The Moon and More
Book review by Darienne Stewart, Common Sense Media
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The Moon and More
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
Stands out for
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What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Moon and More is a smart depiction of the emotional push-and-pull that often marks the summer before a teen heads off to college. Lead character Emaline is sexually active with her longtime boyfriend, seems to completely disregard her parents' curfew with no consequences, and underage drinking is treated casually and matter-of-factly. But otherwise, this a sweet story about summertime romances, coming to terms with change, and finding your own way.
Community Reviews
December 21, 2015
OKay
Its a okay book but there are some sex contents.
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August 6, 2015
A"Girl Power" book
It's a good book if you are looking for a book to give your children the confidence that the don't need a man and what might be the signs that you need to get up of the relationship. but there are quite a few moments that are not for the younger ones. There is some under age drinking, sexually active teens, the subject of getting pregnant before marriage and some strong language. If you have a close enough relationship with your child, you might want to read them this one out loud, so that you can change some of the language or the scenes about sex. but otherwise this is a good book to prove that girls don't need a man to be happy.
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What's the Story?
Emaline is bracing for the changes in store at summer's end, when she'll leave her close-knit community for college. But life quickly gets more complicated than she could have imagined. Her distant father, who reneged on his offer to pay for Columbia, arrives for the summer with her 10-year-old stepbrother. Her longtime, reliable boyfriend is unpredictable. As that relationship unravels, Theo -- a filmmaker from New York City -- tries to sweep her off her feet. Theo and his prickly boss are making a movie about Clyde, a reclusive artist, and Emaline is drawn into their work. Emaline struggles to reconcile reality with her dreams, and make her own choices about her future before they're decided for her.
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Is It Any Good?
Sarah Dessen succeeds again in THE MOON AND MORE with authentic teen characters finding their way through messy circumstances. Emaline's relationships with her closest friends, her parents, and even her familiar hometown are changing faster than she can keep up. The summer before college is an strange time, a mix of anticipation and wistfulness, and Dessen nicely captures this unique period.
The characters feel a little mature for their age. The sexual aspect of Emaline's relationships gets scant attention, particularly for a sexually active teen who was born to a teenage mom. But she has her head squarely on her shoulders, making this a sweet story about summertime romances, letting go of fading dreams, and finding your own path forward.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
- Families can talk about the popularity of Sarah Dessen's novels. Why does her material work so well for teens?
If you've read Dessen's other books, how does this one compare? What ideas recur in her work?
- Sex and underage drinking are just part of the scenery in this novel. Do you find this portrayal realistic? Do you think there should have been more discussion of consequences, or do you like Dessen's approach?
Book Details
- Author: Sarah Dessen
- Genre: Coming of Age
- Topics: Arts and Dance, Brothers and Sisters, Friendship
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Viking Juvenile
- Publication date: June 4, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 17
- Number of pages: 384
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: March 20, 2019
Our Editors Recommend
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The Summer I Learned to Fly
Touching coming-of-age story with some mature themes.
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Second Chance Summer
Teen faces dad's death, former crush in beautiful story.
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The Story of Us
Well-written romance about teen accepting change.
For kids who love romance and coming-of-age stories
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