The year is 1936 and Abilene is on a train headed towards Manifest, Kansas. Her wandering father has decided that it is time for Abilene to become a "young lady" and has sent her to the town where he spent some of his years growing up for the summer.
Shortly after jumping the train, she meets up with Pastor "Shady" Howard, the friend of her father's that she will be spending the summer with. Abilene's summer starts with the last day of school, and a homework assignment from Sister Redempta, to write a story.
Not sure if she knows any good stories, Abilene tries to be of help around town. She befriends the woman at the newspaper, among other Manifest residents. It's when she is forced to work off a broken pot owned by Miss Sadie, the diviner, Abilene finds herself wrapped in the story of Jinx and Ned, two boys growing up in Manifest in 1918. Each day Abilene works at Miss Sadie's she gets another part of the story. Helping to tell the story are letters she found in Shady's house, a box of trinkets and articles from the Manifest Newspaper.
Readers looking for historical fiction especially pre-World War I and Prohibition eras will enjoy this read. Abilene may be engrossed in the story of Ned and Jinx, but her own life is full of colorful characters and events as well. Manifest comes alive in both time periods, with some characters making appearances as their younger and older selves. Rich in characters, history and family, Moon Over Manifest is a great historical fiction read.
Moon Over Manifest is for fans of historical fiction, especially books like To Kill a Mockingbird and Anne of Green Gables. Oh yeah, did I mention that it was this years Newbery Award Winner?
I'll see you @ the library!
Katie (Now reading Across the Universe)