Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Luna barely remembers her mother, who died when the middle schooler was a baby. All she has left of her mom is pictures, as well as the memories shared by her loved ones, especially Luna's single, hardworking father. Luna's world is turned upside down when she and her father move from California to live with her distant maternal grandmother in a suburb outside of Washington, D.C. She begins seventh grade feeling lonelier than ever, as it seems difficult to find "a single human or animal... who actually wants to hang out with me." As Luna settles into her new home, however, she and her grandmother bond over their shared grief and love for Luna's mom. After Grandma gives Luna her mother's old nature journals, Luna aspires to follow in her mom's footsteps by creating her own diary and joining her school's environmental club, despite Luna's feeling like a "natural disaster" out of doors. Through her grief, she finds community, which Squished creators Lloyd and Nutter highlight via the protagonist's budding friendships, her shifting dynamic with her father, and her deepening relationship with her grandmother. Eye-catching earth-toned color palettes emphasize the role that nature plays in healing old wounds in this gentle graphic novel. Luna has brown skin. Ages 8--12. Author's agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Aevitas Creative Management. (Oct.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3--7--Seventh grader Luna Juniper Wright-Evans is less than thrilled when her father announces they're leaving California for Washington, D.C., and even less thrilled to learn they'll be living with her strict grandmother. Luna's mother died when she was a baby, and while she longs for a connection to Grandma Wright, she has always found her to be distant and cold. At first, life in DC feels just as bleak as Luna expected, but things begin to shift when her grandmother gives her an old journal filled with her late mother's observations of the natural world. Though Luna has never felt at ease in nature, she begins to venture outdoors, making it her goal to spot the elusive luna moth she was named after. What follows is a tender exploration of grief and a quiet celebration of discovery, as Luna makes new friends, including a daring young neighbor and a boy her age she mistakes as rude--until she learns he wasn't wearing his hearing aids. Told month by month over the course of a year, this gentle graphic novel celebrates nature, healing, and human connection. The art is vibrant, with green-suffused art guiding readers through Luna's journey. Luna is mixed-race, her father is Black, and her mother and grandmother are Asian. VERDICT Featuring authentic friendships and a diverse cast of characters, this is a must-have for upper elementary and middle school readers who enjoy heartfelt, slice-of-life stories.--Amy Ribakove
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Luna Juniper Wright-Evans is a "certified nature-hater," unlike her mother, who was so keen on the outdoors that she named her daughter after a moth. All Luna has of her mother, who died when Luna was a baby, are photos and her special name. When her father's company transfers him to the Washington, D.C., area, they move in with Luna's maternal grandmother in Lacey, Virginia. Luna is unhappy about the many changes she faces: making new friends while missing the old ones back home in California, starting seventh grade at a new school, and adjusting to Grandma Wright's strict house rules. Luna, whose dad presents Black and whose mom had light skin and glossy dark hair, begins pinning her hopes on seeing a luna moth, a goal that helps her connect with her mother. She reads her mother's old nature journals and starts one of her own--in her own unique style. This gentle, warm story, which unfolds in chapters that follow the months of the year, has friendship and nature at its very core. As nature becomes a binding force for Luna to create new bonds, it also gives her a chance to explore her neighborhood, hone her observation skills, and find a sense of belonging. Snippets about flora and fauna are tucked into the story, presented with joy and intriguing details, and the text and the illustrations work together seamlessly. A tender story that floats as lightly as a moth. (how to make a nature journal)(Graphic fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
