A Cool Moonlight

by Angela Johnson, Kamil Vojnar

Born with a rare and dangerous allergy to sunlight, Lila's spent her life hidden from the daylight-staying covered up and indoors until dark, only venturing outside after the sun has set and the moon's cool light shines. Almost every night, she is visited by two young girls who wear tutus over their jeans and costume fairy wings, and the three of them dance and tell wonderful stories. But while Lila adores her family and her new friends, still she longs to feel the sun's touch. Lila's mysterious friends have promised to help her . . . but how?

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Mystery

144 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Angela Johnson is the author of the Coretta Scott King Honor picture book When I Am Old with You; as well as A Sweet Smell of Roses, illustrated by Eric Velasquez; Just Like Josh Gibson, illustrated by Beth Peck; and I Dream of Trains, which was also illustrated by Loren Long. She has won three Coretta Scott King Awards, one each for her novels Heaven, Toning the Sweep, and The First Part Last. In recognition of her outstanding talent, Angela was named a 2003 MacArthur Fellow. She lives in Kent, Ohio.

Reviews

[Jessie Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could not stand reading all in lowercase! It really seemed to slow me down and throw me off. That being said. The viewpoint was well recieved. I could really believe that it was a little girl telling the story. It was written from a very childlike stance, which is great because that's who you are supposed to relate to. I think that is about the only good thing about this book. The writing itself.
The story was slow, boring and really had no point.I'm amazed that I actually finished it, even though it was a very quick read. I thought that the end may redeem itself, but I was very wrong. I really don't recommend this book to anyone.

[ella · Rating 1 out of 5]

im sorry but what was the point of this book? what was the development here? the author was just trying too hard to be deep, and it just turned out bland and useless. this book was honestly just so bad. im sorry but i dont even know anymore. what even happened? plus the punctuation was all wrong. there was no development and nothing progressed. this book is just ???? i wouldn't recommend.

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

VERY GOOD BOOK I love love loved the writing style. It was extremely whimsical and had the essence of childlike wonder without being dumbed down entirely too much. Really loved the magical aspect of Alyssa and Elizabeth, it was really well narrated. Great novella 😊

[Linda Lipko · Rating 1 out of 5]

This author is one of my favorite YA writers.

In this story, eight-year old Lila was born with a dangerous allergy to sunlight. Living a sheltered life with loving parents and an older sister, accustomed to living in darkness, Lila longs for light.

Creating magical imaginary friends, Lila plays with the girls who have wings and together they romp in the moonlight.

When her friends present her with a bag and tell her they will add items that will allow her to thrive in sunlight, Lila grows hopeful.

This is a story of hope and love. While I liked the tale, I was bothered by the authors lack of capitalization. Perhaps there is a metaphor in this, but I failed to be charmed by it.

[Analee Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

With breathtaking lyricism, Angela Johnson shares the thoughts and dreams of an extraordinary girl named Lile. 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 help of her friends she is making a plan to do so. Uniquely touching, A Cool Moonlight that are rare novel wrap tightly around you and leaves you forever changed. A novel about courage and hope and the healing power of love.

[Michael Haley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe if I had read this before watching Chi-raq, I would have found it to be less intensely boring. Then again, maybe Lee's film is simply a reminder that a work of fiction has to excite as much as it moves, and A Cool Moonlight didn't do much of either.

[Perla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Cool Moonlight is a pretty interesting book. Many people might think it’s just a boring book but it’s actually not. The place that the book took was night time at her house or day time.Thats what makes it interesting to me one better some characters are better the others. The way the author writes the book makes it feel like I’m actually in the book. He wrote it like he was trying to make you feel like the girl in the book. I do recommend this book because it should help others do Well in life. Reading this book made me understand how to be and how to feel because it makes it seem like you can’t get along with the characters in the story as well. I would love for them to have a second book for this or a movie they should because it was that good especially the end of it.

