Why read Moon Over Manifest?

Book cover of Moon Over Manifest

Book description

Winner of the 2011 Newbery Award.

The movement of the train rocked me like a lullaby. I closed my eyes to the dusty countryside and imagined the sign I’d seen only in Gideon’s stories: Manifest—A Town with a rich past and a bright future.

Abilene Tucker feels abandoned. Her…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked Moon Over Manifest as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

KG Mach

Author

This is a book of historical fiction that I find myself reaching for again and again. (It’s a Newbery winner for a reason!)

This book is rich in language and details; I was completely immersed in the time period. Set in Kansas during the Great Depression, 12-year-old Abilene misses her father and does not understand why he left. The people of Manifest tell Abilene stories about a soldier from the Great War, and she begins to see her father’s truth and understand the pain he carries.

The characters in this book are unforgettable. Reading it, I felt a part of…

From KG's list on KG Mach's favorite books that help understand the impact of war.

Kathleen Wilford

Author

I fell for this book because of the main character’s voice, which is earthy, believable, and funny. “Hard times are a penny for plenty,” Abilene says after hopping off the train in dusty Manifest, Kansas in 1936. “They call it a Depression, but I’d say it’s a downright rut and the whole country’s in it.” Carrying her daddy’s compass and not much else, Abilene boards with a preacher with a “jigsaw life” and seeks to discover her missing daddy’s past. Following her quest, I learned about things like bootlegging, the flu epidemic of 1918, the Great Depression, xenophobia—and a bit…

From Kathleen's list on The best children’s historical novels of the American prairie.