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The Cursed Moon
One two, the Caretaker's coming for you. Three-four, you'll breathe no more. Five-six, you'll float like sticks. Seven, eight, you'll meet your fate.
Rafael Fuentes isn't easily scared. He loves writing ghost stories, reading scary books, and entertaining his friends with terrifying tales he creates on the spot. Rafa has come up against enough real-life scary situations that fictional hauntings seem like no big deal. Rafa's incarcerated mom is being released from jail soon, and will be coming to live with him, his sister, and their grandparents. For the first time in a while, Rafa feels a pit of fear growing in his stomach.
To take his mind off his mom's return, Rafa spends an evening crafting the scariest ghost story he's ever told. As an eerie blood moon hangs in the sky, Rafa tells a group of friends about The Caretaker. The Caretaker is an evil ghost who lures unsuspecting kids into the neighborhood pond . . . and they don't ever come out. Rafa is really proud of his latest creation, until strange things start to happen around him. With a sinking feeling, Rafa realizes the Caretaker is real. Rafa has brought the ghost to life-and only he can stop him.
Rafael Fuentes isn't easily scared. He loves writing ghost stories, reading scary books, and entertaining his friends with terrifying tales he creates on the spot. Rafa has come up against enough real-life scary situations that fictional hauntings seem like no big deal. Rafa's incarcerated mom is being released from jail soon, and will be coming to live with him, his sister, and their grandparents. For the first time in a while, Rafa feels a pit of fear growing in his stomach.
To take his mind off his mom's return, Rafa spends an evening crafting the scariest ghost story he's ever told. As an eerie blood moon hangs in the sky, Rafa tells a group of friends about The Caretaker. The Caretaker is an evil ghost who lures unsuspecting kids into the neighborhood pond . . . and they don't ever come out. Rafa is really proud of his latest creation, until strange things start to happen around him. With a sinking feeling, Rafa realizes the Caretaker is real. Rafa has brought the ghost to life-and only he can stop him.
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First published September 5, 2023
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About the author
Angela Cervantes
19 books148 followersAngela Cervantes is the award-winning author of several popular children's novels including Lety Out Loud, which won the Pura Belpré Honor Award in 2020.
Her other novels include The Cursed Moon, which won Florida's Sunshine State Young Readers Award. Angela's other middle grade novels include the Frida Kahlo-inspired mystery, Me, Frida and The Secret of the Peacock Ring; Allie, First At Last; and Gaby, Lost and Found.
Her latest children’s novel is Anomalies 53: Into the Shadows which is book 1 of a two-book series published by Harper Collins.
Additionally, Angela authored the junior novelization for Disney/Pixar's animated-film, Coco and Disney's animated film, Encanto. She also collaborated with American Girl Dolls for the novel Maritza: Lead With Your Heart.
Angela’s short stories have been featured in Chicken Soup for The Latino Soul and the Young Adult anthology Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America.
Angela is a daughter of a retired elementary-school teacher who instilled in her a love for reading and storytelling. Angela writes from her home in Kansas City. When she's not writing, Angela enjoys reading, running, gazing up at clouds, and taking advantage of Taco Tuesdays.
To learn more about Angela and her books, visit her website at angelacervantes.com.
Her other novels include The Cursed Moon, which won Florida's Sunshine State Young Readers Award. Angela's other middle grade novels include the Frida Kahlo-inspired mystery, Me, Frida and The Secret of the Peacock Ring; Allie, First At Last; and Gaby, Lost and Found.
Her latest children’s novel is Anomalies 53: Into the Shadows which is book 1 of a two-book series published by Harper Collins.
Additionally, Angela authored the junior novelization for Disney/Pixar's animated-film, Coco and Disney's animated film, Encanto. She also collaborated with American Girl Dolls for the novel Maritza: Lead With Your Heart.
Angela’s short stories have been featured in Chicken Soup for The Latino Soul and the Young Adult anthology Beyond Borders: Growing Up Mexican in America.
Angela is a daughter of a retired elementary-school teacher who instilled in her a love for reading and storytelling. Angela writes from her home in Kansas City. When she's not writing, Angela enjoys reading, running, gazing up at clouds, and taking advantage of Taco Tuesdays.
To learn more about Angela and her books, visit her website at angelacervantes.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
August 16, 2024
The Cursed Moon is a 2024 Sunshine State pick for Grades 3-5 which was my entire basis for picking it up.
I found it decent enough though largely rote. Often times it is fairly easy to get an idea of where a middle grade book is going to go either because it is for children, because the author is writing a common premise for the genre or some mixture of both. So I knew the trajectory of the story thematically even if I did not know exactly how every single little story beat would play out.
All of this is to explain partially why I found the story rather average. There is nothing wrong with being average. I'd wager the majority of books are simply average. It's hard to write a book at all, let alone one that is truly fantastic. Admittedly, when you read as much middle grade as I do and have similarly high standards, it is also harder to be dazzled.
Even so, The Cursed Moon does have an interesting angle that could have been explored that it chooses to ignore so I feel comfortable in being more negatively inclined towards it than I normally would be.
The underlying emotional thread of the story is what kind of relationship Rafa wants or should have with his neglectful mother Nikki who will be released from prison soon. Rafa is adamantly opposed to any kind of reconciliation. The rest of his family is desperate to give Nikki another chance.
The problem is that all we ever get is reasons why Rafa should never forgive her and is correct to be on guard, even though by the end we are supposed to understand that Rafa was being close-minded out of fear.
