A solitary blue

I suppose you don't really have to read the first two books in the Tillerman Cycle, "Homecoming" and "Dicey's Song" before you read this, because the connection is a bit tangential, but you should because they are fine books in their own right

This is the story of Jeff, whose loving mother abandoned him in the hands of his cold father, where he builds a life based on not interacting much. And then, one glorious day, his mother wants him back, and love re-enters his life...for a while. This story of an isolated child taken on a shattering emotional rollercoaster ride, and how he finds the strength to put himself back together and to distinguish real love from false is a wonder and a joy, and the high point of an excellent series of books. I loved it as an adult, and my kids liked it when I read it to them.