Am I Blue?: Coming Out from the Silence

Book Description

Original stories by C. S. Adler, Marion Dane Bauer, Francesca Lia Block, Bruce Coville, Nancy Garden, James Cross Giblin, Ellen Howard, M. E. Kerr, Jonathan London, Lois Lowry, Gregory Maguire, LeslÉa Newman, Cristina Salat, William Sleator, Jacqueline Woodson, and Jane Yolen

Each of these stories is original, each is by a noted author for young adults, and each honestly portrays its subject and theme--growing up gay or lesbian, or with gay or lesbian parents or friends.

Customer Reviews:

Am I Blue?.......2007-06-13

This book is dedicated, "for all young people in their search for themselves." These are short stories about teenagers who are trying to find their identity, Teenagers face who they are and find support from their parents and friends. In some stories, they do find support from school, parents and friends. In additional some even find the right person to be with. There are three scenarios: teenagers not being accepted from others, not getting support from others and themselves being confused with their identity.

My favorite story from the book was Parents' Night. This story was about a teenager who had her girlfriend but her parents didn't know, they thought they were just friends. At the beginning of the story she says that her father didn't give her a rose in her birthday. This was because they were at dinner when Karen gave them the news; she told them that she was involved in a club at school. This club was the Gay Straight-Bisexual Alliance, which every one in that club they were going to represent in on Parents' Night. Karen tells her parents that she was going to be there with her girlfriend Roxy. Her father wasn't happy with the news, so he didn't agree and he was really mad. In Karen's birthday her father was really quiet and he didn't give her a yellow rose like he used to every year. My favorite part of the story was when her parents go to Parents' Night and her father gives Karen a rose. He tells her that it was a little late and that he is happy that she got a really nice girlfriend. This part really got me, Karen was crying and my eyes were watery. She knew that her parents were now accepting her the way she was.

All stories have a main idea. The writer sends messages that after reading each story you might think differently. The idea is to understand and support those who are in situations like that. I think that people don't have to experience first in order for them to write stories. All these authors give really good stories, which really touch the readers heart and at the end of the book you put it down and have a different view of those who are confused with their identity.

The book has sixteen stories. The story Am I Blue talks about a gay teenager who has a fairy godfather who helps him out throughout his time of not knowing what he wants. The stories were different but they had the same idea in all of them. In Michael's Little Sister, his sister shows him that it's okay to be that way; she gives him support and understands him. Slipping Away is a story where a gay teenager tells his friend Maria who likes him, that he is gay but like any other girl she got mad at him instead of supporting him. Running from the book is really interesting; it's about a girl that starts seeing her sister's friend differently. Sheila was Heather's friend who brought her because she was having problems at home, and that's how Heather's sister meets Sheila. All these stories are really interesting and they throw good messages in each story written.

I like this book mostly because in each story the writer gives an idea why he wrote that story and why he/she wants us to read it. Also when the reader reads the story, the writer clearly states how the person feels. It is really important for those who read this book to understand what and how it feels when a person who is in a position like that might feel when he/she doesn't have any support or is not accepted from others.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2006-04-18

Written over ten years ago, AM I BLUE? is still as important today as it was then. A short-story collection dealing with GLBT (gay/lesbian/ bisexual/transgender) issues by some of 1995's top authors, this book is a true gem for teens searching for their identity--or just looking for a good read. With stories ranging from contemporary paranormal, to ones set in the 1950's, to one based during the Vietnam War, and even one in another world of Amazon warriors, there's something here for everyone.

Stories include:

AM I BLUE? by Bruce Coville
WE MIGHT AS WELL ALL BE STRANGERS by M. E. Kerr
WINNIE AND TOMMY by Francesca Lia Block
SLIPPING AWAY by Jacqueline Woodson
THE HONORARY SHEPHERDS by Gregory Maguire
RUNNING by Ellen Howard
THREE MONDAYS IN JULY by James Cross Giblin
PARENTS' NIGHT by Nancy Garden
MICHAEL'S LITTLE SISTER by C. S. Adler
SUPPER by Leslea Newman
HOLDING by Lois Lowry
BLOOD SISTER by Jane Yolen
HANDS by Jonathan London
50% CHANCE OF LIGHTNING by Cristina Salat
IN THE TUNNELS by William Sleator
DANCING BACKWARDS by Marion Dane Bauer

It's hard to pick a favorite from this collection, as each story has something different to offer. From allowing everyone in the world to see who is gay, to wondering what it would have been like to have two gay shepherds at the birth of Christ, to manning a booth about gays and lesbians at a school parents' night, each short story has an engaging story to tell.

