All Four Quarters of the Moon

LoveReading4Kids Says

Tender and true-to-life, Shirley Marr’s All Four Quarters of the Moon tells an honest, authentic story of an eleven-year-old’s struggles, fears, bravery and hopes when her family move to Australia. Perfectly-pitched for pre-teen readers who are beginning to question the world, but still occupy childhood territory, this tremendously engaging account of migrant experiences radiates the magic of sisterly bonds and friendship.

A sense of change and the shifting sands of childhood are perfectly expressed in the opening pages when Peijing wonders “why adults would tell others not to do a thing and do it themselves.” This astute thought pops into her head on the eve of her family’s move to Australia, where a new home, new school and new language await. On starting school, Peijing’s “greatest fear was that she would not fit in, that she would be picked on for looking different”. At the same time, her little sister is struggling with a new language, and Peijing steps in several times as a supportive, reassuring, confidence-boosting sister. She also makes friends with Joanna, a fellow outsider with a difficult home life that marks her out as being different.

Peijing’s navigation of all this change, including worrying about her elderly grandma, is beautifully tackled, and her story is a captivating, stirring joy.

Joanne Owen

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