Born Blue
Encyclopedia
Born Blue is a young adult novel by award winning author Han Nolan
in 2001.
Born Blue follows the life of Janie, a young adult trying to fulfill her dream to become a famous singer. It has many references to Billie Holiday
, Ella Fitzgerald
, Etta James
, and many other famous singers whom she calls "The Ladies".
The book starts with Janie recalling a memory at toddler age, where she was drowning because of her mother's neglect to Janie's personal safety. Linda, Janie's mother, is a heroin addict, and because of the neglect that nearly led to Janie drowning, Janie was placed in foster care. Janie lived in a strict foster home for roughly 4 years with her foster
brother Harmon, who soon gets adopted by Mr. and Mrs. James, leaving Janie alone until she is kidnapped by Linda, who then trades Janie to her dealer, Mitch, for heroin.
Janie lives for years with "Mama Shelly" and "Daddy Mitch" but then, while at a shopping trip she meets her former foster brother Harmon. She then moves in with Mr. and Mrs. James when her former foster parents get arrested for drug possession. Life with Mr. and Mrs. James was hard, because of her bad childhood she never could live with a good "normal" family. Instead Janie goes with a local jazz band and falls in love with the band's 18-year-old songwriter, Jaz. Under the influence of beer and cocaine
, Leshaya (Janie) loses her virginity to an unknown man at the party, and gets impregnated. She soon after finds herself living with a woman named Joy Victoria, who fostered Janie during her pregnancy. 9 months later, 13-year-old Leshaya gave birth to a baby girl who she names Etta Harmony James, after one of "The Ladies" that she listened to as a small child.
She convinces herself and everyone else that Harmon is Etta's father, due to wanting to have had sex with him (So much so that she had left her panties in his bed before running off with Jaz), and smuggles Etta back to Tuscaloosa
to give her to Harmon, who is bewildered at how he could be the father. Harmon, in the end, takes Etta so that she could grow up like a normal child. She then lives with Paul, who is also a musician. She lives with Paul on good terms until she breaks a major rule that Paul had set for her, no drugs. And after he (Paul) found a dead man, Jed, in his bed from an overdose. (Jed was who Lashaya was with at the time). She is then forced to move out from Paul's place. She soon ends up at Mama Linda's beach house, who is dying of AIDS
. Leshaya, seeing her mother in this state, stays with her for her final days, and while with her, looks at herself, and comes to peace with the past. The book ends when Leshaya travels back to Tuscaloosa
to re-unite with Etta, but after seeing Etta living happily in a normal family life, Leshaya instead, leaves Etta with Harmon. Through this decision, Leshaya finds a new sense of personal identity, and sets out to meet her own future.
Harmon James- An African American
boy who was Janie's foster brother. He was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. James and moved to Tuscaloosa. He introduces Janie to jazz, blues and "the ladies" early on in the book. When Janie sneaks into his bed he is appalled at her behavior, and becomes almost frozen in shock when she returns with baby Etta, claiming Etta to be his.
Mama Linda- Janie's mother who is a heroin addict and trades Janie for drugs. She does not seem to care more about her daughter than drugs until the end of the book. She eventually succumbs to AIDS in her beach house at the end of the book.
Mama Shelly- Janie's foster mother. Daddy Mitch's Wife. She and Janie become relatively close in their time together in the book.
Daddy Mitch- A drug dealer, foster father of Janie, and husband of Mama Shelly. He takes in Janie as trade for heroin to Linda.
Jaz- Janie's love interest whom almost gets arrested later in the book, due to Janie being incredibly underage.
Paul- A serious guitar player who briefly gives Janie shelter, food, and lessons in music theory, before kicking her out for violating his "no-drug" rule.
Han Nolan
Han Nolan is a young adult writer from Alabama. She has successfully published seven young adult novels. Since her early childhood she has been fascinated with stories. Even as a little girl she would spin yarns for her friends. She did not always want to be a writer. For many years she...
in 2001.
Born Blue follows the life of Janie, a young adult trying to fulfill her dream to become a famous singer. It has many references to Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
, Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald , also known as the "First Lady of Song" and "Lady Ella," was an American jazz and song vocalist...
, Etta James
Etta James
Etta James is an American blues, soul, rhythm and blues , rock and roll, gospel and jazz singer. In the 1950s and 1960s, she had her biggest success as a blues and R&B singer...
, and many other famous singers whom she calls "The Ladies".
