How High the Moon

by Sandra Kring and Tricia Levenseller

Book Overview

In this tender novel set in 1955 Mill Town, Wisconsin, Sandra Kring explores the complicated bond between mothers and daughters, the pressure to conform, and the meaning of friendship and family. Ten-year-old Isabella "Teaspoon" Marlene has been a handful ever since her mother, Catty, dumped her with an old boyfriend and ran off to Hollywood. Teaspoon fights, fibs, never stops singing, and is as unpredictable and fearless as a puppy off its leash...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385341210
• ISBN13: 9780385341219
• Release Date: April 2010
• Publisher: Bantam
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

YOUR HEART WILL LEAP OVER THE MOON FOR SANDRA KRING'S LATEST NOVEL

Similar in style to Lesley Kagen's national bestselling book Whistling in the Dark, Sandra Kring's How High the Moon is set in Wisconsin during the 1950's and has you drying your cheeks on one page and laughing out loud the next. Readers can surely relate to Sandra Kring's amazing ability to translate the difficult situations in life through the eyes and heart of a child. Done so effortlessly, with such candor, humor and grace, you simply want to keep reading. I found How High the Moon to be a witty, endearing story I couldn't put down. After being abandoned by her Hollywood chasing mother, 10-year-old singing sensation Isabella "Teaspoon" Marlene is left in the care of her mother's former boyfriend, Teddy, and dreams of the day she'll be a star. Poor in the pocketbook, Teddy's rich in spirit as he does his best to raise the highly rambunctious Teaspoon alone. Always singing and fantasizing about the year her mother will triumphantly return, Teaspoon is as spunky and tomboyish as any little girl can get, which usually lands her in a heap of trouble with a line-up of other delightful and captivating characters. When Teddy can no longer take her shenanigans, Teaspoon agrees to clean up her act. Joining the Sunshine Sisters mentorship program, she's paired with Mill Town's favorite teenage sweetheart and beauty queen, Brenda Bloom. Brenda's family just happens to own Teaspoon's favorite theater in the entire Midwest, which makes her weekly visits a little more tolerable. As the unlikely pair develops a heartwarming friendship, Teaspoon is filled with a new sense of contentment. But when Teaspoon and Brenda prepare for the greatest live performance the Starlight Theater has ever seen, and Teaspoon's dream of singing on stage is finally about to come true, her mother steps back into the spotlight. The lives of Teaspoon and those she loves are about to change forever. Although Teaspoon is small, she's a larger than life little girl with much to say and teach the world. Sandra Kring's latest novel, How High the Moon, is written with such creative ease and intelligence that no matter how fraught with concern you may be for Teaspoon and some of the other loveable characters, you end up feeling inspired, believing that the moon is never so high that you can't leap right over it.

You Won't Want This one To End!

It's 1955 in Milltown, Wisconsin, where ten year old Isabella "Teaspoon" Marlene lives. She is a sweet but outspoken little girl, who misses her mother and wonders when she will be coming home. Teaspoon's mother left her with her boyfriend Teddy, telling her that she had "dreams to chase", and she then took off for a career in Hollywood. Teddy is man who care deeply for Teaspoon. She tells people, "Teddy is the boyfriend Ma left me with", but "Teddy is as good as Jesus". Poor Teddy has his work cut out for him. He learns that Teaspoon has let her school work slide, and that she might not get promoted to the sixth grade. She also starts getting into fights, so something has to change. She reluctantly joins a group called The Sunshine Sisters, a mentoring program, aimed at changing the direction in life of wayward children. Her role models to date have been the Taxi Stand ladies who stand on the corner by the drug store, wear too much makeup and perfume and dress in skimpy, flashy clothing. To make matters worst they have taken a liking to Teaspoon. Her Sunshine Sister experience pairs Teaspoon up with Brenda Bloom, and an unlikely bond is formed. A summer performance at the Starlight Theater Group, where Teaspoon gets to sing, has made a positive impact on her. She even hires the Taxi Stand ladies to do the makeup of those performing. Now she dreams about a possible singing career in her future. MY THOUGHTS - There is so much more I could say about this wonderful story, but I don't want to give away too much detail. However, if you love coming of age stories set in small town America, with characters you will grow to love and care about, then this book will appeal to you. Not only for baby boomers like me, but people of all ages will fall in love with the memorable Teaspoon, the precocious narrator, of this beautifully written, bittersweet story. There are also other sweet characters (not mentioned in this review) that will hold your interest as well. This is one novel that I was sad to see end. I have read every novel that Sandra Kring has written, and she has become one of my favorite writers. If you have not tried this author ---you must. There are other wonderful coming of age stories by Kring as well. Most take place in the 1950's-60's, The Book of Bright Ideas; Carry Me Home; and Thank You for All Things. I highly recommend this author, and look forward to her next novel, which I am hoping will be a sequel to my favorite: The Book of Bright Ideas. RATING - (5/5 stars)

