What the Moon Said

November 18, 2013
A ring around the moon, a dream about a wedding, and rain at the outset of a journey are all causes for alarm in the mind of Esther Vogel’s Russian immigrant mother. Her superstitions, combined with a lack of physical affection, make (nearly) 10-year-old Esther wonder if Ma loves her. In 1930, Esther’s life changes dramatically when her family moves from Chicago to a Wisconsin farm after her father loses his job. The house is dilapidated, with no electricity and an outhouse instead of a bathroom. Optimis-tically determined to see the situation as an “adventure,” Esther is thrilled to have horses, cows, and (best of all) a dog, and she finds beauty in the quiet landscape and excels in school. Yet what she really wants—approval, a steady best friend, and relief from poverty—are elusive. Rosengren, in her first novel, offers an intimate account of a family’s adjustment to country life and the hardships of the Great Depression. It’s easy to root for Esther, who makes the most of each day, wants little, and gives much. Ages 8–12.

December 15, 2013
A coming-of-age tale gets to the heart of family dynamics in the face of drastic life changes in the earliest days of the Depression. Esther's family moves to a farm in Wisconsin when her father loses his job. She comes to like farm life in spite of the hardships of a house with no electricity, an outhouse instead of a bathroom and lots of chores. But her overwhelming mission is to win her mother's love by being obedient and helpful, for she believes that her mother doesn't really love her, as she never hugs or kisses the girl and seems to recoil from any display of affection from her. Esther's mother sees dangerous omens everywhere: in dreams, in the configuration of the moon and in small daily occurrences. Some of these beliefs cause even more painful difficulties in their relationship, as when she demands that Esther end a friendship when she sees the girl has a mole that is, to her, the mark of angry fairies. Esther is often confused, but she's able to withstand everything that happens with resilience and a measure of hope. Every episode, whether ordinary or momentous, fills in a bit of the puzzle and leads Esther and readers to a growing understanding and acceptance of the nature of love and home and family ties. It's a quiet, old-fashioned story; Bean's black-and-white chapter heads reinforce its cozy, mid-20th-century feel. Sensitive and tender. (Fiction. 8-12)

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February 1, 2014

Gr 5-8-Growing up in Depression-era Chicago, Esther desperately wants her immigrant mother to be more affectionate. Faced with her father's job loss, the family moves to a small farm in Wisconsin to start over. Esther welcomes the adventure to be had in this new life-a dog, a good friend, and especially the chance to be like the pioneers. Embracing a home without electricity or running water doesn't daunt her mother and Esther hopes that by emulating that fortitude, she will earn her mother's love and warmth. It takes losing the farm and a serious illness for Esther to realize that her mother does, in fact, love her and her acts of affection may not be found in words or hugs, but rather the way in which she uses her superstitions to protect and guide her family. Told over the course of a year, the story triumphs in its small vignettes. Esther's relationship with her siblings, however, has little depth, and while the ups and downs of life on a farm are poignant, there is more telling than showing. Though the ending resolves the story neatly, it does not build to a truly satisfying conclusion. Still, readers who enjoy historical fiction or mother/daughter relationship stories may enjoy this quiet tale.-Beth Dobson, Weatherly Heights Elementary School, Huntsville, AL

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2013
Grades 4-7 When Depression-era hard times send Esther's family from their Chicago home to try their luck on a small Wisconsin farm, the 10-year-old learns that there are many ways people show love. Esther's mother never hugs or kisses her. Does she even love her? Over the course of their year in the country, Esther tries desperately to be a good daughter, but the practical realities of their near-pioneer life (no electricity or running water) leave her mother little time to notice. And while the bookish child admires her fearful mother's ability to read signs, she can't bring herself to give up her new friend Bethany, even if her mother says the girl was marked by angry fairies. Eventually, Esther finds much to enjoy in her new farm life. Debut author Rosengren weaves plenty of Old World superstitions into her heartwarming story, contrasting those who fear the future with those who embrace it. Esther's positive attitude offers a fine model for readers of this engaging historical fiction.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2014
Esther's father loses his job in the midst of the Great Depression and sees moving to the country as the family's only hope. Farm life is far from idyllic, and Esther longs for some show of love from her distant, superstitious Russian-immigrant mother. The family's poverty and hardships are nicely woven into a story of family love lost and found.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)