Full Cicada Moon

In free verse, Mimi Yoshiko Oliver narrates her seventh grade year at a new school in 1969 Vermont. Mimi's ethnicity puzzles people: on the first day of school, a classmate asks, "What are you?" a question Mimi often hears: "I am/ half my Japanese mother,/ half my Black father,/ and all me." Her father advises, " 'be kind, be respectful, and persist.'/ 'Like raindrops on granite,' I say,/ because we know that's how I persist--/ drip, drip, drip/ until the granite cracks." Mimi makes friends, excels academically, and dreams of being an astronaut; however, "I feel like I have to be/ twice as smart and funny at school/ and twice as nice and forgiving in my neighborhood." Throughout the year, Mimi confronts barriers; when told that girls take home economics and boys take shop, she politely and repeatedly protests this rule, eventually engaging in civil disobedience. When the school suspends her, her classmates organize a sit-in. Through the perspective of this clear-eyed, courageous heroine, Hilton (Found Things) powerfully recreates a time of momentous transition in American history. Ages 8-12. Agent: Josh Adams, Adams Literary. (Sept.)

Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 4-8--Mimi tells her story in this novel in verse that will resonate with fans of Jacqueline Woodson's Brown Girl Dreaming (Penguin, 2014). The seventh grader describes arriving in small-town Vermont from Berkeley in 1969. While filling out a form, the teen is perplexed by which ethnicity to check off: her father is a black college professor, and her mother is Japanese (they married when he was a soldier stationed overseas). In 1969, mixed race is not an option on the form, nor is Oriental the same as Japanese. Mimi is fascinated by space and the moon landing. She designs a science project for school that requires the use of power tools--all this during a time when girls were not expected to be interested in science and were required to take home economics rather than shop. When Mimi bucks convention, there are repercussions and punishments. She weathers these with support from a smart girlfriend as well as a loyal and tender boy next door. Mimi's parents are engaged in and support the budding scientist's projects. This novel stands out with its 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. VERDICT An excellent addition to the growing shelf of novels in verse with culturally diverse protagonists.--Amy Thurow, New Glarus School District, WI

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Now 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 it's 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, Books to Borrow...Books to Buy

"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