Shattered Colors

It's supposed to be a fun-filled summer for spirited 12-year-old Bree Grant. The last day of sixth grade has arrived and nothing but sun, friends, and freedom fill her expectations. Yet in 1976, as America is celebrating its much anticipated Bicentennial, Bree finds that independence comes at a very high cost.  Overcome with the shocking injustice of a young girl's murder, Bree sets out on her own to piece together the clues. When a family friend is accused of the murder, Bree challenges the allegations and refuses to believe his guilt. Sensing she is being watched, and despite her gifted intelligence, Bree's imagination fuels her anxiety and forces her into the professional care of a psychologist. Learning from him, "when control goes up, anxiety goes down", she takes up her crusade to find the truth.  Armed with unique intelligence and a secret gift of seeing auras, she continues her investigation, unaware of the threat drawing closer. As the pieces come together to reveal their shattered colors, Bree learns the most dangerous secrets are the ones we keep from ourselves. 
"When justice looks impossible, sometimes the most unlikely must rise to the challenge. Shattered Colors is a riveting read for mystery readers, highly recommended." --Midwest Book Review  "Bree is an imaginative, endearing narrator who keeps us reading--and rooting for her--until the end. Garland, an award-winning educator who works with gifted children, has a talent for capturing the complex emotional landscape of her gutsy young heroine." --Kirkus Reviews