Common Sense Media Review
By Sally Engelfried
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fast-paced adventure of orphan siblings on quest in NYC.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
When their father dies at the beginning of UNHOOKING THE MOON, siblings Bob and Marie Claire (aka the Rat) decide to journey on their own from Winnipeg, Canada, to New York City in search of their dad's estranged brother. Besides a penchant for crazy schemes and an addiction to mochas, 10-year-old Rat has a talent for befriending colorful characters, including a cigar smuggler, a street hustler, and a famous rapper, all of whom try to help her. As Bob and the Rat search the New York boroughs for their uncle (who's rumored to be the city's biggest drug dealer), they encounter many dangers, but the Rat always manages to extract them. When a corrupt children's home takes the Rat, it's up to Bob to unite her unusual group of friends and rescue her.
Is It Any Good?
Although this fast-paced story isn't meant to be realistic, the idea of two modern-day kids looking for someone and not first consulting the Internet is hard to swallow. Rat's endless wacky capers and her way of assessing people as either angels or pedophiles will charm some readers, but others will find her almost magical ability to slip in and out of crazy situations too unbelievable and ultimately tiresome. Big brother Bob's readiness to believe her premonitions and follow her into situations he doesn't understand is often baffling. Still, the story's varied action and its cast of unusual characters will appeal to many readers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why the author chose not to have Bob and the Rat use the public library and the Internet to find their uncle. Does this lack of realism hurt the story or make it better because it allows them to have more adventures?
Can you relate to the rapper Iceman's complaints about the burdens of fame? Do you think they're realistic? Would you want to be famous? What would be good and bad about it?
Have you ever done what a friend or relative suggested, even though it didn't make sense to you, as Bob often does? How did the situation turn out for you?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Adventure
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Quercus
- Publication date : October 1, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 9 - 12
- Number of pages : 352
- Available on : Paperback, Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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