Fourteen-year-old Clara Luna spends the summer with her grandparents in the tiny, remote village of Yucuyoo, Mexico, learning about her grandmother’s life as a healer, her father’s decision to leave home for the United States, and her own place in the world.
- ISBN: 9780385733434
- Author: Resau, Laura
- Published: 2006 , Delacorte Books for Young Readers
- Themes: growing up, multicultural families, multigenerational, Social and family issues
- Descriptors: Intermediate (ages 9-14), Mexico, Realistic Fiction
- No. of pages: 272
I selected Resau’s book because of the title. Since I was interested in the representation of the moon in children’s literature, the title caught my eye. I read the back cover and was even more intrigued. The main character’s name was Clara Luna and as I flipped through the book, I saw many references to the moon through figurative language—metaphors, personification, similes. As I read the book, I was not disappointed, in fact, before long, the story took over and I knew I was in for an all-night read!
As I’ve mentioned in other reviews, I “talk” to my books as I read. By the time I finish novel, lots of Post-It © notes are stuck to the pages. On the first page of the Prologue, I made this comment, “The moon looks down on us no matter where we are;” and in fact, this is a theme that runs throughout and concludes the novel. In the first eighteen pages, there were more than fifteen references to the moon: moonlight, full moon, lunatic, Clara Luna/Clear Moon, fuzzy moon, hazy moon, and personification of the moon as a witness. While in less competent hands, the moon idioms might seem trite; however, In Resau’s hands, the moon and its mysteries are intimately woven into Clara Luna’s and her grandmother Helen’s life stories.
Clara Luna’s father had left his home village of Yucuyoo as a young man, not returning even once during the intervening twenty years. Now, a letter from Mexico arrives and changes Clara’s life forever. It is from his mother, asking him to send fourteen year old Clara to Yucuyoo for the summer. Her parents agree and a reluctant Clara finds herself traveling to this remote village. In her mind, she sees picturesque adobe houses with flower boxes in the window and fenced-in gardens. What she finds after the long plane ride and four buses from Maryland to Yucuyoo is quite different: “…Abuelo set down the bags and pointed to the cluster of wooden and bamboo shacks that had just come into view. ‘This is our home!’ he said. ‘And your home!’” (p. 35).
Clara and Helena’s stories unfold in alternating chapters, and as we learn about Helena’s life, Clara finds answers to the mysteries in her own life—she discovers that like Helena, she is a healer. As Clara comes to terms with this revelation, she finds an inner peace she had never known. By the end of the novel, Clara has replaced her misconceptions with new understandings of what it means to be from the village of Yucuyoo, the hill of the moon.
“The moon rises over a girl and her father as they walk on a path down a mountain. The girl points to the moon, and her father’s eyes follow…. In Yucuyoo, an old woman with two long braids watches the sky….The moonlight bathes them all tonight, its invisible threads moving over them, moving between them, moving inside them” (p. 253).
T. Gail Pritchard, Ph.D.
University of Alabama Huntsville
I selected Resau’s book because of the title. Since I was interested in the representation of the moon in children’s literature, the title caught my eye. I read the back cover and was even more intrigued. The main character’s name was Clara Luna and as I flipped through the book, I saw many references to the moon through figurative language—metaphors, personification, similes. As I read the book, I was not disappointed, in fact, before long, the story took over and I knew I was in for an all-night read!
As I’ve mentioned in other reviews, I “talk” to my books as I read. By the time I finish novel, lots of Post-It © notes are stuck to the pages. On the first page of the Prologue, I made this comment, “The moon looks down on us no matter where we are;” and in fact, this is a theme that runs throughout and concludes the novel. In the first eighteen pages, there were more than fifteen references to the moon: moonlight, full moon, lunatic, Clara Luna/Clear Moon, fuzzy moon, hazy moon, and personification of the moon as a witness. While in less competent hands, the moon idioms might seem trite; however, In Resau’s hands, the moon and its mysteries are intimately woven into Clara Luna’s and her grandmother Helen’s life stories.
