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Moonboy
An exciting timeslip novel from the bestselling author of The Boy Who Stepped Through Time, featuring a present-day girl hurtling back to the time of the 1969 moon landing.
When a boy called Keith pops up from nowhere in Letty's bedroom and accuses her of invading his room, Letty is astonished - but things get even stranger when she realises she is caught up in an incredible adventure, able to slip back and forth in time!
Keith lives in the world of 1969, and Letty joins in the thrill and excitement of the first astronauts about to land on the moon.
But when she discovers her trips to the past are changing history, she starts to worry. What if something she says or does causes a disaster - or even messes up the moon landing?
When a boy called Keith pops up from nowhere in Letty's bedroom and accuses her of invading his room, Letty is astonished - but things get even stranger when she realises she is caught up in an incredible adventure, able to slip back and forth in time!
Keith lives in the world of 1969, and Letty joins in the thrill and excitement of the first astronauts about to land on the moon.
But when she discovers her trips to the past are changing history, she starts to worry. What if something she says or does causes a disaster - or even messes up the moon landing?
- GenresMiddle Grade
283 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 4, 2025
2 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 2, 2025
Letty used to love drawing with her Grampa but now she hates visiting him in a stinky and creepy Diamond House, filled with moaning old people. He no longer recognises her or Nan but has turned into a silent, empty shell. Letty hates how this horrible disease called 'dementia' has taken her real Grampa from her.
She pleads with her dad to let her come home, but he and Mum are busy with a design job. Dad suggests she look in her room —his old room, where Grampa lived before him —for something from an old treasure box that might stir Grampa's memories. In it Letty finds a jumble of yellowy old newspaper cuttings whose headlines proclaim MAN WALKS ON MOON, a drawstring bag of marbles, and a St Kilda footy jumper. Before Grampa was lost to dementia, he'd suggested Letty might wear this, though it's now old, fragile but precious. He got it on his eleventh birthday. But Letty ran off to play with her Barbie. Now, she regrets being mean to him. Maybe if he saw me wearing it, she thinks as she pulls it over her head...and is catapulted back 56 years.
Suddenly, a strange boy called Keith pops up from nowhere and accuses her of invading his bedroom. Letty realises she is caught in an incredible adventure, able to slip back and forth in time! Keith lives in 1969, excited by the first astronauts about to land on the moon. Letty, who now prefers her real name, Charlotte, offers her present day 2025 knowledge to reassure Keith; Astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin will indeed transfer safely into the Lunar Module Eagle, then land and walk on the moon on Monday 21 July 1969—and return to earth.
But Charlotte worries when she realises that her trips to the past are changing history. What if something she says or does causes a disaster—or even messes up the moon landing?
Grampa's memory is sparked by newspaper clippings and old footy swap cards. Meanwhile, the birthday she and Grampa share approaches—her eleventh—and they plan a party together as usual. Perhaps a footy themed party? But Charlotte insists Grampa would prefer a moon landing party. At another table sits 'snooty' school colleague Elizabeth, visiting her own Nai Nai. Discovering she is just shy, they become friends. In fact, closer than Trixey and Jordan from ballet. Together, Charlotte and Elizabeth ask the manager, Mrs Patel to change theme to planet balloons, to play a vinyl record, and to make a rocket from cardboard boxes.
But first Charlotte has to go back in time to 1969. Then, she had urged Keith's clumsy sister Gwen to take work serving in the canteen of Honeysuckle Creek tracking station near Canberra. That is right in the room where backup computers are. What if the astronauts couldn't communicate because of a glitch at a tracking station?
Keith's family run a milk bar, adding up prices in their heads instead of on a cash register. Charlotte goes with him to his school and watches the moon landing on television. There are conflicting announcements and calculations about when the astronauts will rendezvous with the mother ship Columbia to return to earth. But Columbia and Eagle safely reunite to become Apollo 11.
The birthday party is a lively success. Old ladies play shuttlecock with balloons and Grampa joins in the singing along to the vinyl record of a moon song, with dance from Trixey and Jordan, then takes charge of building the cardboard rocket.
Next morning at school, Elizabeth finds an online video of the splashdown and sends a link so Charlotte can watch it with Grampa. His eyes are bright and blue and sparkling, and Charlotte knows that hidden in the depths of her Grampa, she will always be able to find her young friend Keith.