The only thing that would make this book better is to have a part two--another AM I BLUE? published in 2006 with some of today's best GLBT authors like Julie Anne Peters, Brent Hartinger, David Levithan, and more.

Overall a great book!.......2005-02-01

There are some stories in this book that are absolutely phenomenal. "Am I Blue" is one of them, and it is a great first story of the book. This books helps people to understand what it is like to be GLBT from many different viewpoints. "The Honorary Shepherd" is probably the story that impacted me the most, as it deals with interracial relationships as well. Having bought this book on accident, I am glad I did. I've probably read the book 15 times through and I don't know if I'll ever tire of it.

Helped me out.......2004-07-18

Reading this book helped me to figure out who I was, that I am gay. I'd been wondering for years, literally, but afraid to decide and not really sure either what it meant, but one day, at the North Shore Library this book caught my eye and the next day after reading it I came out to myself.

I've never been happier. I didn't have to go through the long process of feeling alone and abandonded, wondering if I was the only one in the world. This book helped me skip over all of that. If you've been wondering, or if you just want to see - get it...

Should be Required Reading in All Classrooms!.......2004-01-19

_Am I Blue?_ is a brilliant YA anthology that should be required reading in every classroom! Dealing with homosexuality in teenagers and their parents and friends, these stories will move any reader--gay, straight, questioning, or bisexual. This anthology helps gay kids understand that they are not alone, while shining a light on what it feels like to be homosexual for straight readers. The stories have similar themes, but range in genre, giving every reader something to thoroughly enjoy. I can't recommend it strongly enough!

Customer Reviews:

Yahoo!.......1999-07-20

I'm a Baby Blues reader. I've read every book twice at least. This is no doubt the best one

Yahoo!.......1999-07-20

I'm a Baby Blues reader. I've read every book twice at least. This is no doubt the best one

Please don't ever retire!.......1999-07-05

I started this strip several years ago, went back and read it from the start, and absolutely love it! It is one of my all-time favorite strips along with CALVIN AND HOBBES. If Mr. Kirkman and Mr. Scott take the suggestion that another reader-reviewer has made and retire, I promise that I'll throw a fist-pounding, foot-kicking, ear-numbing temper tantrum worthy of Zoe and Hammie combined! :)

Seriously though, BABY BLUES is wonderful entertainment. When I think of all the adventures in parenting that Darryl and Wanda have had over the years (from visits with Santa to visits to Cowboy Monkey Band Land) I just start giggling in fond remembrance. Someday I hope I can be half the parent these two are!

Read BABY BLUES. It's a feel-good treat that never gets sappy.

This series is starting to run out of steam.......1999-04-19

I have all the previous 10 Baby Blues albums and would give every one of them five stars. But judging by this very uneven collection, the authors are starting to run out of steam. The problem is that the older Zoe gets, the more she encroaches upon the territory which rightly belongs to Calvin and Hobbes. Perhaps a well-timed retirement would be the best solution

Another Hit!!!.......1999-03-11

The creators of Baby Blues have done it again! They bring the humorous side to family life alive! Wanda, Darrel, Zoe and Hammie are back to tickle your funny bone. If you read the daily strips and or a collector of comic strip art don't miss this latest installment of the McPherson family. Kirkman and Scott have a real touch what is going on in the American family. Hmm wonder where they get their ideas from? Can you guess? So I hope anyone who has kids and those who don't will buy this book....its well worth it! Thanks from Las Vegas NT

I Am the Blues: The Willie Dixon Story (Da Capo Paperback)

Average customer rating:

The Songs That Launched A Thousand Careers
He was the blues
Willie Dixon is the Blues.
B-O-R-I-N-G
Very Much Agree w/ Review Below....and...

I Am the Blues: The Willie Dixon Story (Da Capo Paperback)
Willie Dixon , and Don Snowden
Manufacturer: Da Capo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0306804158

Customer Reviews:

The Songs That Launched A Thousand Careers.......2007-04-22

If you enjoy rock and roll, especially the "classic rock" of the 60's and 70's, then you know Willie Dixon, whether you're aware of it or not. His mighty pen wrote music that was made famous by none other than the Rolling Stones, the Doors, Cream, the Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin and Eric Clapton. This autobiography is an engrossing tale of the hardships and discrimination Dixon had to endure growing up in Mississippi, and his move to Chicago, where his career as a bassist and songwriter took root. Many of the songs that are identified with blues giants Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf were crafted by Willie, who also played bass in the studio recordings.

