Story and Art by Jes and Cin Wibowo
Indu is a boy from the moon who has never really felt like he belonged. His adoptive mother moved them from their spaceship to New Earth, and it’s been hard to find a place to fit in. His new classmates think he’s weird, his new family doesn’t seem to know what to do with him, and his new pen pal suddenly ghosted him.
In a moment of loneliness, he calls out to the moon for help. The moon answers and promises to bring Indu back home on the first day of the New Year. But as the date draws near, Indu makes new friendships that might make him change his mind.
The theme in this book is of community and acceptance. I was attracted to the lustrous artwork and the warm hue palette. It is a stunningly illustrated graphic novel.
The intended audience for Lunar Boy is the LGBTQIA+ community. I found this SciFiction/Indonesian story interesting and with a good message for readers who are struggling with their identity.
Reviewed by Kristen Hunt, Librarian, Whittier Elementary School
Review shared in June 2024
Rating: ★★★★✩ (4 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 6-9
Lunar Boy
Written and Illustrated by Jes and Cin Wibowo
Harper Alley, ain imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
240 pages
Release Date: May 14, 2024
ISBN: 9780063057593
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
