Inside Out and Back Again meets One Crazy Summer and Brown Girl Dreaming in this novel-in-verse about fitting in and standing up for what’s right.
It's 1969, and the Apollo 11 mission is getting ready to go to the moon. But for half-black, half-Japanese Mimi, moving to a predominantly white Vermont town is enough to make her feel alien. Suddenly, Mimi's appearance is all anyone notices. She struggles to fit in with her classmates, even as she fights for her right to stand out by entering science competitions and joining Shop Class instead of Home Ec. And even though teachers and neighbors balk at her mixed-race family and her refusals to conform, Mimi’s dreams of becoming an astronaut never fade—no matter how many times she’s told no.
This historical middle-grade novel is told in poems from Mimi's perspective over the course of one year in her new town, and shows readers that positive change can start with just one person speaking up.
Winner of the 2015-2016 APALA Literature Award in the Children's category!
* "Readers will be moved by the empathetic lyricism of Mimi's maturing voice."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "This novel stands out with it's thoughtful portrayal of race and its embrace of girls in science and technical fields. The verse, though spare, is powerful and evocative, perfectly capturing Mimi's emotional journey."--School Library Journal, starred review
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Original Binding: Paperback
Pages: 400 pages
ISBN-10: 0147516013
Item Weight: 0.6 lbs
Dimensions: 5.0 x 1.1 x 7.7 inches
Customer Reviews: 4 out of 5 stars 1,001 to 10,000 ratings
Winner of the 2015-2016 APALA Literature Award in the Children's category A Kirkus Best Book of 2015
* "Readers will be moved by the empathetic lyricism of Mimi's maturing voice."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* "Will resonate with fans of Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming...This novel stands out with its thoughtful portrayal of race and its embrace of girls in science and technical fields."—School Library Journal, starred review
* "Perfect for readers who straddle societies, feel they don’t fit in, or need that confirmation of self-celebration."—Booklist, starred review
"It is magnificent the way that Hilton sews together words stitching a beautiful quilt of colorfully written poems and sentences. … This is a treasure and truly so different from other books that it is definitely worth your time."—The Denver Post
"Brimming with introspection and strong empathetic undertones, Full Cicada Moon is a 'must-read.' "—Kendal Rautzhan, newstimes.com
"Through the perspective of this clear-eyed, courageous heroine, Hilton (Found Things) powerfully recreates a time of momentous transition in American history."—Publishers Weekly
"Like Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson, Hilton re-creates a time and place in American history and makes it vividly alive through the eyes of an intelligent, spirited girl...Fans of historical fiction and poetry will enjoy this novel."—VOYA
Marilyn Hilton (www.marilynhilton.com) has published numerous short stories, poems, essays, and two previous children's books. She lives with her husband and three children in Northern California.
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