Tweens Read Thursdays
Goodreads Synopsis:
It's 1969, and the Apollo 11 mission is getting ready to go to the moon. But for half-black, half-Japanese Mimi, moving to a predominantly white Vermont town is enough to make her feel alien. Suddenly, Mimi's appearance is all anyone notices. She struggles to fit in with her classmates, even as she fights for her right to stand out by entering science competitions and joining Shop Class instead of Home Ec. And even though teachers and neighbors balk at her mixed-race family and her refusals to conform, Mimi’s dreams of becoming an astronaut never fade—no matter how many times she’s told no.
This historical middle-grade novel is told in poems from Mimi's perspective over the course of one year in her new town, and shows readers that positive change can start with just one person speaking up.
Review:
First of all, um, gorgeous cover! I am a sucker for a pretty cover, and this one definitely grabbed me. "Full Cicada Moon" tackles some heavy issues like racial diversity, but unlike many other books, does not beat you over the head with them. Mimi has a good voice and I really enjoyed the descriptions and metaphors-especially in her first impressions of Vermont. "Full Cicada Moon" reminded me, in many ways, of "Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson, but I actually liked this one more. While, I enjoy verse format very much, I couldn't help but feel as if I had read this book before and that the tone in this and the other verse format books I have read in the past is exceptionally similar. Perhaps this is why I have to take verse novels in "doses." Overall, I enjoyed "Full Cicada Moon," but it just didn't have the right kind of sparkle dust to wow me. It did spark some thoughts I want to share with you, but they deserve a post of their own, so stay tuned!
How do you feel about novels in verse? If you are a fan of the format, what are some of your favorites?
Alyssa
Disclosure: I read and am reviewing from an Advanced Reader Copy.
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