Planet Earth Is Blue

Nova’s older, neurotypical sister, Bridget, became Nova’s sole guide in life when their schools and foster families failed her. Bridget taught Nova to read and was the only person who could decipher Nova’s handwriting and interpret her speech and gestures. In addition, Bridget taught Nova how to engage in pretend play and use her imagination, a coping strategy that Nova often uses when she feels overwhelmed. Bridget essentially raised her younger sister, taking on a great deal of responsibility by the age of 10, when they were removed from their mother’s care. Although Nova’s behavior sometimes “ruined” things that Bridget wanted to do—like seeing a movie or hanging out with her boyfriend—Bridget never left Nova behind and even told her boyfriend that she’d never go anywhere, including college, without her sister. She was absolutely committed to Nova’s care, putting Nova’s needs ahead of her own. Tellingly, on the night they ran away, Bridget buckled Nova into a seatbelt, a choice that ultimately saved Nova’s life, though Bridget herself didn’t wear a seatbelt and thus died in the crash.

Bridget was smart, kind, and brave. In addition, she had a clearly defined sense of right and wrong, and she saw how the world had let her and her sister down. She longed to escape Earth and all its injustices and unfairness. She told Nova that they would escape to space, where “there’s no social worker to separate [them]. […] There’s no Vietnam War or kids starving in Ethiopia or mean teachers or foster families who pretend they want [the girls] but don’t keep [them] forever” (86). Incredibly selfless, Bridget always included Nova, no matter what she was doing, providing Nova with the love and safety she needed to feel secure, despite their deeply insecure lives.

Nova’s current foster mom, Francine, is a kindergarten teacher, and she’s deeply invested in making sure that Nova feels safe and comfortable. In many ways, Francine is similar to Bridget, and most significantly, she’s as committed to Nova’s well-being as Bridget was. Although Bridget is the only person who could ever read Nova’s writing—or even know that Nova can write—when Francine finds Nova’s notebook, she immediately realizes that it contains writing. Rather than simply trust the reports from the social worker or Nova’s former foster parents and teachers, she invests the time to learn how Nova communicates, creating tools to test Nova’s abilities herself and becoming tremendously excited when she realizes that Nova can, in fact, read some words.

Importantly, Francine accepts Nova as she is while gently pushing her to communicate more. She allows Nova to wear the clothes she finds comfortable. She recognizes the signs that Nova needs to use the bathroom even before Nova does. Francine talks to Nova “like [she’s a] person” and (unlike others) doesn’t yell, “Stop making that weird noise!” whenever Nova laughs (12). Unlike other foster parents, Francine reports good things about Nova’s development and intelligence to Mrs. Steele, Nova’s social worker. Francine begins to prove to Nova early on that she loves her, and Francine’s support and understanding help Nova accept Bridget’s death and retain hope for her own future.