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INTERMEDIATE FICTION
Poulin, Andrée

Burying the Moon

112 pp. | Groundwood | October, 2021 | Trade ISBN 978-1-77306-604-2 $19.99 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-77306-603-5 $16.99
(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Sonali Zohra. In this powerful verse novel, Latika loves school, but she knows that when she turns twelve she will be forced to quit. The reason? Toilets. In her rural Indian village there are no toilets; women and girls must relieve themselves in fields after dark to avoid "shame." As she approaches puberty, she wants to "stop time / to stay a little girl" so she can continue her education without the complication of menstruation. When an engineer from the city installs a water pump for the village, Latika breaks the taboo and tells him about how the issue affects women's health and girls' access to education. Latika gives voice to something unspeakable and risks censure, but her bravery forces change and lasting improvement. She no longer wishes to "bury the moon" for the light it shines onto a supposedly shameful act but learns instead to view its light as friendly and useful. Emotive illustrations throughout employ deep, rich black and blue hues with bold accents in pinks and purples, accentuating the moonlight. Short poems allow for a powerful exploration of a variety of social issues, all linked to access to toilets and yoking together contradictory elements (fragile but strong; fearful but brave). An appended author's note explains that toilet access is a global problem affecting over four billion people.
Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

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