Clara Luna’s father had left his home village of Yucuyoo as a young man, not returning even once during the intervening twenty years. Now, a letter from Mexico arrives and changes Clara’s life forever. It is from his mother, asking him to send fourteen year old Clara to Yucuyoo for the summer. Her parents agree and a reluctant Clara finds herself traveling to this remote village. In her mind, she sees picturesque adobe houses with flower boxes in the window and fenced-in gardens. What she finds after the long plane ride and four buses from Maryland to Yucuyoo is quite different: “…Abuelo set down the bags and pointed to the cluster of wooden and bamboo shacks that had just come into view. ‘This is our home!’ he said. ‘And your home!’” (p. 35).
Clara and Helena’s stories unfold in alternating chapters, and as we learn about Helena’s life, Clara finds answers to the mysteries in her own life—she discovers that like Helena, she is a healer. As Clara comes to terms with this revelation, she finds an inner peace she had never known. By the end of the novel, Clara has replaced her misconceptions with new understandings of what it means to be from the village of Yucuyoo, the hill of the moon.
“The moon rises over a girl and her father as they walk on a path down a mountain. The girl points to the moon, and her father’s eyes follow…. In Yucuyoo, an old woman with two long braids watches the sky….The moonlight bathes them all tonight, its invisible threads moving over them, moving between them, moving inside them” (p. 253).
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a little hard to get into first, but once the author started giving the background and describing what was going on, it was hard to put down. I really loved all the images that Clara uses when she is talking about her travels and how the village where her grandparents live. I could visualize everything just by the descriptive words and phrases that were used. It is a great story and I live how Clara finds what was missing in her life.
What a wonderful story! I, like Mackey, wanted to be where Clara was. Our modern world is so filled with ‘interference’ that we fail to hear or notice the things that are truely important. Clara was able to experience a different way of life and learn about where she came from. How many young people have that chance these days?
What the Moon Saw was a lovely book that explores the importance of family and how they infuluence and guide individuals in who they will become. The connection between Abuelita and Clara is one to envy.
This was a great book! I think it could be used in all grade levels. Clara was unsure about going to Mexico to spend the summer with her grandparents and it landed up being the best thing for her. She was able to find out who she was.
While reading this book, I felt jealous of Clara and the wonderful experience she was having. I thought of how my own children would be truly happy living in a village like Yucuyoo, tending their animals and living off the land. This book was intriguing on so many levels, but what continued to go through my mind was how consumerism has changed societal norms. People in the village lived simple lives. They had what they needed to survive and it made me think of why my family can not be happy with the basics. What is it that drives us to always want more, and better, I feel that we have lost touch with what is truly important. This book made me want to connect with something that is real.
This was a poetic and charming novel. I loved how there were stories within the story and how they were all intertwined. This book was a great story of self discovery. I would definitely use this book in my classroom. I think it would be an excellent source for my third graders to use for guidance when reflecting about their own cultures and lives.
I loved the title. I often find myself looking up to the moon and imagining someone else far away looking at the same sight I’m seeing or that the moon is looking at both of us which links us together. I think this story was all about connections, listening to our inner voice, and finding our destiny. I also see opportunities to use this book as we discuss family hertigages and traits. I loved the way the story told two stories at the same time…what a great example for demonstrating this style of writing and making comparison between characters.
I love that Clara Luna found the peace she’d been searching for in a location so far from her norm. This book is a good example of taking chances with relationships, friends, and with family. The realization of the sacrifices parents make for their children, and the reason behind these sacrifices, bring a family closer together, and helps to clarify the lives they’ve lived.
I liked this book. Clara found her home, who she was. Clara was so afraid to go meet and spend 2 months with her grandparents. It turned out to be a journey that fed her soul. I think it is a great self discovery book that can lead to some deep discussions with 5/6 grade girls!
What the Moon Saw was an amazing story filled with vibrant poetic images. This type of writing has always captured my interest, therefore the story proved remarkable. This story captured my interest for literature circles in my classroom. I found it to be a text that students should come in contact with to understand idenity, family relationships, curiosities, and diverse cultural understandings. This multicultural text can be utilized and implemented many different ways in the classroom. Specifically, literature webbing that interconnect with other multicultural stories that are being read.