Written by Aida Salazar
11-year-old Celi Rivera’s body is quickly changing and with it, the promise of a period. For Celi, this means a moon ceremony to celebrate her transition from girl to young woman. Celi, however, doesn’t want to share the things happening to her body with other people. Celi also finds herself torn between her best friend Marco and her first crush, Ivain. Marco is exploring what it means to be gender-fluid. While Celi’s first crush is showing interest in her, they are also unaccepting of her best friend. Can Celi navigate the changing relationships in her life? Will she successfully navigate the world of puberty? A touching, poignant story about a Mexican/Puerto-Rican girl’s journey of self-discovery. The characters are easy to relate to, well-developed, and easily draw the reader into the story. Written in verse, the text is smooth to read, well-laid out, and doesn’t detract from the story. A great read for girls dealing with self-discovery, changing friendships, and growing up.
Reviewed by Jessica Moody, Library Media Educational Technology Specialist, Olympus Jr High
Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 4-6
Teacher’s Guide
Author Website: http://www.aidasalazar.com/
The Moon Within
Written by Aida Salazar
Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.
231 pages
Release Date: February 26, 2019
ISBN: 9781338283372
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
