Hunger Moon - Hardcover

Lamstein, Sarah Marwil

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1932425055 ISBN 13: 9781932425055

Publisher: Front Street Books, 2004

Synopsis

Welcome to the '50s. Twelve-year-old Ruthie Tepper is a good girl, an obedient daughter, an eager student. She craves attention and praise from her parents, and begrudgingly tends to her younger brothers - Michael, Isaac, and especially Eddy, whom others label "slow" or "retarded." She dreams of being a comedienne on TV like Lucille Ball.

In simple, clear, and carefully chosen episodes, Ruthie reveals the currents and undercurrents of her life: the growing tension within her family and between her parents around work, money, and Eddy's welfare; her resentment at having to look after Eddy; family dinners that are ticking time bombs. When tensions escalate to hitting, Ruthie acts to protect herself and Eddy. She takes him and runs away to be with their grandmother in Baltimore. Although they're intercepted and brought back, Ruthie returns home a changed girl. She finds a voice with which to tell her mother, "Quit yelling." At times funny, at times piercing, always honest, this story is the stuff of real families, real growing up.

About this title

About the Author:

Sarah Lamstein has written or co-written five books for young readers. Her picture book Letter on the Wind received the Sydney Taylor Honor Book Award. Others were listed by the Cooperative Children’s Book Council and Booklist’s Top Ten Religion Books for Youth. She lives in Newton, Massachusetts.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 4-7–In brief scenes, like snapshots from an album, Lamstein depicts a 1954 Chicago family on the verge of breakdown. Ruthie Tepper, 12, is the responsible older sister to three brothers, one of whom, Eddy, may be retarded. Her stressed parents own a bookstore, and supporting the family is clearly a struggle. They don't relate to their children, and Mom is angry much of the time. Longing for love and attention, Ruthie boasts that she's been nominated for class president, but gets no reaction from her family. An avid reader, she proudly makes it onto her school's Book Parade team. Her mother attends the competition, but doesn't compliment her daughter on her exceptional performance until she is startled into noticing it by Ruthie's friend. Overflowing with happiness, the girl begins to talk about the event, only to be cut off by her mother: "Too bad the other team won." Later, as Ruthie's despair boils over, she decides to take Eddy out of the fray and runs away with him. Some readers may be disappointed that there are no major turnarounds here, but the tiny changes after the children are returned by the police–a mother touching her daughter's hand, a father saying thank you to his son–are realistic signs of hope and growth. A good choice for reluctant readers or for children suffering through difficult family situations.–Susan Oliver, Tampa-Hillsborough Public Library System, FL
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About this edition

• Publisher: Front Street Books
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 1932425055
• ISBN 13: 9781932425055
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 112