5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
An exciting and moving read!
Date of Review: Nov 6, 1999
This is a very moving story about a girl hoping to bring back the most important thing in her life to ever leave: her mother. Intertwined with the sadness and pain of losing the one closest to her, our narrator and main character, 13 year-old Salamanca Tree Hiddle shows us there is a real sense of happiness that comes from those that are close to you. Add into this Sal's mysterious and funny tale about her friend Phoebe Winterbottom, and you've got a a great story that will keep you reading from the first page, straight through to the last.
I am a 28 year-old studying for my teaching credential and I came across the book during a book critique assignment. What's funny is that I read tons of books, and I have not enjoyed a book this much for a while!
What makes this book so endearing and a treat to read is Sharon Creech's ability to breathe humor and compassion into her character's lives. You want to know these characters as they begin to come to life.
This book reminded me of the fictional adult book THE BEAN TREES by Barbara Kingsglover. The same vividness and humor of the characters in created in these two books for different aged readers. If you are looking for a book for a 10-14 year old, and you've read and loved THE BEAN TREES, then you will want them to read this!
Sharon Creech has written a companion book to WALK TWO MOONS, titled ABSOLUTELY NORMAL CHAOS. Since this book will leave you wanting more, this new book will be something to look forward to reading!
Winner of the Newberry Award, and several other awards including a 1995 ALA Notable Children's Book, School Library Journal Best Book of 1994, a 1994 Bulletin Blue Ribbon, a Notable Children's Trade Book in the Language Arts (NCTE), and Winner of the 1997 Heartland Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. Well deserved!