[Katie Kaboom · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is cute! I had read it when I was around 10-11 and wanted to revisit it as an adult (to see if maybe I could make more sense of it), but honestly it's about a kid who is coming with the terms of her disability. It's whimsy, not that deep, and a perfect glimpse of a disabled girls world. Read in like 2 hours too lol

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was absolutely amazed by Lila's struggles. I didn't understand if Alyssa and Elizabeth were real or not, but as I read on, I figured out they were real in the beginning, because Mama walks over to Alyssa and smiles at her or something. Anyway, Alyssa and Elizabeth give Lila a "sun bag", which she has to fill with objects that represent the sun (I think before her ninth birthday or something?)
So Lila fills her sun bag, with help from A&E (Alyssa and Elizabeth) until she has only one left. Then it gets confusing. Lila starts hallucinating that A&E are there, but they're not. Once, she "sees" them outside, giggling and hiding behind a car. Then she sees them at a supermarket and she says hi to them. They move closer to one another(they're sisters)and wave. They are behind an old lady; When Lila turns to her older sister, Monk, to tell her that she sees A&E, she turns back around and they are gone. The old lady(who looks like she has lila's condition)shakes her head, thinking Lila is nuts.
I'm starting to think that maybe A&E died. They were real in the beginning, but i'm starting to think they both died. Then, when Lila didn't hear from them for 2 months, she started to hallucinate, making everyone think she's crazy. Lila has a friend who goes way back with her, before Alyssa and Elizabeth. David Gallucci got stuck in his garage with Lila and they ended up eating 26 popsicles.
So in the end, Lila still had one sun object, but A&E never visited her again. She turned nine, never seeing the sun, never feeling the warmth on her skin. Her ninth birthday party consisted of the entire neighborhood. Except Alyssa and Elizabeth.

[Ethan Li · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was not my cup of tea. It seems to symbolize something; a message. A message which very few people like Lila can relate to (since people don't normally have sun-prone diseases). After a while, this repeating pattern of Lila's isolated experiences and her wishes to feel the sun get a bit boring. I mean, yeah, its new, but the plot really didn't exist in this story at all. Take the "sun bag" for example. Despite many parts of the book mentioning the sun bag, it had no impact whatsoever, and furthermore, nobody even knows what's in that bag. I also believe Lila was hallucinating about her make-believe friends, Alyssa and Elizabeth, however I'd never get a clear answer since again, this plot led to absolutely nowhere. Part of enjoying a book is being able to understand what the character(s) are feeling, and frankly, it feels like I'm reading an 8-year-old's diary. It isn't entirely a bad thing, because it is indeed coming from a child's perspective, however it is the contents that are in this book which do not interest me. I do give the author some credit. Writing in the voice of a child is not easy.

[Stephanie Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off I love this author. Her writing is always heartbreakingly beautiful and this book is no exception. However, there was one this and one thing only that kept me from giving this book 5 stars and that was the complete lack of capitalization anywhere in the book. It was so utterly distracting I almost put the book down after three chapters. I don't know if the style choice was made because the main protagonist is only 8 and they wanted you to feel her immaturity but if that's it it failed. Any 8 year old I know can correctly capitalize a name or the beginning of a sentience but would not be able to use or spell words like chromosomes. Every time I came to something that should be capitalized it caused me to stop and I lost my thought more then once. This was a beautiful story that was almost ruined by a bad styling choice and I have to wonder weather it was the author or the publisher who did the choosing.

[Caroline (Cary) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lila has a rare illness that makes her very sensitive to sunlight. She can't be exposed to the sun at all, so she stays inside during the day, being home-schooled by her mother. She is socially isolated with a vivid imagination. This book tells the story of the months approaching her ninth birthday, while she and her two imaginary friends are trying to find a way to cure her of her disease. Lila narrates the story with simple vocabulary, avoiding most capitalization, which can be somewhat unsettling, and lets the reader do most of the thinking, rather than spelling out every thought. Throughout the story, Lila is learning to grow up. Ages 9-12. Recommended for additional purchase.

[Beth G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Trista · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was confused by some of the elements of this story. Lila is a young girl who cannot be exposed to sunlight due to no pigmentation in her skin. She lives her life at nighttime. I never figured out who Alyssa and Elizabeth were or why the empty house on Lila's street hummed. There was also not a single capital word in the story. There was punctuation but no capital letters (not even the letter "i").