This book is a must-read for those who have an interest in the blues, early rock n' roll, or music in general.

He was the blues.......2006-12-29

Willie Dixon was a key person in 20th century music. It's a shame that he gets so little recognition in mainstream America. His talent for songwriting was only part of his greatness, though. He was quite a human being.

In this book, we get a look at Willie, what he did, and where he came from. I finished the book feeling as though I understand him as best as I can. And I have a greater appreciation of his music, and pride in the fact that my band plays a small role in keeping Willie's legacy alive.

The fact that much of this book is written in Willie's own words -- that is, with his early-to-mid-1900s southern black dialect -- may throw some people at first, but stories are best told in the language in which they arose. Sanitizing his words would lessen their impact.

The only reason I don't give this book five stars, is because I want more. I would love to have had more pages to read; more interviews with others about Willie; more photos of Willie.

If you like the blues, or even just like the story of someone who went from having nothing (perhaps less than nothing) to a self-taught cultural cornerstone, read this book. Then tell others about what you've learned about Willie Dixon and his inspiring story. And check out Willie's Blues Heaven Foundation.

Willie Dixon is the Blues........2005-05-06

Willie Dixon is the Blues. This book is a first-person window into his extraordinarily brilliant mind, and the adversity he struggled against to become one of the most influential producers in the Blues. Dixon was educated informally by life experience and hardship, and as a Golden Gloves Boxer he trained with Joe Lewis before being banned from the ring and breaking into music with vocal group The Big Three Trio. Speaking with a wisdom that reveals unparalleled optimism and common sense, I Am The Blues is the man responsible for setting up and orchestrating the Chicago Blues on Chess and Cobra Records in the 1950's. He literally wrote the songs to most of the hits for Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, and gave voice to J.B.Lenoir, Koko Taylor, Little Walter, Otis Rush, and Lafayette Leake. It's not hard to say whether Dixon or Leonard Chess had more pull with the label during those days, as Dixon was responsible for the talent that came through the door. He later had to fight for his own copyrights to collect royalties on his own material. This book is recommended to all musicologists, and any fans of Muddy Waters, or Buddy Guy. All content copyright www.maximumink.com - Brett Lemke

B-O-R-I-N-G.......2002-08-07

This book may be the story of Willie Dixon's music, but it's certainly not Willie's story. I kept waiting to find out more about Willie, the man, but my questions were never answered.

Very Much Agree w/ Review Below....and..........2000-06-03

...also, it is important for whomever is into music recording and songwriting and performing to read this. Talk about being forefront in rhythm and blues and rock & roll and not getting your dues? Dixon, although he did not get all the monetary benefits and fame of a brilliant career, still comes up on top because of his uplifting attitude and strength of character exhibited in his great book. Read it, today.

Average customer rating:

Great Characters
How terribly "modern."
no.
Lovely losers
THE BEST CONTEMPORARY PLAY I'VE READ

Am I blue
Beth Henley
Manufacturer: Dramatist's Play Service
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 082220021X

Customer Reviews:

Great Characters.......2004-05-05

I have never read a young character with so much personality, quirkiness and truth as Ashbe is at the age of sixteen in "Am I Blue?" If only they would write more characters like this for young actors to perform. I am directing this show for a night of one acts this fall and I envy the girl who gets to play Ashbe. The play itself is strange and wonderful and thought provoking. These characters talk about sex and love and friends and foes and don't make any excuses about it. A true gem.

How terribly "modern.".......2004-01-28

A really horrible play, if it can be called even that. 'Am I Blue' was written for a play-writing class, and it certainly shows. I've had discussions with more depth, subtlty and wit in a High-School Cafeteria, which appears to be the same place Henley is getting her dialogue.

Blatantly obvious character psychology; insipid symbolism; insultingly pointless (and wholly unamusing) plot wrapped in a pseudo-psychiatric one-liner resolution.

Those other reviewers drooling over the character of Ashbe are probably remembering her from one of the other thousand-and-one plays in which the playful-rogue-innocent stock character has been [over]used.

