Poppy and Marigold

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