A Cool Moonlight

by Angela Johnson

Book Overview

With breathtaking lyricism, Angela Johnson shares the thoughts and dreams of an extraordinary girl named Lila. Born with an unusual and dangerous allergy to the sun, nine-year-old Lila can only be outside at night. She plays by the light of the moon, and her playmates are two mysterious girls who wear tutus and costume wings, and often show up when Lila is alone. Lila longs to feel the warmth of the sun on her skin, and with the help of her friends...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0803728468
• ISBN13: 9780803728462
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: Dial Books
• Length: 133 Pages
• Weight: 0.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.4" x 7.2"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

A cool moonlight is one of my faves

I read this book for the first time when I was 9 and I loved it then. I had forgotten the name of it for a while but the story itself stuck with me. The adventures and perspective of a little girl with a rare but interesting allergy to the sun I found to be so cool and refreshing. I'm 21 now and this book still has a special place in my heart.

moon girl

I liked A Cool Moonlight because there is a girl named Lila that has problems going out in the sun. One day her mom took her out to the playground and when the sun came out she burned her hands. She dreams of going outside to see the sun. Lila always asks her friends Lysa and Elizabeth stuff like how does the sun feel on your face? Lila is happy when she celebrates her birthday, but her party is at night outside. I didn't like the end of the story because it didn't say the disease she had and she was never cured.

A very good novel indeed :]

A Cool Moonlight was a very good novel. It touched upon many morals and thoughts in life. But, I did not understand much of what the conflict and climax of the story was.

I highly recommend A COOL MOONLIGHT.

Because of a rare condition called xeroderma pigmentosum, sunshine and some artificial light have always been eight-year-old Lila's enemy. Sunlight burns her skin and can even cause her to go blind, so Lila lives in darkened rooms and is involved in many nighttime adventures. She sleeps during the day and attends school in her own dim kitchen. She waits each evening for sunset and darkness, when she can go outside to play and explore her neighborhood. Even at night, she must slather herself with sunscreen, wear sunglasses and cover up.Lila doesn't lack for companions. Monk, Lila's older sister, calls the family "shadow people and proud of it." Monk is Lila's co-adventurer, bundling her sister up at night to take her to coffee houses and on rides. After dark, Lila's dad accompanies her to the grocery store where they race shopping carts in the parking lot. David, a neighbor boy, brings Lila comic books and comradeship. Reading the comic books makes her want to be a super hero called the sun goddess/moon girl.Lila's friends, Elizabeth and Alyssa, visit her only at night; somehow no one else has met them or even seen them. Her mysterious nocturnal visitors secretly plot with Lila to find a way for her to enjoy sunlight. In fact, they promise to help fill her sun bag. When it's filled, Lila will no longer have to live only in darkness. She can't wait until she's able to go outside during the day and dance in sunshine as a true sun goddess/moon girl.As time goes by and her ninth birthday approaches, Lila begins to wonder why no one has seen Alyssa and Elizabeth --- even when she points them out. She also puzzles over the sun bag --- how can filling it with sun pieces "fix" her?This is an intriguing, unusual story told in a graceful, childlike voice. Although I was too aware of the lack of capitals for the first few pages, I soon realized it contributed to the smooth stream-of-consciousness narrative flow. I highly recommend A COOL MOONLIGHT for its gorgeous writing, complex mysteries and triumphant conclusion. --- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon (terryms2001@yahoo.com)

Poetic Page-Turner

Nearly-nine-year-old Lila lives in the dark, forced out of the sunlight by a skin condition. She has a plan for getting into the light, though, with the help of two mysterious friends. Who are Alyssa and Elizabeth, and why do they disappear whenever anyone else is around? Lila's distinctive voice sounds almost like poetry, creating intense images for the reader to share. The characters are intriguing, and Lila's secretive plans will keep older children and adults alike turning the pages.

Great Book!

I absolutely adore this book! This is easily one of my favorite books I have ever read. I loved the way the book was written from Lila's point of view and the details were great as well. I also think this book is great read no matter how old you are ^__^