In fact, doing away with the pretentiousness of giving her characters names as though they were actual -characters-, and simply stating "Enter Clown" would have been an improvement Henley's work.

How this got past the teacher's desk and onto the legitimate stage is beyond me, but whatever literary trend it reflects, I weep.
The play in a word: frivolous.

no........2003-04-07

Once you get passed the awkward dialouge, the contrived plot, the obnoxious metaphors and the simplistic characters there is really not much left to this play.

Lovely losers.......2002-05-21

Henley's gift is her pure love for her misfit characters. She writes with compassion and honesty about lovely, misbegotten outcasts. "Ashbe" in "Am I Blue" is the quintessential Henley character and it's impossible to read or see the play without loving her. I've directed the show, and spent the whole production period crazy about her. One of my favorite plays by one of my favorite writers.

THE BEST CONTEMPORARY PLAY I'VE READ.......2001-08-07

Tom Stoppard and Mamet and Ives are all great. But they can't compete with a woman like Beth Henley when it comes to creating what true art is meant to bring forth: a sense of connection between people, recognizing yourself and others in an indescribable way, and honesty. No pretentious intellectual mindplay. Just beauty and reality. That is what makes Henley so great, but I can't even begin to say why 'Am I blue' is by far her best play, her most beautiful one, and probably the most poignant contemporary play I've read, period. It's a play the audience, regardless of whether you watch a stage production or just read it, can taste. Experiencing this play is like seeing a multitude of colors flowing like music across the page, and in your mind. The two main characters and the relationship they form as a result of a strange meeting in a bar, can only be described as funny and sweet, saying everything about human nature and what we need right there. A underage nuisance harrasing the customers ends up pestering a boy unhappily awaiting a 'date' with a prositute his buddies pushed him into. The characters are different in many aspects of personality and circumstance, but share a loneliness which, of course, connects them together. Henely always has such interesting, seemingly simple yet always complex characters, that often strike one as a bit eccentric; yet by the end of her plays the audience realizes that the characters are no more then themselves and everyone around them. 'Am I blue' flows like a river of reflection and truth, and it is effortless to read because of its understated beauty. That is the key to Beth Henely's plays, subtelty and truth. I think she wrote 'Am I blue' in college; it is fresh and uninhibited as a result. This is a perfect play, if there is such a thing.

Blues Clues Who Am I : A Book To Touch And Feel

Average customer rating:

Little Blues Clues Fan Loves This Book!
Adorable!! A must have.

Blues Clues Who Am I : A Book To Touch And Feel
Alice Wilder
Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight/Nickelodeon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

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ASIN: 0689833385

Book Description

Who wears a shirt that feels soft and cottony? Who has shiny metal parts? And who leaves clues that are nice and smooth? Young fans of Blue's Clues will delight in figuring it all out in this interactive touch and feel book that features many of their Blue's Clues friends!

Customer Reviews:

Little Blues Clues Fan Loves This Book!.......2007-03-09

My 12 month old daughter loves this book! She really responds strongly to the revelation of the characters and loves to feel the different textures. Even my four year old liked it the first time through because the identities are not immediately apparent and she liked guessing "who I am".

Adorable!! A must have........2005-09-12

My 13 month year old son loves this book!! He loves the textures and fliping through the pages to see what is next. There is a clock that has a shiney mirror and my son even kisses it and smiles. He has alot of fun with this book.

Am I Blue?: Living With Diabetes And, Dammit, Having Fun!

Average customer rating:

Here's to the Ladies who Lunch...diabetic style
A short pleasant book about something not so pleasant!

Am I Blue?: Living With Diabetes And, Dammit, Having Fun!
Elaine Stritch
Manufacturer: Little Brown & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Customer Reviews:

Here's to the Ladies who Lunch...diabetic style.......2007-05-16

What I love about this book is that it is written with style and honesty. Those with diabetes each have their own story of when and how they learned what they faced. This book is a must read for those with diabetes.

