This 2017 Newbery Award winning book has been on my reading "bucket" list for some time, and when I saw a digital copy was available in Overdrive, without needing to place a hold, I jumped on it! The story begins in a town known as "Protectorate" which is run by a group called the elders. Every year the people of Protectorate leave a baby to be sacrificed to the witch (creepy right?!?), only the witch is kind. When the sacrificed baby accidentally drinks in the moonlight, the witch names her "Luna" and decides to raise the child, taking her home to her friends, a swamp monster, and tiny dragon.
So, within the first five chapters, I am making many connections to other novels. When I read about the elders and I read about Antain, the elder in training (who seems to be the only boy who questions this insane practice!), I think of The Giver and connect Antain to Jonan's role in The Giver. When I read about Luna who, thanks to the moonlight, has been enmagicked and unaware of her magical abilities, I think of Harry Potter, who lived until the early adolescence not knowing he was a wizard. Like Harry Potter, Luna also has a mark on her forehead-- a crescent moon--similar to Harry's lightning bolt.
I can't help but wonder how inspired this author was by many of the wonderful novels, and perhaps folk tales, that perhaps paved the path for this magical plot.
I anticipate Luna's magic becoming a big complication to this plot, and of course, the inquisitive mind of Antain playing a role in her discovery.
More to come next week!
Dr. Kinglsey
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