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ktmp2112's review against another edition
5.0
I read this to my class every year, and I will never get tired of seeing their reaction when we finish the book. This is one of my all time favorites, and I highly highly recommend it!
protoman21's review against another edition
4.0
There were times when this book drug on, but overall it was a well crafted story with a lot of heart. I'm not always a fan of books that jump back and forth between two separate storylines, and it did make this novel a bit hard to follow at the beginning, but once you get to know both sets of characters it flows more smoothly. The last third of the book tied everything together brilliantly leaving the reader satisfied and with very warm thoughts about the novel.
gmamartha's review against another edition
4.0
historical fiction. Set in 1930's, but learning about her father in the same town in 1918. I really like the tone of the setting, and I read it straight through to find out exactly how it would all tie together. Although I could guess who was who early, it was interesting to see it dawn on her.
timna_wyckoff's review against another edition
4.0
Read for family book club. I liked the way the story jumped back and forth between 1918 and 1936, and I loved the little gems stuck into Hattie Mae's newspaper articles. But, I didn't feel like the ending quite paid off.
alidottie's review against another edition
4.0
4 & 1/2 stars
I really loved this book and recommend it to anyone who likes a good story! You can even hand this one to your kids to read--after all, it is a Newbery Award winner!
I really loved this book and recommend it to anyone who likes a good story! You can even hand this one to your kids to read--after all, it is a Newbery Award winner!
roseleaf24's review against another edition
4.0
Medal Winner 2011
Third time was the charm for me with this book. I tried to read it twice after it won the Newbery last year, and just couldn't get into it. This time, it grabbed me pretty quickly, and never let me go.
Abilene's dad has sent her to live in Manifest, Kansas. She's ridden the rails with him her whole life, but after a cut on her knee got infected and almost killed her, he was afraid to let her continue live the rambling life of the Depression. She believes he'll come to get her at the end of the summer, but those she's staying with aren't so sure. Under the floorboards of her room in Preacher Shady's bar/church, she finds a box of letters and keepsakes that send her and her new friends, Ruthanne and Lettie, searching for a spy in Manifest in 1919. The story in 1919 unfolds through the letters and the storytelling of the mysterious Hungarian diviner next door, alongside the story of Abilene's summer in 1936. Things unfold beautifully, tying together the lives of her family and the town.
Third time was the charm for me with this book. I tried to read it twice after it won the Newbery last year, and just couldn't get into it. This time, it grabbed me pretty quickly, and never let me go.
Abilene's dad has sent her to live in Manifest, Kansas. She's ridden the rails with him her whole life, but after a cut on her knee got infected and almost killed her, he was afraid to let her continue live the rambling life of the Depression. She believes he'll come to get her at the end of the summer, but those she's staying with aren't so sure. Under the floorboards of her room in Preacher Shady's bar/church, she finds a box of letters and keepsakes that send her and her new friends, Ruthanne and Lettie, searching for a spy in Manifest in 1919. The story in 1919 unfolds through the letters and the storytelling of the mysterious Hungarian diviner next door, alongside the story of Abilene's summer in 1936. Things unfold beautifully, tying together the lives of her family and the town.
stephxsu's review against another edition
3.0
I wasn’t swept away by MOON OVER MANIFEST the way I want books, especially Newbery Prize-winning ones, to do to me. In some ways, this is an odd book: the 1936 plotline mingles with the 1917-1918 plotline that’s told through stories, and for some reason or another I found the 1918 plotline so much more interesting than the 1936 plotline. I actually have to shake my head a little at how it’s possible for the 1936 plotline to be so dull. But there you have it: what could have been a charming plotline about Abilene Tucker arriving at Manifest, getting to know the town’s quirky residents, and digging into its secrets turned into a snoozefest in which Abilene runs around town with all the productivity of one of those annoying little dogs that always have so much energy and yet are so stupid, has placeholder conversations with the townspeople and eats their food, and purportedly has adventures with her two friends (whom I couldn’t pick out of a three-person lineup if I tried, they were so uncharacterized) without actually doing anything that was actually worth writing 350+ pages about.
That was a bit harsh of me. I like clever books that surprise and outsmart me, and the revelation at MOON OVER MANIFEST’s ending did that, and even brought out some tears in me. However, under no circumstances can I wholeheartedly recommend a book just for its good ending if I felt the rest of it was just average. And, yeah, I felt MOON OVER MANIFEST was just average. It’s clever, the way the two storylines finally connected, but that’s not enough to overcome average characters and a slow plot. If I was inclined to put it down several times in the middle, how do you think a middle-grade audience would feel?
That was a bit harsh of me. I like clever books that surprise and outsmart me, and the revelation at MOON OVER MANIFEST’s ending did that, and even brought out some tears in me. However, under no circumstances can I wholeheartedly recommend a book just for its good ending if I felt the rest of it was just average. And, yeah, I felt MOON OVER MANIFEST was just average. It’s clever, the way the two storylines finally connected, but that’s not enough to overcome average characters and a slow plot. If I was inclined to put it down several times in the middle, how do you think a middle-grade audience would feel?
likeboadicea's review against another edition
2.0
Moon Over Manifest, a book set with the backdrop of WWI, follows young Abilene on her journey of discovering the history of the town she currently calls home while she also tries to learn who her father truly is, and why he sent her to this town of all places. The story had a good set up, albeit a little predicable, with how it gradually revealed to both the reader and Abilene the story of Manifest, Kansas and, in turn, Abilene's father.
While I enjoyed Abilene's character, I found the parts of the novel set earlier in history, in 1918, to be far more engaging. However, I do see how this could be considered to be the strength of a novel, particularly since it is deemed to be part of the YA genre. Young readers could eagerly wait for the next piece of the story's puzzle with Abilene, and then take heart from our young heroine as she mulls over the events of the story. She works as a bridge from the story of 1918 to the reader, guiding them in focusing on the themes of responsibility, family, and self-identification that are present in the story.
I could easily see this novel as a beneficial read for younger readers: the aforementioned themes as well as the topics of racial segregation in the time of the novel. The plot, as well, might not be so predictable to a younger audience, and therefore, more captivating.
While I enjoyed Abilene's character, I found the parts of the novel set earlier in history, in 1918, to be far more engaging. However, I do see how this could be considered to be the strength of a novel, particularly since it is deemed to be part of the YA genre. Young readers could eagerly wait for the next piece of the story's puzzle with Abilene, and then take heart from our young heroine as she mulls over the events of the story. She works as a bridge from the story of 1918 to the reader, guiding them in focusing on the themes of responsibility, family, and self-identification that are present in the story.
I could easily see this novel as a beneficial read for younger readers: the aforementioned themes as well as the topics of racial segregation in the time of the novel. The plot, as well, might not be so predictable to a younger audience, and therefore, more captivating.