Ally lives with her younger brother, Kenny, and her parents at their family-owned Moonshadow Campground, which is the only location in the United States where an upcoming (and highly-anticipated) solar eclipse can be viewed in totality. For Ally’s family, it’s all about the stars. Ally’s given name is Alpha (which designation is given to the primary star in any constellation). She wears a tiny meteorite, a bequest from her grandfather, in a small pouch around her neck. The meteorite had actually struck her grandfather when he was a boy, scarring his ear, but also starting a lifelong fascination with astronomy and the stars.

Because the Moonshadow Campground is so far from “civilization“, Ally and her brother are homeschooled and have various jobs around the campground to help their guests learn about astronomy and be comfortable when they’re visiting.

Ally’s whole life has been spent in preparation for a single three-minute event – a total eclipse of the sun. On the date of the eclipse, the campground expects over 1000 guests from all areas of the world.

One of these guests is Jack, a young man who would rather sit in the back of his science class and draw than pay attention to his teacher.  His choices have the inevitable result. Failing science will ultimately lead to summer school. But, at the last minute, another option presents itself. Jack’s science teacher is leading an eclipse tour to the Moonshadow. Jack is unexpectedly asked to replace an assistant. He agrees, not because he has a great love for science, But because his science teacher says that he’ll be able to write a brief paper at the end and get out of summer school. He’ll do it, he decides, even if the tour is a whole bunch of old people.

Bree’s family is embarrassing. Her parents and little sister, Melanie, are all science geeks. At an early age, Bree decided that she wanted to focus on other things, with the ultimate goal of becoming a model. She learned how to fit in with the popular crowd at school, all about careful make-up and clothing choices, and plans her whole life to around how to be and act perfect so a “big break” can propel her into the world of modeling. One day, her parents give her some shocking news, that will bring her to the Moonshadow and, literally, upset all her future plans.

Ryan has been coming to the Moonshadow every year with his grandparents as long as Ally can remember. But this year, he arrives with just his grandfather, and so much has changed since she has seen him last. Then, Ally and her brother get some news that will changes their lives forever.

Wendy Mass skillfully wove together the stories of these young people and their families. In the time they are together at the Moonshadow, these kids open up to each other their lives and families, and bond over the culminating event, the solar eclipse.

Even Mass’s minor characters are unforgettable. An Egyptian woman carries on her family‘s tradition of praying for the return of the sun during the eclipse. No one in her family will ever look at an eclipse. Mohammed started this tradition, and if it was good enough for Mohammed, it is good enough for her. Another minor character Stella is an elderly woman misunderstood by her accountant son. Of course, her actions endear her to the young people.  She eats licorice, “dances” in gardens, and in her elder years reclaims a great wonder of life.

Any book that can move me to cry gets an automatic five-star rating, in my opinion. That fact, that when I read this book I cried, ultimately speaks volumes for the skill with which Wendy Mass wrote this coming-of-age novel.


Creators 

By Wendy Mass, Author
By Jessica Almasy, Narrator
By Ali Ahn, Narrator
By Mark Turetsky, Narrator