Review: Girl who drank the moon is hilarious, honest

Refreshing, magical, oftentimes comical, and full of adventure and heart, "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" (Algonquin Young Readers) soars off the pages.

Readers will be fascinated in a spell that will sing to them and wrap them up in a finely woven tapestry of fantasy and magic. Few storytellers have the gift of so deftly arranging a fantasy or building a world so magical that readers want to live there, but Kelly Barnhill is the best at her craft. If you loved "The Witch's Boy," you will love "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" even more.

Each year, the people of the Protectorate take a baby to a clearing in the forest and leave it as a sacrifice for the witch. Xan, an old woman who lives with the poetic Swamp Monster and a tiny dragon with a huge heart, always rescues each baby and travels through the forest to the other side where she will find a suitable family to adopt the baby. The baby will be loved and cherished and much better off than left in the woods to be eaten by wild animals.

One year, Xan is particularly tired, and after picking up the baby, finds herself stopping again and again to rest. As she rests, she feeds the baby goats' milk and then starlight. But Xan makes a huge mistake. She was so tired and must have dozed off and fed the baby moonlight. Everyone knows moonlight is dangerous magic.

Xan is happy to raise the child as her own. She knows of no one else who could understand and help the child learn to use her extraordinary gift. She names the girl Luna and insists that Glerk, the Swamp Monster and tiny dragon Fyrian, must learn to love the baby as much as she does. Each year Luna's magic intensifies and Xan begins to worry when and how it will "erupt." To quell the child's magic, Xan builds a spell that will keep the dangerous magic in check, at least for awhile. Glerk is worried. He knows that Luna needs to learn about her magic. He also worries Xan will die before teaching Luna what she needs to know.

In the tower, a woman goes mad and begins folding paper birds that hold their own magic. Maps tell the way. A man with scars will read the maps and seek the witch. A baby will be brought to the woods.

Luna's magic is about to be unleashed in a big way. Xan, Glerk and Fyrian will have to help Luna against powerful dark magic in order to save the entire world.

"The Girl Who Drank the Moon" is an instant classic, a book that today's children will read someday to their children. Yes, it's that good. I expect this book to be awarded many state awards as well as national attention. I can see this book made into movie magic as a treat for the eyes and hearts.

Smart choices were made with cover art. The design of the book is sheer delight.

Highly, highly recommended. I would recommend this book over all others this year. It is honestly the best book I've read in years.

Recommended grade 4-up. There are life lessons in these pages -- important lessons about love, friendship, bravery, family, and heart. Everyone 8-80 should read this book.

Pamela Thompson is an El Paso young adult librarian and blogger. Read more reviews on her blog, booksbypamelathomnpson@blogspot.com.