A short pleasant book about something not so pleasant!.......2005-09-17

Elaine Stritch fans like myself will enjoy this book. It is probably the only autobiography about her to date except her one woman show, Elaine Stritch at Liberty. When Elaine Stritch went off to London, England in the early seventies, her life changed for the better. She met and married the love of her life, John Bay in 1972. He died in 1982 and this book is dedicated to him. By all accounts, it was a happy, successful marriage for 10 years. Elaine Stritch spent most of that time in London. Unfortunately, John died of brain cancer in 1982. This book is wonderful tribute to his life as well. I tried to find out more information about him. By her account, he seemed to be perfect. I enjoyed reading about Elaine's triumph over dealng with her diabetes. Her encounter with Quentin Crisp is quite entertaining to read as well as the other parts of her life. The book was published in 1984 and was long before modern health advances today. She writes the book to help other diabetics cope with it. She is truly a survivor and deserves to be compensated for all trials and tribulations. If you enjoy Elaine Stritch's company even her British comedies or her one woman show, you will enjoy this book about her life. I can't wait for her autobiography. I just hope that there is John Bay out there for me too. If he had lived, she would have probably become a British Dame for her services to drama in England. During those ten years, she was very productive in British theatre, stage, and film. After John's death from brain cancer, she returned home to New York. I only wondered what would have happened if John had lived a little longer. I love Elaine Stritch. Maybe she should become Dame Elaine Stritch for her services to drama and to diabetes. She is a wonderful American treasure and we are all glad to have her back.

Average customer rating:

A very entertaining and colorful story.

Here I Am! Said Smedley (Blue Bananas)
Simon Puttock
Manufacturer: Crabtree Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0778708845

Customer Reviews:

A very entertaining and colorful story........2003-05-07

My 6 year old son was captivated by this story of a shy chameleon named Smedley. The story goes that Smedley is so shy he just blends into every background. He isn't noticed in school, doesn't participate much because he is so shy. That is until the new girl shows up. Sally Skinky who is the opposite of Smedley immediately takes to him and helps him to realize his potential for standing out. She works with him and talks to him which builds his confidence. He becomes so confident that he enters himself in an art show. All the other kids have a picture to show but Smedley uses himself, changing into many different patterns and colors. He wins the art show and now has confidence in himself. He learns that being different is not such a bad thing after all. Very colorful and adorable. If you have a shy child this shows them that they don't need to blend in, that being a little different has its own rewards.

Average customer rating:

Am I Blue (X-Men Evolution)
Devin Grayson
Manufacturer: Spotlight
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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ASIN: 1599610523

Am I Blue? (Tin House, Summer 2002, Vol. 3 No. 4)

Average customer rating:

Am I Blue? (Tin House, Summer 2002, Vol. 3 No. 4)

Manufacturer: McCormack Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0971477310

Am I blue? 14 Stories von der anderen Liebe. ( Junge Erwachsene).

Average customer rating:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Am I blue? 14 Stories von der anderen Liebe. ( Junge Erwachsene).
Marion Dane Bauer
Manufacturer: Ravensburger Buchverlag
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 3473581259

Customer Reviews:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-01-17

Written over ten years ago, AM I BLUE? is still as important today as it was then. A short story collection dealing with GLBT (gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender) issues by some of 1995's top authors, this book is a true gem for teens searching for their identity--or just looking for a good read. With stories ranging from contemporary paranormal, to ones set in the 1950's, to one based during the Vietnam War, and even one in another world of Amazon warriors, there's something here for everyone.

Stories include:

AM I BLUE? by Bruce Coville
WE MIGHT AS WELL ALL BE STRANGERS by M. E. Kerr
WINNIE AND TOMMY by Francesca Lia Block
SLIPPING AWAY by Jacqueline Woodson
THE HONORARY SHEPHERDS by Gregory Maguire
RUNNING by Ellen Howard
THREE MONDAYS IN JULY by James Cross Giblin
PARENTS' NIGHT by Nancy Garden
MICHAEL'S LITTLE SISTER by C. S. Adler
SUPPER by Leslea Newman
HOLDING by Lois Lowry
BLOOD SISTER by Jane Yolen
HANDS by Jonathan London
50% CHANCE OF LIGHTNING by Cristina Salat
IN THE TUNNELS by William Sleator
DANCING BACKWARDS by Marion Dane Bauer

It's hard to pick a favorite from this collection, as each story has something different to offer. From allowing everyone in the world to see who is gay, to wondering what it would have been like to have two gay shepherds at the birth of Christ, to manning a booth about gays and lesbians at a school parents' night, each short story has an engaging story to tell.

The only thing that would make this book better is to have a part two--another AM I BLUE? published in 2006 with some of today's best GLBT authors like Julie Anne Peters, Brent Hartinger, David Levithan, and more.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

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