Moonflower

National Book Award winner Kacen Callender delivers a captivating novel about a child facing the other-worldly shadows of depression. Moon has been plunged into a swill of uncertainty and confusion. They travel to the spirit realms every night, hoping never to return to the world of the living. But when the realm is threatened, it's up to Moon to save the spirit world, which sparks their own healing journey through the powerful, baffling, landscape that depression can cause. From this novel’s very first utterance, author Kacen Callender puts us behind Moon’s eyes so that we, too, are engulfed by Moon’s troubling exploration through mental illness. Moon’s mom is trying her best, but is clueless about what to do to reach the ugly roiling of her child’s inner struggles. At the same time, though, there are those who see Moon for who they are – Blue, the Keeper, the Magician, Wolf. These creature-guides help Moon find a way out of darkness. The ethereal aspects of the story are brilliantly blended with real-world glimmers of light. Slowly, Moon grows toward hope and wholeness, showing all children that each and every one of us has a tree growing inside. That our souls emerge when we discover, and fully accept, ourselves. Drawn from the author’s own experience through depression as a young person, this carefully orchestrated, unique novel is deeply spiritual. Moonflower will challenge you to think beyond traditional storytelling – to reach. To weep. To discover. To cheer this feat of nuanced writing that speaks directly to the heart. Kacen Callender, National Book Award winner of King and the Dragonflies, delivers a stunning novel that invites readers into a child's struggles with mental health, and their journey to wholeness. Moon's depression is overwhelming. Therapy doesn't help, and Moon is afraid that their mom hates them because they're sad. Moon's only escape is traveling to the spirit realms every night, where they hope they'll never return to the world of the living again. The spirit realm is where they have their one and only friend, Wolf, and where they're excited to experience an infinite number of adventures. But when the realm is threatened, it's up to Moon to save the spirit world. With the help of celestial beings and guard­ians, Moon battles monsters and shadows, and through their journey, they begin to learn that a magical adventure of love and acceptance awaits them in the world of the living, too. This story of hope shows readers that our souls blossom when we realize that we are as worthy and powerful as the universe itself. Moon is convinced that they do not belong to this world: that most of the time they are invisible (unless they stay still too long), that they belong to the stars, and want to go back to them--they live entirely in their imagination with an imaginary spirit guide who can appear in any shape and refuses to speak to anyone, lest their words tie them to a world they reject Moon is convinced that she does not belong to this world: that most of the time she is invisible (unless she stays still too long), that she belongs to the stars, and wants to go back to them--she lives entirely in her imagination with an imaginary spirit guide who can appear in any shape and refuses to speak to anyone, lest her words tie her to a world she rejects