Once in a Blue Moon

by Sharon G Flake (Author)

Once in a Blue Moon
Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

A beautiful and uplifting novel in verse about family, friendship, journeys that take us far from home and back again, renewed and more courageous from the three-time Coretta Scott King Honor winner of The Skin I'm In!

James Henry used to be brave. He hasn't been the same since that fateful night at the lighthouse when his ma went searching for Dog. Now months later, he feels as small as the space between the numbers on a watch, nervous day and night, barely able to go outside. Even words have a hard time leaving his mouth. The only person he speaks to is Hattie, his courageous twin sister, who fiercely protects him, especially from bullies.

James Henry wants nothing more than to be brave again. However, finding his voice will mean confronting the truth about what happened at the lighthouse-a step James Henry isn't sure he can take. Until a blue moon is forecast, and as Gran has said, everything is possible under a rare blue moon . . . *

"An evocative, immediate novel with compelling characters and a wonderfully well-paced plot." --The Horn Book, starred review

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Hardcover
$17.99

Kirkus

The theme of recovery after deep trauma shines brightly.

None

Starred Review
An evocative, immediate novel with compelling characters and a wonderfully well-paced plot.

Publishers Weekly

Twins deal with the fallout of their mother's hospitalization in this emotionally raw verse novel by Flake (The Skin I'm In), set in Jim Crow-era North Carolina. After their mother nearly drowns, she's sent to a Detroit hospital, leaving 11-year-old Black twins James Henry and Hattie Mae in the care of Gran and Uncle. Only James Henry knows what really happened the night she almost died, but his anxiety, fear, and guilt result in him feeling unable to speak to anyone except Gran and Hattie Mae, prompting suspicion and blame from Uncle and other townspeople. James Henry even refuses to leave the house, creating a rift between the siblings. He finds refuge in astronomy, only going outside to survey the moon. When Hattie Mae learns that a rare blue moon--or a wishing moon, according to Gran--will soon be visible, she's sure that if they can get to the ocean, James Henry could wish away "his condition," as he calls it. But she must persuade him to leave the house first. Brief but impactful poems narrated by perceptive James Henry deliver a poignantly compelling intergenerational story that underlines themes of community and family, forgiveness, grief, and healing. An author's note concludes. Ages 8-12. Agent: Jennifer Lyons, Jennifer Lyons Literary. (July)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

A beautiful story written in verse. —The Root
Sharon G Flake
Sharon G. Flake is the author of The Skin I'm In, which has sold over a million copies worldwide and has been translated into numerous languages. Since its publication, Flake has authored over a dozen books, winning multiple Coretta Scott King Honor Awards; ALA Notable and Top Ten Recommended Books citations, and an NAACP Image Award Nomination, among many accolades. She has been writing books from her home (and Panera's) for over twenty years.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780593480984
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date
July 11, 2023
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039030 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Death & Dying
JUV016150 - Juvenile Fiction | Historical | United States - 20th Century
JUV013070 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Siblings
Library of Congress categories
Friendship
African Americans
Novels in verse
Twins
Guilt
Bullies
Psychic trauma
Siblings
Bullies and bullying

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