, her family, or her background. She was going to do anything it took to become a singer and be famous no matter what. I loved her attitude she had and how she stood up for herself in every single situation that she was put into. Leshaya was a strong girl and I hope that oth...more

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title link	preview: Born Blue
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