Friday, June 08, 2007

Some Moon-y Weekend Reading

Every time I see this book, That Girl Lucy Moon, I think, it seems like the perfect book for New Moon to review! Luckily, I got my wish and 11-year-old "M" sent the following review.

That Girl Lucy Moon by Amy Timberlake

Lucy Moon is a girl who stands up for what she believes. She supports animal rights in her town during hunting season by wearing a bandanna around her neck, and when anyone ever asks why she wears the bandanna everyday, she thoroughly explains the wrongs of hunting.

Lucy wears her hair in long braids every day with a handwoven yellow and green hemp hat on her head. All through elementary school, whenever a teacher asked Lucy to take this special hat off, she would make a speech about how she wears the hat in support of third world workers and refuse to take it off.

But now that she's in middleschool, things are different. Teachers are getting tired of Lucy's causes, and so are her friends. Zoe, Lucy's artsy best friend, is getting especially fed up with her. So when two of Lucy's classmates get arrested for sledding on Wiggins Hill and the local paper won't publish an article on it, she grasps the opportunity and investigates. Something is going on with Ms. Ilene Viola Wiggins. But is it too risky to get in the way of the richest woman in town and her plans to ban kids from sledding onWiggins Hill? Lucy crosses the line with protests and postcards. She is labeled a "bad influence" by (it seems) everyone at the middleschool. She must do what the principal thinks is community service, but isn't that what Lucy has been doing all along? Lucy can barely keep it together anymore. The world, which she is trying to help, turns on her, and Lucy is confused. It doesn't help much that Lucy's mom keeps postponing her return from a photography trip, and her father only makes matters worse than they already are, until he begins to see Lucy's need forhelp.

With her best friend mad, her father subdued, her mom M.I.A. and all of the teachers (expect loyal Ms. Kortum) losing patience, Lucy begins to wonder if it's worth trying to make a difference. Lucy Moon is a strong, spunky girl and would be a perfect New Mooner. This fantastic book is a great early summer read. Amy Timberlake tells a great and original story. It's for ages 9-12, but basically anyone between the ages of 8-14 will love it.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

that sounds really good that is just what the wourld neads a strong girl to look up to and we can all do that to if we try

Anonymous said...

This sounds like a FABULOUS book! I can't wait to read it! Great review, too! (: