Overview

What if you could be executed for having a friend with a skin color different from yours? Blue citizens are absolutely superior to all others, especially ignorant, uncivilized Orange. Poppy has been taught this relentlessly for twelve years. But when she accidentally crosses the forbidden border and is befriended by Marigold-a tangerine-skinned girl-and her kind-but-quirky family, Poppy is forced to rethink everything. Questioning that Blue is Best or the rest of the 50 Rules governing Poppy's world would get her sent to a dangerous Detention Center. Or worse. But how can she return to her blindly obedient, anti-Orange life now that she knows the truth? WriterCon Best Children's Book 2024

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Reviews

Dendler modulates the material well for young readers, targeting an audience perhaps a bit too young for Lois Lowry's classic story of dystopic conformity, The Giver (1993)-but adults may also enjoy this tale without feeling condescended to or irritated by oversimplification. The narrative goes at a pleasant clip, and despite vague references to legendary long-ago kings, the author does not spend much time dwelling on origin tales or distracting backstories about how this fractured, varicolored society came to be. Surprisingly, once the obvious first-act moral against prejudice is checked off the expectation list (""Poppy hesitated. She could list dozens of ways they were so very different, but they also had a lot in common. Who'd believe Blues have anything in common with an Orange?""), there is sufficient narrative interest and ethical conflict remaining to effectively keep readers in suspense. The boundaries of reality are slightly overstepped in the finale, but it does provide (to resurrect a now-outmoded phrase) a fine Kodachrome moment. Even Blue girls get the cows in this agreeable, parable-like fantasy of tolerance, courage, and integrity. Kirkus Reviews Poppy and Marigold is a thought-provoking book that had me intrigued from the first page. Poppy's journey of self-discovery, sparked by her accidental crossing into forbidden territory, is both heart-wrenching and inspiring. The characters are richly developed, and the plot encourages the reader think about bias. The tension between conformity and individuality is brilliantly explored and captured, with high stakes from the looming threat of Detention Centers. I highly recommend this book. Kate Machon, Author I cannot say enough positive things about this book. I loved it from start to finish! What a great way to approach the way people view each other. It is a quick read and will certainly hold your attention. I highly recommend this book for readers young and older (grade 3 and up). Beth Mendelsohn, Librarian/NetGalley Reviewer This book was a great read. From the start of the book, the author did a great job of describing the world that Poppy lives in and the rules that exist in the Blue region. This made it easy to understand why Poppy was so nervous when she accidentally ended up in the Orange region. Additionally, I liked how the book moved at a fast pace and started off right away with Poppy getting lost in the woods. This made the start of the book exciting and made me interested to keep reading. I think this book has a good underlying message about not making assumptions about others, as well as accepting and celebrating each other's differences. Overall, I think this is a great beginner chapter book for young readers who are starting to read short chapter books! LitPick Review, 5 Stars

Author Information

Meg Dendler has considered herself a writer since she was honored in a picture book contest in 5th grade. Beginning serious work as a freelancer in the '90s while teaching elementary and middle school, Meg has over one hundred articles in print, including interviews with Kirk Douglas, Sylvester Stallone, and Dwayne ""The Rock"" Johnson. She has won contests with her short stories and poetry, along with multiple awards for her best-selling Cats in the Mirror alien rescue cat children's book series. ""Bianca: The Brave Frail and Delicate Princess"" was honored as Best Juvenile Book of 2018 by the Oklahoma Writers' Federation, and ""Snickerdoodle's Shenanigans"" won the same honor in 2024. Now a retired teacher, Meg holds a BA in Journalism/Public Relations, an MA in Early Childhood Education, and has been a certified teacher in three states. Meg is also an editor/proofreader for independent and self-publishing authors, with over 80 books completed since 2015.

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