Gathering Blue

By: Lois Lowry

          Kira lives in a community where the weak and disabled are thrown aside and left to die. Kira has a weak leg, it’s twisted which means she can’t get around as easy. Not getting around as easy means she can’t contribute to her community properly, so everyone wants her to be left for dead. The only way Kira has survived this long is because her mom fought for her to live, and now that her mom is dead, Kira is in trouble. The only person who Kira has left is a little adventurous, rag-tag boy, Matt and his dog Branch. He would do anything for her if she needed it.         

          Kira is sent to the Council of Guardians, where they see her extraordinary talent. She is an amazing weaver and embroider. The Council decides to keep her at their building and assign her to the task of fixing the robe worn by the Singer who sings about human civilization before their time. Since Kira needs to fix the robe, she needs to learn how to die threads. She learns how to die colors from an old lady, Annabella, every color but blue, a very powerful color to Kira.

 At the building where Kira now lives, she meets Thomas, who has the amazing talent of carving and Jo who is an extraordinary singer. At the big ceremony where the Singer sings the song about the civilization, Kira sees the Singer has chains on him. He is a slave, a prisoner because of his great singing talent. Kira realizes that soon she and her friends will be prisoners too if they stay there. That same day Matt goes missing, but when he returns, he returns with someone, and something very important. He tells Kira he found them somewhere, somewhere amazing where nobody is thrown away. Matt tells her they can all go to the other place. Will she leave her new life? Or will she stay and risk what joy might be out there?