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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
I really thought this was cute. A stereotyped girl Moon moves to a different neighborhood where she has a bad reputation. She befriends another girl, Christine who decides she wants to be like Moon because Moon doesn't have to stick to a strict lifestyle. Moon has a secret though. She thinks she is a celestial being. However, once day she has to face reality once again, but this time she has the support she needs.
WOW! I don’t know if I can praise this book enough. I haven’t read a graphic novel in so long and this is another book assigned in my Children’s Literature Class (education major), and I couldn’t express enough how much I loved this story.
The friendship between Moon and Christine is so cute it makes your heart ache. Jen Wang crafted a beautiful story that follows through and makes you want more! The two are great friends who can overcome their differences and although they are different in personality, they find their similarities. Their origin story as friends is adorable!
One thing that I loved about this book was the diversity it shows. In a lot of children’s literature, the main characters are either animals or white. This book gives a great view of Asian-American families. It is great for children to see their own cultures in stories that they’re reading and it’s nice for kids to also see a different culture. While there is a diversity of race, there is also the diversity of classes. Christine is from a middle-class family while Moon is from a lower-class family. Moon’s mother rents an apartment from Christine’s family in their backyard.
The art in this story is so expressive and beautiful. Jen Wang’s work was truly beautiful all around and it made me want to go and read her other books. (I recommend The Prince and the Dressmaker!)
Graphic novels are great for children transitioning from reading picture books to chapter books, and they’re fun for everyone to read.
I plan on keeping this book for my future classroom and I can’t wait to see a kid pick it off my shelf to read one day.
The friendship between Moon and Christine is so cute it makes your heart ache. Jen Wang crafted a beautiful story that follows through and makes you want more! The two are great friends who can overcome their differences and although they are different in personality, they find their similarities. Their origin story as friends is adorable!
One thing that I loved about this book was the diversity it shows. In a lot of children’s literature, the main characters are either animals or white. This book gives a great view of Asian-American families. It is great for children to see their own cultures in stories that they’re reading and it’s nice for kids to also see a different culture. While there is a diversity of race, there is also the diversity of classes. Christine is from a middle-class family while Moon is from a lower-class family. Moon’s mother rents an apartment from Christine’s family in their backyard.
The art in this story is so expressive and beautiful. Jen Wang’s work was truly beautiful all around and it made me want to go and read her other books. (I recommend The Prince and the Dressmaker!)
Graphic novels are great for children transitioning from reading picture books to chapter books, and they’re fun for everyone to read.
I plan on keeping this book for my future classroom and I can’t wait to see a kid pick it off my shelf to read one day.
I fell in love with Jen Wang’s art style while reading The Prince and the Dressmaker. Its storyline and wonderful representation made me eagerly await the next thing Jen Wang wrote -- and I’ve finally gotten a hold of it!
Representation:
- almost every character is Asian American
- there’s another one, but it’s a spoiler
When Moon moves next door, she immediately becomes Christine’s best friend, despite being everything Christine is not: funny, confident, and “not Asian” to use Christine’s own words. Their friendship introduces Christine to nail polish, dancing, and K-Pop, things her strict parents would normally tell her are for women “who don’t want good jobs”. Moon eventually tells Christine that she experiences visions from celestial beings who tell her she’s not from this world. Christine chalks it up to Moon’s eccentricity until she’s invited to a birthday party where she learns the truth.
I love stories with a strong personal connection. In this case, the events that happen to Moon Lin (the secondary protagonist) in the latter half of the graphic novel happened to Jen Wang herself as a child. Jen Wang also mentions how the story mirrors her own experience growing up in a close-knit Asian-American community, with the blessings and challenges that it presents.
Just like with her other graphic novel, Stargazing leaves me feeling warm and content and pretty much in love with the world. There are plenty of emotional moments that really pack a punch, like Christine’s conversation with her dad about perfection or any of the scenes in the second half dealing with Moon’s visions -- but much like the fashion show in The Prince and the Dressmaker, the ending creates a genuinely powerful warmth. Especially combined with the art style.
Honestly there’s not too much more to say here except read for a charming and sweet story.
Representation:
- almost every character is Asian American
- there’s another one, but it’s a spoiler
When Moon moves next door, she immediately becomes Christine’s best friend, despite being everything Christine is not: funny, confident, and “not Asian” to use Christine’s own words. Their friendship introduces Christine to nail polish, dancing, and K-Pop, things her strict parents would normally tell her are for women “who don’t want good jobs”. Moon eventually tells Christine that she experiences visions from celestial beings who tell her she’s not from this world. Christine chalks it up to Moon’s eccentricity until she’s invited to a birthday party where she learns the truth.
I love stories with a strong personal connection. In this case, the events that happen to Moon Lin (the secondary protagonist) in the latter half of the graphic novel happened to Jen Wang herself as a child. Jen Wang also mentions how the story mirrors her own experience growing up in a close-knit Asian-American community, with the blessings and challenges that it presents.
Just like with her other graphic novel, Stargazing leaves me feeling warm and content and pretty much in love with the world. There are plenty of emotional moments that really pack a punch, like Christine’s conversation with her dad about perfection or any of the scenes in the second half dealing with Moon’s visions -- but much like the fashion show in The Prince and the Dressmaker, the ending creates a genuinely powerful warmth. Especially combined with the art style.
Honestly there’s not too much more to say here except read for a charming and sweet story.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I guess I wish the plot had more substance. It all felt very rushed and I understand it’s for children but I felt like if it had been longer we could have had growth of the characters and the story.
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Medical trauma
Loveable characters:
Yes
4.5 stars. This was really lovely.
I loved the kpop references, and the exploration of different facets of Asian-American identity.
Jen Wang writes children's books with remarkable depth, and I look forward to what she'll create in the future.
I loved the kpop references, and the exploration of different facets of Asian-American identity.
Jen Wang writes children's books with remarkable depth, and I look forward to what she'll create in the future.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Es una historia muy linda que habla de la amistad, familia, ser tu mismo/a.
Desde las ilustraciones hasta la historia me encantó, la forma en que la autora presenta esté libro es muy bello y deja unas lindas enseñanza a les NNA o a cualquier persona que lo lea
Desde las ilustraciones hasta la historia me encantó, la forma en que la autora presenta esté libro es muy bello y deja unas lindas enseñanza a les NNA o a cualquier persona que lo lea
Christine is intrigued because Moon is “not Asian”, ie not typically Chinese-American. (this confused me, but became clearer as the book progressed.) She means tightly wrapped, into classical music and good appearance. Moon is a Buddhist vegetarian who likes dancing to K-pop. She stretches Christine out of her comfort zone.
Sharing friends.
Dad changes his expectations, too.
Sharing friends.
Dad changes his expectations, too.