Tangerine
Tangerine is a young adult novel written by Edward Bloor and published in 1997. It tells the story of Paul Fisher, an eighth-grade student who moves to the small town of Tangerine, Florida, with his family due to his father's job transfer. Despite being legally blind, Paul quickly discovers that there are secrets hidden beneath the seemingly peaceful surface of this new place he calls home. As he digs deeper into what's really going on in Tangerine County, he finds himself embroiled in a conflict between rival citrus growers that threatens to ruin their way of life as well as endanger both him and his brother Erik. Through its unique blend of fantasy elements and realistic fiction tropes, Tangerine has become a classic example of modern literature for young adults.
The novel deals with themes such as identity formation, environmentalism, racism, and social justice through its characters' experiences with these issues while living in rural Florida during the 1990s. The main character, Paul, develops from an awkward outsider struggling to find acceptance among his peers into someone capable enough to take on difficult challenges head-on despite any personal limitations or obstacles standing in his way, ultimately becoming more self-assured than ever before when faced with trying circumstances. Throughout it all, readers get an intimate look at how individuals come together within communities—both good and bad—to form lasting bonds that can have positive impacts even after they've gone their separate ways following traumatic events like natural disasters or unexpected tragedies involving loved ones.