ACCESS DIGITIZED EDITION
Guide/Reviews Database
LITERATURE
Mendez, Yamile Saied, Editor

Calling the Moon: 16 Period Stories from BIPOC Authors

368 pp. | Candlewick | March, 2023 | Trade ISBN 9781536216349 $22.99 | Ebook ISBN 9781536224474 $22.99
(2) YA Luna, Heavenly Water, menses, period, monthly moon--menstruation by any name is a fact of life for the BIPOC main characters in these short stories that focus on cultural celebrations, social stigma, gender identity, and the myriad physical and emotional changes taking place during puberty. Christina Soontornvat's "Rules of the Lake" is a humorous and touching tale of a Thai American girl who is surprised by her first period during a school field trip. "Turning Point" by Leah Henderson is about a Black soccer player and her ballet instructor mother who find common ground in celebrating her first period. Mason J.'s "The Gender Creamsicle," written in verse, offers a much-needed perspective on the experience of a gender-nonconforming protagonist: "I am a gender Creamsicle: orange and white. / Not a Popsicle or ice cream. I am in between." The stories have broad appeal and are unified by a common thread of growing up. Issues related to race and gender, immigration status, and language diversity are set alongside culturally rich narratives about a singular and pivotal life event, giving young people an opportunity to feel seen, and less alone.
Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

RELATED 

LITERATURE

Delicious!
by Larios, Julie
LITERATURE

Book of Questions / Libros de las preguntas
by Neruda, Pablo
LITERATURE

Out of This World
by Walker, Sally M.
LITERATURE

Zoobilations!
by Florian, Douglas
LITERATURE

At the Pond
by Elliott, David
More

Get connected. Join our global community of more than 200,000 librarians and educators.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing.

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?