Although shelved in the children’s area, Clare Vanderpool’s “Moon Over Manifest” is a novel for everyone. Winner of the 2011 Newbery Award for children’s literature, “Moon Over Manifest” explores the life of a small, fictional town in Kansas, from the mid-1920s through the early years of the Great Depression. It’s a story about immigration and community; railroads, mines and prohibition; as well as friendships, the sadness of war and the comforts of home. The unforgettable characters - Abilene, Jinx, Shady, Ned, Sister Redempta, Miss Sadie and Hattie Mae - and their stories will lead you to laughter as well as tears. During her Newbery acceptance speech, Clare Vanderpool stated, “Moon Over Manifest” is about home and community, but in many ways it became a story about storytelling and the transformative power of story in our lives.” I hope you will read “Moon Over Manifest” sometime soon. Consider it for your next book club selection or to share with your family, young and old alike, and perhaps you’ll be inspired to share your own stories, too.
* Clare Vanderpool’s acceptance speech is available on the St. Louis County Library catalog: Newbery Medal Acceptance, Horn Book Magazine, Jul 01 Vol 87 No 4 P 39 - 45.
--Teresa, Sachs Branch
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