A review by rdyourbookcase
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

3.0

I was surprised by this book. I love historical fiction, especially for children, so I had high hopes for this one. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. It had a small town but I felt like the small-town flavor was missing. You know, like how on Gilmore Girls Kirk and Gypsy could steal the show? The characters just weren’t flavorful. Also, I didn’t feel connected to the main character or her motivations. The first 3/4 of the book was slow going, but I was excited to see how the story ended. It was enjoyable, just not a 5-star book.

I wonder how many stars a child would give it because it didn’t really keep my attention. I’m not sure many kids would finish it. Another thing that I’m curious about is the fact that this won a Newbery. How? There were probably more enticing stories out there. This book was well-structured and well-written... I understand that. It just wasn’t compelling. I might have to do some research.