Parents' Guide to

Walk Two Moons

By Barbara Schultz, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Dramatic, complex tale has rich characters, emotional depth.

Book Sharon Creech Coming of Age 1994
Walk Two Moons Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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age 11+

Based on 10 parent reviews

madison.lihs
madison.lihs Adult
July 7, 2020
age 13+

Read this book as a kid, now I'm teaching it!

I read this book for a book report when I was about ten years old, and I never truly understood the book. It was sad at times, but in the novel the main character, Sal, and her grandparents travel across the midwest to find her mother. Being from South Dakota I thought it was cool they traveled through the places I've been to and grew up around. I reread it for an extra college course I was taking and now I'm teaching it to my middle school class in Iowa, and they all love it! It's a deep story dealing with loss, love, friendships, and some other difficult topics. Your child may even ask you questions, so be prepared for that! I've read the other reviews online about this book, but trust me parents, this novel is one to read. It's won many different awards for a reason, give it a fair chance and you won't be disappointed. I teach this novel for a reason!

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
getoutmecar
getoutmecar Adult
February 10, 2020
age 11+

It's fine

This book may be filled with sadness and death but it teaches kids valuable lessons and yes it may say the word sex or damn or hell here and there but it provides a good education and lesson for your child.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 10 parent reviews

What's the Story?

The Newbery Medal-winning WALK TWO MOONS tells two stories: the one that's happening in the "present" of the book -- Sal's road trip with her grandparents -- and the story Sal tells Gram and Gramps in the car, about her friend Phoebe. As Sal and her grandparents retrace the journey Sal's mom made on her way to Idaho --visiting national landmarks and Native American points of interest -- Sal tells what happened when she moved from her family's farm in Bybanks, Kentucky, to a little suburban house in Euclid, Ohio. That's where Sal met Phoebe and was drawn into some mysterious events involving anonymous notes left on Phoebe's porch and a young man who came looking for Phoebe's mother. By trying to help Phoebe through a family crisis -- made even more dramatic by Phoebe's outrageous theories about kidnapping and murder -- Sal gains a deeper, more peaceful, understanding of her own feelings of loss.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (10):
Kids say (41):

Sharon Creech tells a complex story within a story, full of dramatic, intersecting events, beautifully articulated feelings, and richly drawn characters. Even mature readers who can predict much about the end of Sal's journey will find plenty of plot surprises. And all readers will be deeply moved by Sal's experiences, and the connections she makes with her family, friends, and her natural world.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about images of Native Americans in the media. How is Sal similar to, or different from, Native American characters in other books you;ve read or movies you've seen?

  • Which of the secret notes the girls receive do you think contains the most important lesson for Sal, and why?

  • Look at a road map of the U.S., and try to draw Sal and her grandparents' route. What states, and what landmarks do they visit?

Book Details

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