Me (Moth)
An unforgettable story of loss, friendship, and ancestry.
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Amber McBride' Me (Moth) was a finalist for the 2021 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. The novel is written in free verse and told in the voice of Moth, a Black teen girl who's lost her family in a car accident and is now living unhappily in Virginia with her aunt. Moth's strongest emotional connection is with her deceased grandfather, who practiced Hoodoo, a magic system that highlights the strength and power of ancestors. She's feeling desperately lost and alone at her new high school until she meets Sani, who's left his Navajo father in New Mexico to live unhappily with his White mother and her new family. A road trip, believes Moth, is what they need to break the grip that depression and isolation has on them both -- it's "a thing you go on and come back different." They decide to run away to the Navajo Nation in New Mexico, hoping that the trip through the South and Southwest will reconnect them with the ghosts of their Black and Native American ancestors. There's no sex or swearing, but a teen is emotionally abused and hit in the head by his stepfather.
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What's the Story?
The Moth in ME (MOTH) is a Black teen named Moth, who's lost her parents and brother in a terrible car accident. She's moved from New York City to Virginia to live with her Aunt Jack, leaving not only her home and friends behind but also her dreams of becoming a famous ballerina. But she can still dream of her grandfather, who was a Hoodoo rootworker and a conjurer. When he died, he left Moth a box of herbs, roots, and soil, and she continues to practice Hoodoo. Moth feels invisible at her new high school, as no one speaks to her (even the other Black students). Then Sani, a boy with long black hair tied in a knot, arrives. He's been living in New Mexico with his Navajo father, a Medicine Man and healer, but has come to Virginia to live with his White mother and her new husband and family. He finds himself very much an outsider within the family, and his stepfather thinks Sani is "sick in the head." When Moth asks Sani to run away with her, he quickly agrees. They decide to drive to the Navajo Nation to stay with Sani's father. There the two teens find family connections they never knew about.
Is It Any Good?
Written in lean and spare free verse, this story about grief, friendship, and the search for identity is rich, vibrant, haunting and unforgettable. For many readers, Me (Moth) will be their first introduction to Hoodoo and Native American creation stories. This may lead to family discussions about the importance of learning about and respecting other traditions.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the mental health issues Moth and Sani deal with in Me (Moth). How does your school support students who are dealing with depression, feelings of isolation and loneliness, or anger?
Her family's car accident meant that Moth lost her dream of becoming a dancer. Have you ever lost a dream that meant everything to you?
If you could take a family road trip, where would you go and what would you want to stop and see along the way?
Book Details
- Author: Amber McBride
- Genre: Coming of Age
- Topics: Friendship, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
- Publication date: August 17, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 13 - 17
- Number of pages: 256
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Awards: ALA Best and Notable Books, Coretta Scott King Medal and Honors
- Last updated: January 24, 2022
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For kids who love Novels in verse and Native American characters
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