All Four Quarters of the Moon

Inventive, ironic retellings frame this folktale-centered family story.

An 11-year-old moving from Singapore to Australia finds normalcy in sisterhood within Marr's (A Glasshouse of Stars) lyrical, Chinese-folktale-twined novel. Finding "the people and the atmosphere and the trees and the space" wildly different in her new home, and trying to fit in at school, Peijing Guo longs for the assurance of established friendships and celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival with homemade mooncakes, an enduring family custom. Her traditional family is having no easier time adjusting: Ma Ma seldom leaves the house, Ba Ba must take on solo parenting, Ah Ma's failing memory causes concern, and five-year-old Biju depends on her sister now more than ever. Amid these adjustments and others, Peijing and Biju's Little World--a miniature crafted universe of paper animals, natural elements, and a red barn in an instant-noodle box--provides comfort and a physical opportunity for them to rebuild. Gentle, observational prose carries the novel's intentionally paced events, folk tale references, organic character growth, and a heartening message of embracing change and impermanence. Ages 8-12. Agent: Gemma Cooper, Bent Agency. (July)

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"Through tales both familiar and new, two sisters navigate growing up and an international relocation....Contrasting Peijing's anxiety as the eldest child bearing expectations of responsibility, 5-year-old Biju's exuberant, improvisational storytelling centers the sisters' interactions as their lives transform in a new and very different environment. While Peijing finds her voice and makes new friends and Biju shines in the school play, Ah Ma's declining health prompts them to capture memories in the moment. Biju's retold legends are a highlight, showcasing her irreverent humor and demonstrating a self-assured agency that reminds readers of the power of stories' evolution."—Kirkus Reviews