The Girl Who Drank the Moon

Bibliography

Barnhill, K. (2016). The girl who drank the moon (Winner of the 2017 Newbery medal). Algonquin Books.

Plot Summary

Luna, Barnhill’s female protagonist, is one of many babies sacrificed to the witch of the forest by the townspeople of Protectorate.The townspeople believe that the sacrifice is necessary to keep their town safe from the witch. Little do they know, Xan the witch is a gentle soul who rescues babies and helps them get adopted. While in Xan’s care, Luna is accidentally fed moonlight instead of starlight. The blunder leaves Luna “enmagicked.” The blunder also leads Xan to decide to raise Luna herself. Luna and Xan form a family unit with Glerk, a wizened old swamp monster, and Fyrian, a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. The foursome deal with Luna’s ever growing magical abilities and the townspeople, one of whom decides to kill the witch to save the town. 

Critical Analysis

Barnhill creates a land of enchantment where babies are sacrificed and dragons and monsters are normal. Luna learns to find her inner strength through the novel’s themes of standing up for what is right and families can be any group of people who share love for each other. While Barnhill’s fairy tale entertains readers, it also teaches about corruption, oppression, and selfishness. Each chapter changes in narrator and perspective which makes it important for readers to pay attention to the language as it changes with the characters.

Review Excerpts

From Booklist online:

“Barnhill’s latest, told in omniscient point of view, is rich with multiple plotlines that culminate in a suspenseful climax, characters of inspiring integrity (as well as characters without any), a world with elements of both whimsy and treachery, and prose that melds into poetry. A sure bet for anyone who enjoys a truly fantastic story.”— Michelle Young

From Kirkus Reviews:

“Replete with traditional motifs, this nontraditional fairy tale boasts sinister and endearing characters, magical elements, strong storytelling, and unleashed forces. Luna has black eyes, curly, black hair, and “amber” skin.

Guaranteed to enchant, enthrall, and enmagick.”

Awards and Honors

Winner of the 2017 Newbery Medal

The New York Times Bestseller

An Entertainment Weekly Best Middle Grade Book of 2016

A New York Public Library Best Book of 2016

A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2016

An Amazon Top 20 Best Book of 2016

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2016

A School Library Journal Best Book of 2016

Named to KirkusReviews' Best Books of 2016

2017 Booklist Youth Editors' Choice

Connections

This book would make a great piece for a school book club. Readers will be able to share how they would feel or what they would do as situations arise. It also allows for reflection on relationships, family dynamics, morality, and choices and consequences.