The Extraordinary Colors of Auden Dare
Written by Zillah Bethell
Auden has achromatopsia, the inability to see color. Auden has tried to accept this disease but cannot help but feel he is missing out on something special. While his father fighting in the war over water rights, Auden and his mother move to Unicorn Cottage. His uncle has recently died and left Unicorn Cottage and all his worldly possessions to his only sibling-Auden’s mom. Auden’s uncle also left him half of a meteorite and after befriending Vivi, discovers that Vivi has the other half of the meteorite. Each meteorite came with a cryptic letter that leads Vivi and Auden to the discovery of a seven-foot human like robot named Paragon. Paragon does not know why he was created and Auden and Vivi are determined to understand why Auden’s uncle created a robot who can quote poetry but also move 130 miles per hour.
A captivating futuristic story. I loved how the author did not portray the world as a perfect place but instead created an environment like what individuals might have experienced during WWI and WWII but relatable to readers today. I loved how each character was distinct but not extreme. The characters helped each other through their problems and the author address some difficult subject, such as following orders blindly is not necessarily a good thing. It also contained all the elements to a good story: adventure, humor, realistic elements, mystery, and drama. After reading the book I had to watch the movie “The Iron Giant” because both stories contained a loveable robot.
Review by LeeAnne Grover, Hillside Elementary Media Center
Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)
Interest Level: 4th-9th Grade
The Extraordinary Colors of Auden Dare
Written by Zillah Bethell
Feiwel and Friends
339 pages
Release Date: September 25, 2018 (USA)
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
