The Astonishing Color of After — Content Guide for Parents
Themes present
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Content themes
Factual summary of themes present in this book. No opinion — just the facts.
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Religious themes
PRESENTContains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.
About this book
A stunning, heartbreaking debut novel about grief, love, and family, perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson and Celeste Ng.
An APALA Honor BookA Walter Award Honor Book
Leigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird.
Leigh, who is half Asian and half white, travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. There, she is determined to find her mother, the bird. In her search, she winds up chasing after ghosts, uncovering family secrets, and forging a new relationship with her grandparents. And as she grieves, she must try to reconcile the fact that on the same day she kissed her best friend and longtime secret crush, Axel, her mother was taking her own life.
Alternating between real and magic, past and present, friendship and romance, hope and despair, The Astonishing Color of After is a stunning and heartbreaking novel about finding oneself through family history, art, grief, and love.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Astonishing Color of After appropriate for a 7-year-old?
The narrative deals with themes of grief and loss following a suicide, which is a significant plot element. The emotional impact of these events is central to the story. No scary content detected in the search results; the themes focus on emotional and psychological experiences rather than horror.
Does The Astonishing Color of After have violence?
The narrative deals with themes of grief and loss following a suicide, which is a significant plot element. The emotional impact of these events is central to the story.
Does The Astonishing Color of After have scary content?
No scary content detected in the search results; the themes focus on emotional and psychological experiences rather than horror.
Does The Astonishing Color of After have religious themes?
No religious content detected in the book's narrative based on the search results.
Does The Astonishing Color of After have racial/cultural content?
While the book involves a character's journey to Taiwan and touches on cultural elements, race is not a central theme or plot element based on the search results.
Does The Astonishing Color of After have profanity?
No profanity detected in the search results related to the book's content.
Does The Astonishing Color of After have climate change?
No climate-related themes detected in the search results; the focus remains on personal and familial issues.
Does The Astonishing Color of After have sexual identity?
No sexual content is indicated in the search results, focusing instead on themes of grief and family.
Does The Astonishing Color of After have gender roles?
No specific gender roles or discussions about gender expectations are indicated in the search results.
Does The Astonishing Color of After have lgbtq+ themes?
The book features a character named Leigh who has a lesbian best friend, highlighting LGBTQ+ relationships and support within the narrative. This aspect is mentioned as a positive influence in the story.
