West of the Moon

by Margi Preus

Overview

Named A Best Book of the 21st Century (So Far) by Kirkus

West of the Moon by New York Times bestselling author Margi Preus is a captivating blend of original fiction, myth, and folktale that tells the story of Astri, a young Norwegian girl determined to join her father in America.

After being separated from her sister and sold to a cruel goat farmer, Astri makes a daring escape. Armed with a troll treasure, a book of spells and curses, and a possibly magic hairbrush, she retrieves her little sister and sets off on a perilous journey.

With a mysterious companion and the malevolent "goatman" in pursuit, the girls traverse the Norwegian mountains, fields, and forests, weaving in and out of folktales and dreams as they make their way east of the sun and west of the moon. This richly woven narrative, inspired by Norwegian folklore and the author's family history, is a tale of courage, resilience, and the unbreakable bonds of family.

Winner of multiple awards, West of the Moon is a mesmerizing story that will linger with readers long after the final page is turned.

Perfect for fans of historical fiction, fantasy, and adventure, this book is a testament to the power of storytelling and the enduring spirit of those who dare to dream.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419708961
Publisher:	Amulet Books
Publication date:	04/01/2014
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.00(d)
Lexile:	810L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Margi Preus is a New York Times bestselling author of the Newbery Honor Book Heart of a Samurai and other notable books for young readers, including West of the Moon, Shadow on the Mountain, and Village of Scoundrels. She lives in Duluth, Minnesota, land of snow squalls and cardamom buns.

Editorial Reviews

★ 2014-01-29
Thirteen-year-old Astri is a goat girl, but she's no Heidi; she's a sharp, stone-hard girl who hasn't yet found the goodness inside herself. In fact, her life is as wretched as the darkest Norwegian fairy tale. Instead of being taken by White Bear King Valemon to his castle, Astri has been sold by her own aunt and uncle for "two silver coins and a haunch of goat" to a nasty old hunchbacked goatman named Svaalberd who lives in squalor. Folk tales from "The Twelve Wild Ducks" to "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" weave through Astri's often dryly humorous, suspenseful first-person account until one feels like the other…including her riotous escape from the violent man-troll and the rescue of her beloved little sister. The girls' odyssey over hill and dale, aided by a kind milkmaid and lonely widow, takes them all the way to an America-bound ship—the Columbus. Whether or not their father is still alive in America, the country beckons like the castle in the bear story that "lies east of the sun and west of the moon." Preus, who won a Newbery Honor for Heart of a Samurai (2010), was inspired by her Norwegian great-great-grandmother, who immigrated to America in 1851, as she explains in an author's note, even providing reproductions of some of her great-great-grandmother's papers. Norwegian history, fiction and folklore intertwine seamlessly in this lively, fantastical adventure and moving coming-of-age story. (glossary, bibliography) (Historical fiction. 11-14)

Kirkus Reviews