Laugh with the Moon

Readers will gain an understanding of what it is like to live In a remote village in Malawi, Africa, with its limited water supply, lack of school supplies, different foods, and close-knit community. Clare must learn to speak Chichewa, the Malawi language, while she is there, and a short glossary is included in the back of the book. In an Author's Note, author Burg recounts her personal experiences researching schools in Malawi and explains what inspired her to write the book. A recipe for mbatata (sweet potato) biscuits is also included.

Claire is a loving, responsible daughter, though initially angry at her father for taking her from her Boston home to Africa. She immediately identifies with her new classmates despite their vastly different life experiences, and she befriends them by being helpful and creative. Her new friend Memory has suffered even more loss than Clare but is incredibly supportive and generous. All the children are depicted as intelligent, hardworking students who nevertheless understand that they must sometimes sacrifice their studies to work and help support their families.