She pleads with her dad to let her come home, but he and Mum are busy with a design job. Dad suggests she look in her room —his old room, where Grampa lived before him —for something from an old treasure box that might stir Grampa's memories. In it Letty finds a jumble of yellowy old newspaper cuttings whose headlines proclaim MAN WALKS ON MOON, a drawstring bag of marbles, and a St Kilda footy jumper. Before Grampa was lost to dementia, he'd suggested Letty might wear this, though it's now old, fragile but precious. He got it on his eleventh birthday. But Letty ran off to play with her Barbie. Now, she regrets being mean to him. Maybe if he saw me wearing it, she thinks as she pulls it over her head...and is catapulted back 56 years.
Suddenly, a strange boy called Keith pops up from nowhere and accuses her of invading his bedroom. Letty realises she is caught in an incredible adventure, able to slip back and forth in time! Keith lives in 1969, excited by the first astronauts about to land on the moon. Letty, who now prefers her real name, Charlotte, offers her present day 2025 knowledge to reassure Keith; Astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin will indeed transfer safely into the Lunar Module Eagle, then land and walk on the moon on Monday 21 July 1969—and return to earth.
But Charlotte worries when she realises that her trips to the past are changing history. What if something she says or does causes a disaster—or even messes up the moon landing?
Grampa's memory is sparked by newspaper clippings and old footy swap cards. Meanwhile, the birthday she and Grampa share approaches—her eleventh—and they plan a party together as usual. Perhaps a footy themed party? But Charlotte insists Grampa would prefer a moon landing party. At another table sits 'snooty' school colleague Elizabeth, visiting her own Nai Nai. Discovering she is just shy, they become friends. In fact, closer than Trixey and Jordan from ballet. Together, Charlotte and Elizabeth ask the manager, Mrs Patel to change theme to planet balloons, to play a vinyl record, and to make a rocket from cardboard boxes.
But first Charlotte has to go back in time to 1969. Then, she had urged Keith's clumsy sister Gwen to take work serving in the canteen of Honeysuckle Creek tracking station near Canberra. That is right in the room where backup computers are. What if the astronauts couldn't communicate because of a glitch at a tracking station?
Keith's family run a milk bar, adding up prices in their heads instead of on a cash register. Charlotte goes with him to his school and watches the moon landing on television. There are conflicting announcements and calculations about when the astronauts will rendezvous with the mother ship Columbia to return to earth. But Columbia and Eagle safely reunite to become Apollo 11.
The birthday party is a lively success. Old ladies play shuttlecock with balloons and Grampa joins in the singing along to the vinyl record of a moon song, with dance from Trixey and Jordan, then takes charge of building the cardboard rocket.
Next morning at school, Elizabeth finds an online video of the splashdown and sends a link so Charlotte can watch it with Grampa. His eyes are bright and blue and sparkling, and Charlotte knows that hidden in the depths of her Grampa, she will always be able to find her young friend Keith.
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January 1, 2026Fabulous!
April 8, 2025
The last thing Letty wants to do is go into the rest home when her Grampa lives, with her Nan. It’s hard for Letty to see Grampa now as his dementia has taken over, and he doesn’t even recognise her anymore. He spills his food, knocks things over and rarely says a word. This is not the Grampa that Letty knows and loves and who she used to spend a lot of fun times with.
Nan is patient and firm however, and Letty visits grudgingly. She can’t wait until her parents return from their work trip and rescue her. On a phone call to her dad he suggests looking for a hidden box of treasures in the room she’s sleeping in, which was Gramps’ room when he was a boy.
When she finds the box it has a jumble of marbles, paper clippings and an old football jersey. This discovery launches Letty back in time to 1969, when Gramps is a boy her age, and the world is excited about the very first moon landing. Gramps is called Moonboy by everyone as he is fascinated by the upcoming event.
Being able to move between times also allows Letty to break through Gramps’ dementia and reconnect with her grandfather, all while making a new friend, learning about the moon landing and its trials and tribulations along the way.
Not all runs smoothly however, as Letty realises the possible flow on effects of everything she does back in 1969.
This story would make a great fiction resource for any middle grade study of the 1969 moon landing as it shows the excitement of the landing itself and also things that didn’t go quite as planned.
Time travel is a personal favourite, and travelling back to 1969 was fun. The background for this time was taken from interviews with family members with their memories providing all the interesting details of living in a Milk Bar (Dairy).
In the rear of the book are more interesting facts about the moon landing, given young readers even more information to use in projects or enjoy for their own interests.
