| Blow Out the Moon |  | Author: Libby Koponen
Category: Book
List Price: $24.99
Buy New: $24.11
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Avg. Customer Rating:  15 reviews
Sales Rank: 2582969
Media: Library Binding
Edition: Reprint
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Pages: 209
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6 x 0.5
ISBN: 1435280725
EAN: 9781435280724
ASIN: 1435280725
Publication Date: May 16, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Shipping: International shipping available
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Product Description
arry Potter may have piqued kids' interest in boarding schools, but this exuberant coming-of-age story is just the book to provide all of the juicy details about what a real boarding school is like. Blow Out the Moon follows a feisty young heroine in the 1950s on an ocean liner from the United States to London, and then to a boarding school in the English countryside. In her struggle to become a proper lady-whether learning to ride horses or learning to eat the 'right' way-she finds herself maturing from a reckless little girlinto a young lady, without sacrificing her vivacity. First-time novelist Libby Koponen writes with a humorous, girlish honesty, and includes actual letters, documents, and photographs from her own youth. Fans of Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, and even the contemporary Ramona series will love and treasure this book for years to come.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...
 An American child in England March 15, 2008
25 out of 26 found this review helpful
Libby Koponen's 1950s childhood was given an exciting spin when her family moved to England for a year and a half. Eight-year-old Libby, a headstrong child who loved to write, looked forward to the adventure though she knew she'd miss her friends in New York.
"Blow Out the Moon" is Libby's memoir, written for the 9-to-12 age group. She tells of the family's ocean voyage on the Liberte and their new life in a London flat. The gloomy London winter and her isolated, unhappy days at school tarnished the adventure. Fascinated by stories about boarding school, she persuaded her parents to send her away to school in the Kent countryside.
At Sibton Park Libby learned to ride horses and to behave with proper English manners. Today's more sophisticated children have grown up at Hogwarts with Harry Potter, as pointed out by Megan Tingley, editor in chief for young readers at Little, Brown. They may find 1950s England a bit tame; but as long as there are kids interested in looking over the horizon, charming books like this will be well-loved.
The book is illustrated with photos of Koponen and her family, and other related drawings and photos. They are somewhat poorly rendered in the book, but come to life on the author's web site, ifyoulovetoread dot com.
"Blow Out the Moon" was marketed in an unusual way: Koponen put the entire book on the internet and after collecting raves from kids, was accepted for publication by Little, Brown. The web site is a feast of photos, reviews, and extra chapters. Anyone interested in this aspect of the book business should check out the Boston Globe article under the REVIEWS section of Libby's web site.
I recommend the book as a nostalgic memoir of another time and place; there is much for children and adults to enjoy here.
 This book is soooo sweet!! August 16, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I love this book. It reminds me of being a kid again. I forgot what it was like until I read this book. I can't wait for Ms. Koponen to write another book. I'm going to gobble it up!!!!
Makes you laugh May 17, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
"Libby's joyous times at Sibton Park make you laugh out loud."
--A 6th grader writing in Just Books.
"Koponen's tightly written prose is laced with humor." --Seattle Times
Yes, I'm the author -- but this is what OTHER people said. I get emails from kids all the time saying they loved the book; maybe you will too.
 A nice book July 7, 2006
0 out of 4 found this review helpful
Libby Koponen's novel Blow Out the Moon is based on her own experiences growing up. She includes photographs and drawings throughout the book.
At dinner one evening, Libby's father informs her and her siblings that they would be traveling by ship to live in England for six months. Her father would travel ahead and meet them when the ship docked.
Libby would be leaving her home, her school and her best friend Henry, but it was a short-term adventure. That's what she thought. The six months turned into eighteen months and Libby wasn't happy about the extension.
Everything in England was different. She wasn't happy until she left for boarding school. There she meets new and interesting people, learns how to do things the way the English do them and even learns to ride a horse. But she refuses to sing "God Save the Queen."
During Libby's adventure she leaves childhood and becomes a young lady. And just before she leaves England, she decides it wouldn't hurt to sing "God Save the Queen," just one time.
Koponen's book is interesting but it's not particularly exciting. It reminds me of a story one would write for a family member, not the world.
Armchair Interviews says: If you are interested in learning about the way other people live, you might be interested in this story. If you're looking for an exciting novel with a plot, you might not choose this book.
An Engaging Adventure February 2, 2006
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is the story of Libby, a young American girl who lives in England for a year and a half. She is naturally independent and spunky, yet learns that being polite means caring about others' feelings. Overall, this book is wonderful; it's engaging in a way that too few books are. Schoolgirl Libby is a joy to watch as she travels to England and attends boarding school, encountering difficulties and misadventures along the way. Unfortunately, author Libby Koponen's writing is a tad overly simplified, and she fails to fully transform her voice into that of a true child. Koponen instead comes across as an adult trying to write like a child. Still, that's my sole complaint about this great book.
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