Danielle Daniel

Eleven-year-old Luna has been looking forward to a big science project at her school as she thinks it will help her toward her goal of one day being an astronaut. But when her teacher is unexpectedly replaced by a long-term substitute who declares their astronomy unit is now going to be a blending of art and science, Luna is not prepared for this and does not like it.

This book was interesting and not exactly what I was expecting. It was lighter than a lot of other middle-grade novels as the show more problems weren't so all despairing. (The bigger issue was actually being faced by Luna's friend Maggie, whose parents had just divorced.) In keeping with the book's discussion about art versus science really being art *and* science, I did love that the book discusses many facts about space but is written as a novel in verse. Some of these were particularly creative and showed how poetry can really be impactful in showing a person's emotional state.

I'm not sure if she was meant to be coded as autistic, but Luna certainly was very rigid and opposed to change. This went far beyond the larger change at school with her teacher but also to smaller disappointments, like her brother's crush joining them for game night instead of it just being the usual four family members. However, I did like that the book does explore many of Luna's coping mechanisms for dealing with big feelings, ranging from inhaling/exhaling a deep breath to her more unique method of listing all the planets in order from largest to smallest. Also, by the end of the book, Luna comes to see how much she has learned and can still learn by being open to change.

The book makes many efforts to be diverse and inclusive, and does so very organically by introducing characters by name first and only later (sometimes much later) describing other things about them, such as Luna's father using a wheelchair and her new teacher having Ojibwe roots. This was much more refreshing than the books where it comes across as the author checking off a box by introducing a character with "x" feature or quality. show less

This novel-in-verse blends science and art, a fabulous combination. Dad is an astronomer and Mom is a poet and florist. Luna identifies more with her dad, and her older brother is more like their mom.

Luna is intent on being chosen to participate in a NASA summer space camp and is counting on this year's science project to help. But an unexpected long-term substitute teacher changes the project and messes up her plans. Why would the sub make ART part of a SCIENCE project?

Like most middle show more schoolers, she's also navigating old and new friendships, and beginning to learn that she is not the center of the universe (a choice of words Luna would appreciate). Other people's thoughts and feelings are important, too, even if they don't get space the way she does.

And I like how her father's wheelchair is casually mentioned from time to time, but it's not the focus. Dad's actions and words are what matter.

Finally, this is a middle school book with just the right amount of tension, nothing overly dramatic. We need more books like this on home and library shelves.

#ReadTundra show less

Poetry in Motion: A Review of Reasons to Look at the Night Sky by Danielle Daniel
Luna literally wants to reach for the stars. Her greatest dream is to become an astronaut, and being selected for NASA’s summer space camp is the first step. Luna feels completely confident that she’ll ace the space unit in science class and secure a recommendation from her favourite teacher — until he’s unexpectedly replaced by a substitute. Mrs. Manitowabi prizes stories and art alongside science, and show more her space unit is utterly unlike the clean facts and figures that Luna has been so fond of. Suddenly, Luna’s carefully curated life feels like it is falling apart. Her family traditions are changing, her best friend Maggie seems more interested in her shiny new friend than Luna, and she has no idea how to pass the new artistic space unit. Can Luna learn to keep an open mind? Or will all her dreams come crashing down to Earth?

The lessons and values imparted in this book are important, but it’s far more than just another middle grade novel: this one is a work of art. Writing a novel in verse is an immense undertaking, and doing it well is a rarity. Daniel’s prose is beautiful, adding an aura of artistry that compliments the storytelling. Her writing remains very accessible for younger readers (although they might need to look up a few words), while remaining interesting to older readers. Luna is a wonderful character, going through an important transformational journey and gaining new perspectives.
It feels most appropriate to end this review with a haiku of my own:


I line up five stars
Not as a constellation
They define this book⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ show less

Lovely book, set firmly in the tween years of a group of girls in Sudbury, Ontario in 1987. Loved that the friendships feel authentic and complex, love that the main character's nickname is Wolf and she and her grandmother share a deep connection to spending time outdoors. Love that Wolf and her friends have a hand built clubhouse in a stand of birch trees that becomes the focus of their summer. There is a lot of sneaking out, some light meeting up with boys and exploring the idea of show more kissing. It's the kind of summer where everything changes, because that is part of growing up. I loved that so much of the heart of this book is about caring for trees, challenging adults to find new ways to be, and learning to connect to indigenous heritage even when that isn't necessarily a strong family tradition. many beautiful relationships in this book. Enjoyed it very much. show less