[Hope Irvin Marston · Rating 1 out of 5]

The back cover text intrigued me and I looked forward to reading this one. Big disappointment. One hundred thirty-three pages and not a capital letter in sight. I should have been forewarned. Nothing is capitalized on the book cover! Despite the aforementioned distraction, I forced myself to read on to the end. The book is designed for 8-12 year-olds, I think. But I did not understand it.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beautiful. This book was beautiful. Lila is an eight year old girl who is allergic to the sun. She lives in the moonlight and her one wish is to dance in the sun. This book was simply written and a very quick ease. I really enjoyed the plot and the story moved right along. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

[Fatima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ignore the mass of goofy idiots who don't know what style is. I love the book and the lack of capitalization doesn't take away from it in the slightest, it actually improves the fact that THIS IS A STORY FROM A CHILD'S PERSPECTIVE. This book is beautifully written, and relaxing to the soul. I definitely recommend reading this, or reading it to any kids in your life.

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting read, almost abstract. Presentation does not use capitals. I think this is a third grade title in Lit by Design. I'm not sure how well received this would be for a 3rd grader. Per Follett: interest level is 3-6; Rd lvl: 4.0; Lex 1060

[Shelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lila is a nearly nine year old girl who has a sever allergy to the sun. Her often lonely nocturnal life has caused her to create a couple imaginary friends to come and dance in the moon light with her and pass the lonely hours. Cute little read but nothing really to it.

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

THERE ARE NO CAPITOL LETTERS IN THE ENTIRE BOOK AND IT'S REALLY BUGGING ME. It also lacks plot and we never findout if those girls are real.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot about a skin condition in which a girl is deathly allergic to the sun.

[Imari Moraga · Rating 1 out of 5]

Angela got an allergy from sunlight..

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know why all lowercase letters in a book is synonymous with poetic. Annoying.

[Tarah Downing · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm so glad this was a short, quick read. I honestly don't have much to say about it. Just glad I'm done with it.

[Kimberly B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the book, “a cool moonlight” and found it to be an interesting read. What I really had a problem with was that it was all written in lowercase which is understandable since the reader is reading in a little girl's point of view; however, I would have very much preferred it to be in proper form. I learned about Lila's skin disease, xeroderma pigmentosum. The story is really sweet and I really like how Lila accepted herself for who she was and not for who she wanted to be. I think I would recommend this book to those readers who like interesting short reads. I would also recommend this to those who wouldn’t mind reading in all lowercase letters as it is not for everyone. I like the characters, they are interesting all with their own personalities. What I had a problem was that in the story it never comes out to tell whether the girls were ever actually real or if they were just an imagination of Lila. Overall, I enjoyed the story.

[Megan Marn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lila is born with a rare genetic mutation, not allowing her to be near sun or harsh lights, so is Th e story of her life at night. The ending fell a little flat but also had some beauty to it, when you remember a book isn’t meant to always meet your plot expectations.

Overall I thought the story to be engaging, a nice quick morning read. I could feel this story was being told from the view point of an 8 year old girl which I actually enjoyed. Several comments regarding lack of capitalization in the book however for me it’s symbolism to the quiet, small and sheltered life this child leads. It was not bothersome to in the least.

[Bernadette Kearns · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a beautifully written book that ideally should be read in one sitting. The main character Lila suffers from a rare condition which does not allow her to be exposed to sunlight. Her nighttime rituals include spending time with her older sister in the city, grocery shopping with her dad and exploring the outdoors with two friends that only she can see. The book was a sweet, character focused story, but a little slow moving for me.I also didn’t understand the use of lower case...it seemed unnecessary and distracting.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

i liked this book, i love that the characters slowly became connected, all three characters are going through really rough times and it shows how they are dealing with these things. We really only figure out how bird (the main character) felt and overcame her problem (the other problems would take longer then 133 pages). it was a short read and i enjoyed seeing different perspectives, it's one of my fave type of books. i would recommend this to someone who wants a short read and has a positive ending.

[Maddie Bae · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Cool Moonlight" is a really touching story about love, growth, and finding yourself. The writing is beautiful and paints a vivid picture of the world, making it easy to get lost in the story. The characters feel real, and their personal struggles and achievements are easy to relate to. Sometimes the book moves a little slowly, but the deeper themes of hope and change kept me interested. Overall, it’s a moving and well-written book, even if it might not be for everyone.

[Katrina Donatello · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was very fun and playful. It's about a young girl who has a disease where if she goes outside, the suns rays can kill her. So she sleeps in the day and come out at night! Her friend Elizabeth and Alyssa don't like how she can't come outside during the day. So the main character has a difficult time finding friends! I really liked the book and you should read it :)