How High The Moon - Best Sandra Kring Book Yet!!

I absolutely LOVED this book! I fell in love with Teaspoon on page one, and was immediately hooked. Ms. Kring deftly weaves an adult tale through the eyes of the eleven year old Teaspoon whose mother has abandoned her and to pursue a career in Hollywood. Teaspoon has been left with her mothers boyfriend, Teddy, whose whole life now revolves around Teaspoon, who in turn decides to learn to become "respectable" because it's so important to Teddy. Teaspoon gets involved in a mentoring program (Sunshine Sisters, far more interesting than I am making it sound!) and there Teaspoon learns there are differing levels of respectability and we readers get lead down several different engaging sub plots. I laughed, I cried, I was angered and actually "Hooray"ed (out loud, my family thought I was nuts) through the whole thing. I highly recommend this wonderful book for anyone and all their friends. Definately one for the keeper shelf!

deep look at small-town living in the Eisenhower Era

In 1955 in Mill Town energetic rabble-rouser ten year old Teaspoon enjoys singing. The Tom Boy was deserted five years ago by her single mom Catty. Her mother's former boyfriend Teddy raises Teaspoon who decides she needs to change her out of control behavior so he will be proud of her. To achieve a life makeover, Teaspoon needs a female role model as all she knows is typical male behavior: fighting, lying, and more fighting. To achieve her objective, Teaspoon joins the Sunshine Sisters mentoring program in which an adult is paired with a child. Her Big Sister is highly respected Brenda Bloom, daughter of the most affluent family in town. Brenda and Isabella (ladies are not Teaspoon except in size) match up well and soon each is teaching the other and Teddy until Catty returns. This is a strong cast who provides a deep look at small-town living in the Eisenhower Era. The story line is driven by the relationships with Teaspoon as the center holding the tale together. Although the plot is straightforward with no surprising spins, historical fans will enjoy tomboyish Teaspoon's efforts to become respectable Isabella (her birth name). Harriet Klausner

Shine on Silvery Moon

Meet Teaspoon, an irascible, imaginative fifth grade child who can talk the spots off a lady bug. Teaspoon will tell you before you asked that her mother came in one day saying, "I gotta go, kid. I've got dreams to chase," leaving nothing behind but me, a sinkful of dirty dishes, a pair of elbow length gloves still in a box, and Teddy, her boyfriend of a year, bawling on the arms of his ratty work shirt." Teddy is a decent man with a gentle love for Teaspoon and tries to raise her to high standards, but the jumping bean girl quells that endeavor. Her wild nature and imagination drive her to many predicaments dragging along, Charlie, the little neighbor boy dropped on his great grandma's porch step. When trouble comes a courting, Teaspoon grabs the shaking lad's hand and they go a dancing their way into a whirlwind of shady adventures. Born with a huge, beautiful voice that knocks the socks off listeners by the time she is 5, Teaspoon's true dream is that her mother will return and take her on the road to success. She practices to be a "girlie girl" but has only the "Taxi Cab Ladies" to be her mentors. Teaspoon is enthralled by the lovely ladies, heavily made-up, doused in perfume, provocatively attired, who hang in front of the drugstore till the taxi picks them up to go for a ride....this happens several times a day.....hmmmmmmmm. Ms. Kring writes her world weary characters with such warmth, such richness, such creativity, that instead of being bogged down in gloom the reader kicks their heals to Sandra's fiddle of humor. This author's prose is ever flowing, filled with similes and colloquial folksiness, smooth and precise. Entertaining and yet poignant. Quality with substance. This is such an enjoyable read; treat yourself to laughs, to a plotline that is first rate, and a story that infuses you with hope.