Moon Pie has a cute and fun cover that would lead you to believe it is a humorous and light book. However, this little book actually has a bit of a serious story line. It is a great read, at turns heartwarming and heartwrenching, but not for the nine-year-old who wants a silly humor book, as the cover may imply. It may be more appreciated by older tweens (or mature younger tweens) who can understand the complex family dynamics in this story. That said, it is a tender little book about a family going through hard times. Martha's mother has died prior to the story's beginning. Her sweet father has always been eccentric, but his oddities are increasing. Martha wonders if he might be going a little bit crazy due to his grief over the loss of her mother, and it turns out she is partially correct. In fact, she learns that he is an alcoholic. She and her brother are taken away from their dad and given to their grandparents, where they are well cared for, but miss their dad terribly. The ending is realistic, but a happy one overall. There is no language and the story is entirely wholesome. American readers may need to translate some of the British words used, but most can be figured out easily within the context of the sentences.
