Music from a Place Called Half Moon

by Jerrie Oughton

In the summer of 1956, thirteen-year-old Edie Jo Houp, of Half Moon, North Carolina, must come to terms with entrenched prejudices against Native Americans and with the death of a special friend. By the author of The Magic Weaver of Rugs.

Genres: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Childrens, Young Adult

160 pages, Hardcover

First published April 24, 1995

Reviews

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

(JF) a most compelling novel about white privilege among an Amer. Indian population coupled with the agony of losing a teenage child; there are SO many topics this book covers that no matter what I say it bears remembering that reading the book is the only way to go (I seldom, if ever say that). Tonight I want to give this book to every person I know; This is a Lexington KY (my home state) author; 1995 hardback, origins unknown (?left by previous owners of our current home vs. we bought it at some point); 162 pgs.

[Donna Kann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young adult story of racism of the Native Americans and forbidden love. It was written in 1995 and sorry to say, it is still a current issue in our society.

[Maryam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book,Music From A Place Called Half Moon is about Indian Americans (half breeds).These people weren’t treated like normal other people, they would be called “you people “as in different from others. The half breeds didn’t like this. Edie Jo,the main character also had the same point of view for the Indians as the other white people did, but this all changed when she started meeting a boy named Cherokee at the forest.
“And, even though there was a whole part of me knowing that to be in love with an Indian boy would be beyond disaster, that not only my family, but every single person in half moon would hate me and feed their hate every morning of their lives, the feeling was still here. I just shut all those doors in my mind and lived in the rooms full of sunshine, full of Cherokee Fish”
This showed that anyone can be your friend, and it doesn’t depend on their color…because we are all people.
In my opinion this was not a good book for me. I felt that the author didn’t give enough details about the characters. From reading this book I realized that I like books that have some kind of action and mystery, and enough detail for me to picture my character in my head.
I would recommend this book to a person who likes books without action, mystery, etc. A person should read this book if they enjoy just reading books to get a message from it, not for getting cliffhangers and details.

[༺Kiki༻ · Rating 3 out of 5]

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[Ariana Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book was amazing. I loved Edie Jo's voice and how the author described her courage when first meeting Comanchee at the mill. I cried when Comanchee died and that was the first time I've cried when reading a book. I like how Edie Jo got past her family's prejudices and her own fear and realized that friends are friends no matter what they look like. The title was beautiful, catching me from the moment I set eyes on it and the cover was simple, but so sweet. I would recommend this book to everyone.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a world where you are half native american and half white you can seem to fit into either. This is an amazing story that makes you think about how it can be worse to be half and half. I could read this novel again and again.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah ,ok it is a kids book,
All the years it was in my bookcase ,I thought it was about music. Well , music did play a part in it. It was well written , I wish more of the books written for the youth today were written half as well as this one.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

First person, racism, Native American, Southern. Loved this story.

[Flower]

found on my bookshelf

[Elizabeth Isaacs · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters in this book are original, and the historical perspective is compelling. Well done, Jerrie Oughton, well done!

[Liza Hackman · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was my favorite book in middle school, it is so touching, and close to the heart. It compares very well to "To Kill A Mockingbird."

[Alyssa Chester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Idk how to explain it but the semi-romance in this book awoke something in preteen me

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edie Joe feels like she was born without any strong emotions. She doesn't know if she's even capable of love. Then she meets Cherokee Fish. At first, she is afriad of him because the town has labeled him a half breed. But what she finds out is that he is musical and senistive. But he is also angry about the way he is treated by people in the town. He and his family face discrimination and poverty. Could this sensitive friend be the one who is setting fires?