We ran an article about homeschoolers in fiction, and I rated a lot of YA novels based on how good they were and how well they handled homeschooling. This is one of several reviews I wrote for the late lamented Secular Homeschooling Magazine. In this compelling, action-packed book, Watt Key gives us the thrilling coming-of-age story of the unique and extremely appealing Moon.Īlabama Moon is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year. As the spirited and resourceful Moon encounters constables, jails, institutions, lawyers, true friends, and true enemies, he adapts his wilderness survival skills and learns to survive in the outside world, and even, perhaps, make his home there. But Moon is soon caught and entangled in a world he doesn't know or understand, apparent property of the government he has been avoiding all his life. When Moon's father dies, Moon follows his father's last instructions: to travel to Alaska to find others like themselves. They keep to themselves, their only contact with other human beings an occasional trip to the nearest general store. He wasn't worried about me.įor as long as ten-year-old Moon can remember, he has lived out in the forest in a shelter with his father. Pap said he even figured I could whip somebody three times my size. I could find my way by the stars and make fire in the rain.

Is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.I could trap my own food and make my own clothes. But Moon is soon caught and entangled in a world he doesn't know or understand he's become property of the government he has been avoiding all his life. For as long as ten-year-old Moon can remember, he has lived out in the forest in a shelter with his father.

Alabama Moon by Watt Key