ISBN: 0316733695
Publisher: Little, Brown (2004)
248 p.
Publisher: Little, Brown (2004)
248 p.
Reading Level: 9th grade and up.
Summary:
Regan is a shy, introverted high schooler who harbors a secret. Her brother, Liam, reveals his true nature only to her and only at night. Born a boy, but truly a girl, Liam, aka Luna, struggles to define herself and longs to be free. Their parents try to fulfill their roles as mother and father, but are only distant and fail to speak to each other, much less connect with their children. Wanting desperately to become the girl he has always been on the inside, Luna reveals herself to the community, bit by bit. As Regan struggles to regain her life and identity and enjoy Chris, her budding boyfriend, she attempts to be there wholly for Luna as well. As Luna keeps taking more and more chances, Regan fears for her sister, their family, and their closest friends. Will they see Luna for who she truly is, a radiant and loving individual, or will they turn against her in confusion and shame? Read Luna to find out.
Critical Evaluation:
“I cried for her. I cried for me. I cried for a world that wouldn’t let her be” (p. 211).
I have never read a novel about being transgendered. This novel opened my eyes to the pain and suffering those who are born into an inappropriate sex go through. Luna’s story, as well as Regan’s, truly showcases the themes of gender roles, tolerance, and the intense pressure to be a “regular family.” As the author detailed in an interview, “As I was recreating Luna’s past, my subconscious writer kicked in and switched the narrative from past to present tense . . . I didn’t know if that had ever been done before. Young adult literature is all about experimentation and risk-taking. “ (Retrieved from http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/lit_resources/authors/stories_behind/storypeters.html). The use of past and present recreates the snapshots of life in which Regan becomes Luna’s confidante and sets the overall tone of the novel. Although there are moments of joy, there are also flickers of foreshadowing, as when Luna tries to go to the mall by herself and the altercation with the family for which Regan babysits. The climax with Luna’s family mirrors what must happen in households across America. Perhaps transgendered teens can read this book, hand it to their parents and, hopefully, be better understood and loved.
Reader’s Annotation:
“In Luna’s case, the butterfly is forced to rein in her wings and reinsert herself into the cocoon every day. Every single day, she has to become this shell of a person.” (p. 126) Delve into Luna and her sister, Reagan,as they try to manage their lives, loves, and themselves.
Author Biography:
Julie Ann Peters was raised in Colorado, and the author calls the experience “noisy, but fun.” She received a BA in Elementary Education and a minor in French and later got a BS in Computer and Management Science. With a variety of jobs such as a computer programmer and a systems engineer, she was still not satisfied with the career path she was on, so she turned to writing.
Living in Colorado with her partner, Peters has been a prolific writer of 17 books for children and teens of all ages. Her themes include friendship and coping with sexuality.
Genre: Fiction/ LGBTQ issues.
Curriculum Ties:
This book could be read in a social studies or an English class. The teacher can detail and expound on the themes of tolerance, family, gender roles, and identification.
Booktalking Ideas:
-During Regan’s flashbacks to childhood, how does her perspective change
toward her parents, once she learns how to contextualize her memories?
toward her parents, once she learns how to contextualize her memories?
-Why does Regan not enjoy her newfound crush, Chris? What holds her back?
-Does Liam ask too much of Regan?
Read-Alikes:
-Choir Boy by Charlie Anders.
-Parrotfish by Ellen Witlinger.
-Almost Perfect by Brian Katcher.
-Film: Soldier’s Girl directed by Frank Pierson.
Challenge Issue:
This novel has won or been a finalist for many awards. Luna was a National Book Award Finalist, an ALA Best Book for Young Adults 2005, a 2004 Borders Original Voices Award Finalist and a 2005 Colorado Book Award for Young Adult Literature—just a few of the awards that have been given to this outstanding novel. One of the best places to ask parents to look is the author’s blog which contains excerpts from teens with responses to her books. Although I’m sure parents could say that the author wrote these herself, Peter’s skill with her words make the book so original that she does not have to make up such compelling letters.
Reason to include in blog:
I came across this title in one of our class readings and it looked supremely interesting. I did not know much about those who are transgender, and this is a heartbreaking and brave book. This is the type of book that children should be able to feel they can give their parents for an insight into who they are.
References:
Peters, J. (2011) Julie Anne Peters Bio. Retrieved from
http://www.julieannepeters.com/files/JPBio.htm
Peters, J. A. (2004). Luna: A novel. New York: Little, Brown.
Smith, C. (2011). The story behind the story: Julia Anne Peters on Luna.
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