Book Pick—What the Moon Saw
From SLJ September 2006 (Starred Review)
Melissa Christy Buron, Epps Island Elementary, Houston, TX -- School Library Journal, 8/28/2006
RESAU, Laura. What the Moon Saw. 258p. glossary. Delacorte. Sept. 2006. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-385-73343-7; PLB $17.99. ISBN 0-385-90360-X. LC number unavailable.
Gr 5-9–Out of the blue, 14-year-old Clara Luna receives a letter from her grandparents inviting her to spend the summer with them in Mexico. She has never met her father's parents and he has not seen them since he left his homeland more than 20 years ago. Wary of visiting people she doesn't know and yet frustrated and restless with her life at home, Clara embarks on the two-day journey to the remote village of Yucuyoo. Through her experiences there, she discovers not only her own strength as an individual, but also her talent for healing, which she shares with her grandmother. The exquisitely crafted narrative includes Clara's first-person impressions and descriptions interspersed with chapters of her grandmother's story. The characters are well developed, each with a fully formed backstory. Resau does an exceptional job of portraying the agricultural society sympathetically and realistically, naturally integrating Spanish words and phrases in Mixteco into the plot without distracting from it. The atmosphere is mystical and dreamlike, yet energetic. Readers will relish Clara's adventures in Mexico, as well as her budding romance with Pedro. This distinguished novel will be a great addition to any collection.