My favourite theme in the book is the intergenerational relationship between Letty and her grandfather, and how she broke through his dementia with items from his childhood.
Age – 7+
Nan is patient and firm however, and Letty visits grudgingly. She can’t wait until her parents return from their work trip and rescue her. On a phone call to her dad he suggests looking for a hidden box of treasures in the room she’s sleeping in, which was Gramps’ room when he was a boy.
When she finds the box it has a jumble of marbles, paper clippings and an old football jersey. This discovery launches Letty back in time to 1969, when Gramps is a boy her age, and the world is excited about the very first moon landing. Gramps is called Moonboy by everyone as he is fascinated by the upcoming event.
Being able to move between times also allows Letty to break through Gramps’ dementia and reconnect with her grandfather, all while making a new friend, learning about the moon landing and its trials and tribulations along the way.
Not all runs smoothly however, as Letty realises the possible flow on effects of everything she does back in 1969.
This story would make a great fiction resource for any middle grade study of the 1969 moon landing as it shows the excitement of the landing itself and also things that didn’t go quite as planned.
Time travel is a personal favourite, and travelling back to 1969 was fun. The background for this time was taken from interviews with family members with their memories providing all the interesting details of living in a Milk Bar (Dairy).
In the rear of the book are more interesting facts about the moon landing, given young readers even more information to use in projects or enjoy for their own interests.
My favourite theme in the book is the intergenerational relationship between Letty and her grandfather, and how she broke through his dementia with items from his childhood.
Age – 7+
September 27, 2025
‘Charlotte,’ he quavered, ‘why didn’t you come back?’
Although not old enough to have personal memories of the era, I loved the movie, ‘The Dish’, which explored Australia’s role in the moon landing. I figured this novel would be much the same and I was not wrong!
Whilst her parents are away working, Charlotte (or Letty) is staying with her Nan during the school holidays and visiting her Grampa everyday. But, suffering from dementia, he’s not quite all there anymore. When her dad suggests that she digs through Grampa’s old box of treasures to spark a conversation, Letty is thrust into an adventure she never saw coming. Slipping back in time, to 1969, where she meets Keith (or Moonboy), a young boy obsessed with the upcoming moon landing. But when she figures out her time travelling visits are making small changes in the future, she starts to worry she might be messing with big historical moments, even the moon landing itself. Will Letty manage to find a way to continue her adventures without altering the present or will a foot or word out of place have dramatic consequences?
Well, wasn’t this just a joyful ride. A time slip novel full of excitement, you’ll feel like you are moving through time yourself, as you devour the short chapters and fast moving storyline. The story is a nostalgic journey to a much simpler time full of milk bars, newspaper deliveries, lolly bags for a few cents, transistor radios, marbles, hopscotch and handheld school bells. This was all intertwined with genuine moments of friendship, family, connection, change and loss. The element of dementia was delicately explored and provided relatable experiences for children managing this challenge, highlighting the power of memories as a connector!
Congratulations on a fantastic read Anna, I’ll be seeking out your other books now!
Although not old enough to have personal memories of the era, I loved the movie, ‘The Dish’, which explored Australia’s role in the moon landing. I figured this novel would be much the same and I was not wrong!
Whilst her parents are away working, Charlotte (or Letty) is staying with her Nan during the school holidays and visiting her Grampa everyday. But, suffering from dementia, he’s not quite all there anymore. When her dad suggests that she digs through Grampa’s old box of treasures to spark a conversation, Letty is thrust into an adventure she never saw coming. Slipping back in time, to 1969, where she meets Keith (or Moonboy), a young boy obsessed with the upcoming moon landing. But when she figures out her time travelling visits are making small changes in the future, she starts to worry she might be messing with big historical moments, even the moon landing itself. Will Letty manage to find a way to continue her adventures without altering the present or will a foot or word out of place have dramatic consequences?
Well, wasn’t this just a joyful ride. A time slip novel full of excitement, you’ll feel like you are moving through time yourself, as you devour the short chapters and fast moving storyline. The story is a nostalgic journey to a much simpler time full of milk bars, newspaper deliveries, lolly bags for a few cents, transistor radios, marbles, hopscotch and handheld school bells. This was all intertwined with genuine moments of friendship, family, connection, change and loss. The element of dementia was delicately explored and provided relatable experiences for children managing this challenge, highlighting the power of memories as a connector!
Congratulations on a fantastic read Anna, I’ll be seeking out your other books now!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews