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.
-Description from Amazon.com
About the Author
Marilyn Hilton is the author of two novels and two nonfiction books. She has also published numerous articles, devotions, short stories, and poems in literary and consumer magazines, and has contributed to various complications. She holds a MA in English/Creative Writing and has worked for several years in the computer software industry as a technical writer and editor. Marilyn is a member of several professional organizations. As a workshop speaker and a contest judge, she enjoys helping other writers develop their gifts. Source: marilynhilton.com.
Read Aloud Tips
- Preview the title and illustration on the cover and talk about what the book might be about.
- Discuss the author.
- Talk about the awards that the book has won.
- Develop a language wall that maps the course the characters take moving across the country.
- Center classroom discourse on the relationships that the main character develops.
- Create a debate center that argues social issues that are brought forth in the book.
Additional Information
- To read reviews from teachers and parents, visit goodreads.com.
- For a full book review, visit the School Library Journal website at slj.com.
- Visit marilynhilton.com to find a book discussion guide and learn more about the author.
- Full Cicada Moon is “for anyone who has big dreams but is short on courage.”-Marilyn Hilton