Plot summary
This story is about the life of Janie, who later renames herself 'Leshaya'.The book starts with Janie recalling a memory at toddler age, where she was drowning because of her mother's neglect to Janie's personal safety. Linda, Janie's mother, is a heroin addict, and because of the neglect that nearly led to Janie drowning, Janie was placed in foster care. Janie lived in a strict foster home for roughly 4 years with her foster
Foster
- Places :Australia* Foster, VictoriaUnited States* Foster, California ** Foster, San Diego County, California** Foster, Siskiyou County, California* Foster, Indiana* Foster, Missouri* Foster, Nebraska* Foster, Oregon* Foster, Rhode Island...
brother Harmon, who soon gets adopted by Mr. and Mrs. James, leaving Janie alone until she is kidnapped by Linda, who then trades Janie to her dealer, Mitch, for heroin.
Janie lives for years with "Mama Shelly" and "Daddy Mitch" but then, while at a shopping trip she meets her former foster brother Harmon. She then moves in with Mr. and Mrs. James when her former foster parents get arrested for drug possession. Life with Mr. and Mrs. James was hard, because of her bad childhood she never could live with a good "normal" family. Instead Janie goes with a local jazz band and falls in love with the band's 18-year-old songwriter, Jaz. Under the influence of beer and cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, Leshaya (Janie) loses her virginity to an unknown man at the party, and gets impregnated. She soon after finds herself living with a woman named Joy Victoria, who fostered Janie during her pregnancy. 9 months later, 13-year-old Leshaya gave birth to a baby girl who she names Etta Harmony James, after one of "The Ladies" that she listened to as a small child.
She convinces herself and everyone else that Harmon is Etta's father, due to wanting to have had sex with him (So much so that she had left her panties in his bed before running off with Jaz), and smuggles Etta back to Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa is the name of two places in the United States of America:*Tuscaloosa, Alabama*Tuscaloosa County, AlabamaThere is also:*USS Tuscaloosa , U.S. Navy New Orleans-class heavy cruiser*USS Tuscaloosa , U.S...
to give her to Harmon, who is bewildered at how he could be the father. Harmon, in the end, takes Etta so that she could grow up like a normal child. She then lives with Paul, who is also a musician. She lives with Paul on good terms until she breaks a major rule that Paul had set for her, no drugs. And after he (Paul) found a dead man, Jed, in his bed from an overdose. (Jed was who Lashaya was with at the time). She is then forced to move out from Paul's place. She soon ends up at Mama Linda's beach house, who is dying of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. Leshaya, seeing her mother in this state, stays with her for her final days, and while with her, looks at herself, and comes to peace with the past. The book ends when Leshaya travels back to Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa is the name of two places in the United States of America:*Tuscaloosa, Alabama*Tuscaloosa County, AlabamaThere is also:*USS Tuscaloosa , U.S. Navy New Orleans-class heavy cruiser*USS Tuscaloosa , U.S...
to re-unite with Etta, but after seeing Etta living happily in a normal family life, Leshaya instead, leaves Etta with Harmon. Through this decision, Leshaya finds a new sense of personal identity, and sets out to meet her own future.
Characters
Janie (Leshaya)- The story revolves around her life. She aspires to be a famous singer, because as a child, she always listened to famous singers with her foster brother, Harmon. She is the daughter of a Heroin addict and soon tries drugs herself, which leads to her getting getting pregnant, and making negative decisions that impact her relationships with the other characters. As the story progresses, she tries to convince herself more and more that she is black, or had a black father, only to find out that Linda never slept with a black man. Janie has a daughter at the young age of 13, whom she names Etta James.Harmon James- An African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
boy who was Janie's foster brother. He was adopted by Mr. and Mrs. James and moved to Tuscaloosa. He introduces Janie to jazz, blues and "the ladies" early on in the book. When Janie sneaks into his bed he is appalled at her behavior, and becomes almost frozen in shock when she returns with baby Etta, claiming Etta to be his.
Mama Linda- Janie's mother who is a heroin addict and trades Janie for drugs. She does not seem to care more about her daughter than drugs until the end of the book. She eventually succumbs to AIDS in her beach house at the end of the book.
Mama Shelly- Janie's foster mother. Daddy Mitch's Wife. She and Janie become relatively close in their time together in the book.
Daddy Mitch- A drug dealer, foster father of Janie, and husband of Mama Shelly. He takes in Janie as trade for heroin to Linda.
Jaz- Janie's love interest whom almost gets arrested later in the book, due to Janie being incredibly underage.
Paul- A serious guitar player who briefly gives Janie shelter, food, and lessons in music theory, before kicking her out for violating his "no-drug" rule.