This Place Has No Atmosphere

I reread this as I was trying to remember books about a school move. Teenage Aurora likes boys and shops and hanging out with her trendy friends, but her parents get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to move to the Moon, and she gives up the world she knows to go with them. It's a not-hugely-surprising, but nicely done and funny growing up story. Aurora is a bright and amusing first person narrator, even as she is shallow and silly, and there are lots of bits where you can see her really trying to put a brave face on. The story arc is as you would expect - she hates the idea of the move, doesn't think the other kids on the moon are interesting, but then finds a friend, falls in love, discovers a talent for working with the younger kids, show more and comes up with the plan for the moon to put on its first play. (Mild twitch that this is future where crystal healing and acupuncture and other mystic woo have turned out to all work, but it's not the main focus of the book, which to be fair is definitely not trying to be Hard Science Fiction!) show less

Aurora is happy in her school and part of the "in" crowd. She has a best friend who is also a celebrity. An attractive boy has asked Aurora to Homecoming. She has (or so she thinks) everything she could want... but her life is about to change. Aurora's parents have accepted new jobs - on the moon! This means that Aurora and her younger sister will have to leave their old schools and their friends behind when they go with their parents to become part of the colony on the moon.

When Aurora complains that "this place has no atmosphere," while speaking of the lunar colony, to her friends back on Earth, she's not talking about the air... so of course I had to keep reading to find out if Aurora decides to change her mind. Paula Danziger does a show more good job capturing the teen voice of Aurora in this science fiction spoof. This fast-paced easy reading adventure covers some good points about being one's self wherever you happen to live. I found the story enjoyable yet thought provoking and recommend it to readers of all ages from 12 on up. show less

I first read this in sixth grade and I remember liking it and thinking about what it would be like to live on the moon and even though Aurora lives in the year 2057, some things never change like boys and trying to fit in. I had forgotten the name of the book through the years but for some reason I always remembered that her dad who is a dentist fixing gemstones in her teeth. Obviously reading it now as a 26 yr old is a lot different than reading it at 12 but it was still a fun quick little read.