Ginny Moon is no ordinary 14 year old girl

  • Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig (Park Row Books) 2017
  • In 40 words or less: Day by day, Ginny reveals the challenges of an autistic teen trying to become a part of a Forever Family after years in foster care. It’s far from easy and her loyalties and her past stand in the way.
  • Genre: Fiction
  • Locale: United States
  • Time: Contemporary
  • Benjamin Ludwig brings first-hand experience to telling Ginny’s story as the adoptive parent of an autistic young woman. Seeing the story through Ginny’s eyes gives the reader a rare view into the daily life of a teen on the autistic spectrum and the demands placed on parents, teachers, and all involved in helping her navigate the world.

I am standing in front of the refrigerator listening. I hear nothing. In the refrigerator there are grapes and milk. There are a lot of other things too but grapes and milk are what I need. I need to have nine grapes to start my breakfast and a glass of human milk but it’s a rule that We do not open the refrigerator. And We ask for food when we’re hungry.

Until she was nine, Ginny lived with her Birth Mother Gloria and Donald in an apartment. When Donald would get angry, Ginny would hide and take Baby Doll with her to be safe. And then the police came and took Ginny away, leaving Baby Doll in a suitcase under the bed. Ginny has been desperate to reunite with Baby Doll ever since.

Ginny is literal, methodical, persistent, and sometimes sneaky. Despite being forbidden to use the internet, she plots ways to search for Gloria so she can find Baby Doll. Being a teenager and someone who processes information differently, Ginny doesn’t always understand the repercussions of her actions. Dealing with the consequences of Ginny’s choices puts serious strains on her Forever Parents while they are also preparing for the birth of a baby.

A wonderful look into Ginny’s world is her involvement in Special Olympics basketball. Seeing the experience through Ginny’s eyes reveals the community involvement, the commitment of her Forever Dad, peer volunteer mentorship and the pride that comes from participating on a team.

I knew little about Ginny Moon before I dug into it. I had heard it was very different, and it is that. I found myself rooting for the Moon family, hoping that Ginny can find her place before her actions inflict damage beyond repair.

Ginny Moon is far more than an engaging novel. Ludwig is so careful and loving in “speaking” Ginny’s thoughts that a reader with little exposure to people on the autism spectrum can get a peek into that world. By including Ginny’s classmates and Special Olympics teammates he also points out that each person with disabilities or special needs is different, just like everyone else. In the same way people shouldn’t be pigeonholed, this book should be read for the unique creation it is.

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Ending the book review hiatus

hiatus (noun) hī-ā-tus

According to Merriam Webster, a hiatus is “an interruption in time or continuity breakespecially a period when something (such as a program or activity) is suspended or interrupted “

Well, my reviewing hiatus is coming to an end.

If you’ve been following my posts and reviews, you may have noticed the silence over the last few months. It’s not that I haven’t been reading, but I’ve been reading differently. The political and social storms of the last year have taken over the conversation – at the dinner table and wherever people gather. The book groups I work with have been similarly affected by political overload.

Living just outside the beltway, the past year hasn’t been measured from January 1, 2017, to January 1, 2018, rather from the inauguration/women’s march to the government shutdown. The events of the year have led to new involvement and activism, and the expectation of daily upheavals of one variety or another.

Not surprisingly, in the book world, some of the emerging themes dovetail with current events. Harrowing stories of immigration and survival appear weekly as memoirs and fiction. Each has the power to put a human face on very difficult issues, particularly for readers who may have little contact with immigrant communities. Racism, assimilation, and America’s economic and cultural divide are also common topics. While I have added a number of these to my to-be-read lists, reading them while absorbing the news is often just too hard.

So what have I been reading? In addition to books for group discussions, I’ve upped my reading of “comfort books”. For me, it’s a combination of historical mysteries and new books that are getting buzz in newspapers and online, though I’m steering clear of “ripped from the headlines” themes. Look for posts on the following titles over the next few weeks as I start reducing the backlog:

  • Waking Lions by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen
  • Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig
  • Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance – a view one year later
  • Y is for Yesterday, an appreciation of Sue Grafton

Out of gratitude for your patience as I worked through this, I’m including a link to end of the year top book picks from a variety of sources. Bookreporter.com is one of my go-to sources for future book group choices. Here is  Bookreporter.com’s compilation of 2017 Best Books lists.

So when next we’re in touch, please let me know what you are reading. I’ll happily share what I’m carrying in my bag!

 

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