Tangerine

Edward Bloor’s Tangerine follows Paul Fisher, a middle school student whose severe visual impairment shapes his experience in the fictional Florida suburb of Tangerine County. Set against a backdrop of turf field controversies, recurring sinkholes, and intense athletic expectations, the novel examines how community values often overshadow individual well-being. Paul navigates a family fractured by unspoken tensions and a brother celebrated as a football prodigy, while quietly uncovering discrepancies between public reputation and private reality. Bloor grounds the narrative in realistic adolescent concerns, using Paul’s limited sight as both a literal and metaphorical lens for questioning authority, confronting institutional pressure, and asserting personal agency. The story balances environmental unease with intimate family dynamics, offering a measured exploration of how societies prioritize achievement over authenticity. Frequently included in middle grade curricula for its straightforward prose, the work sustains a clear examination of how communities negotiate truth, disability, and athletic ambition.