I disagree with the idea that abusive parents are owed a relationship with their children or even a chance to fix it. I was wholeheartedly on Rafa's side about not trusting her especially as charming anecdotes like, him having to sell the literal shirt off his back to a group of random teenagers to get ten dollars to buy food for him and his sister after their mother abandoned them for hours in the car they were living in, would occasionally come up.
I did not like how much the key people in his life - little sister Brianna and his abuelos - tried to lowkey pressure him to be more accepting without the narrative making it explicitly clear it was wrong for them to do so. It is okay to be hopeful. It is okay to want to rebuild a relationship with a person who hurt you. It is okay to give them another chance. But, that is a personal choice that should be made on an individual timeline.
If Nikki has changed or is going to be a good mom she should be able to accept combative attitude and behavior. It is part of the healing process and is deserved. This book instead modifies Rafa to be more receptive before Nikki returns without proving that that trust is not misguided in the first place.
I think it coasts a lot on the fact that many people do not view neglect in the same way as abuse even though most neglect is also abusive. It also attempts to subtly undermine a lot of weight to Nikki's actions by highlighting her addiction.
Regardless of this distinction, the damage is the same so intentions or motivations don't much matter when you consider impact. I can be sympathetic to the way addiction works while simultaneously not allowing her to dodge accountability for what are still, at the end of the day, her choices.
The book ends without a single word on the page from this woman. How can I possible believe that she has turned over a new leaf without even an apology? Rafa has all these letters from her he refuses to open. Why not have him at least open one up so we can better understand where she is coming from? She says she's changed? Let the reader be the judge of how likely that is.
Better yet, why not have her be released at the beginning of the book and instead of the scary story being about a park caretaker, let it be a caretaker as in parent to create parallels between Rafa's experiences with her as a parent in the past vs present day and the nightmare he has unleashed? I honestly thought when I read 'The Caretaker' as the title of the monster that that was going to be the plot.
This book promotes the idea that you should always be willing to give people chances because they might mean it, but they don't actually have to do any work. Actions are far more important than words. As actively demonstrated in the story when Rafa's single happy moment of his mother is when he fell down the stairs and at the hospital he overheard her promising God if he was okay she would do better only for her to relapse again a month later, words are ultimately meaningless without follow through.
Being willing to risk disappointment is a necessary part of life because meaningful relationships are impossible without vulnerability. So Rafa - and by extension the reader - do need to learn this lesson except I really think the book does him a disservice by putting so much of the onus on him when he is the child. Particularly when you consider the fact that he already has taken on so much responsibility for his mother, in general, due to her abandonment. It is extremely unfair that in the one instance where he is finally safe enough to be the angry, resentful child he is expected to suck it up because he must be the ‘grown-up’ his mother forced him to be through her abuse.
Family therapy is mentioned to ease the transition and work through the complicated feelings which is great. But, again, because the entirety of the story takes place before Nikki ever arrives we never actually get to read about Rafa expressing himself or being validated for his anxiety in a therapy session. Most of the book is Rafa grappling with this perceived threat to this safe space he has established while his abuelos and sister are quietly (and not so quietly) disappointed in him for not being the bigger person.
If you’ve ever read Becoming Naomi Leon, I kept imagining Rafa’s mother like Naomi's and we all know how that story ended.
All in all, a generally fine story that had a chance to stand out that was squandered. I find the overall message regarding his mother harmful, however, I think sketchy messaging is simply part and parcel for the Sunshine State awards. For example, last year’s pick Escape completely ignored domestic violence against the main character by his father.
This is the worst book on the list I’ve read so far, but to keep it in perspective it is not even close to being one of the worst books I’ve ever read.
I found it decent enough though largely rote. Often times it is fairly easy to get an idea of where a middle grade book is going to go either because it is for children, because the author is writing a common premise for the genre or some mixture of both. So I knew the trajectory of the story thematically even if I did not know exactly how every single little story beat would play out.
All of this is to explain partially why I found the story rather average. There is nothing wrong with being average. I'd wager the majority of books are simply average. It's hard to write a book at all, let alone one that is truly fantastic. Admittedly, when you read as much middle grade as I do and have similarly high standards, it is also harder to be dazzled.
Even so, The Cursed Moon does have an interesting angle that could have been explored that it chooses to ignore so I feel comfortable in being more negatively inclined towards it than I normally would be.
The underlying emotional thread of the story is what kind of relationship Rafa wants or should have with his neglectful mother Nikki who will be released from prison soon. Rafa is adamantly opposed to any kind of reconciliation. The rest of his family is desperate to give Nikki another chance.
The problem is that all we ever get is reasons why Rafa should never forgive her and is correct to be on guard, even though by the end we are supposed to understand that Rafa was being close-minded out of fear.
I disagree with the idea that abusive parents are owed a relationship with their children or even a chance to fix it. I was wholeheartedly on Rafa's side about not trusting her especially as charming anecdotes like, him having to sell the literal shirt off his back to a group of random teenagers to get ten dollars to buy food for him and his sister after their mother abandoned them for hours in the car they were living in, would occasionally come up.
I did not like how much the key people in his life - little sister Brianna and his abuelos - tried to lowkey pressure him to be more accepting without the narrative making it explicitly clear it was wrong for them to do so. It is okay to be hopeful. It is okay to want to rebuild a relationship with a person who hurt you. It is okay to give them another chance. But, that is a personal choice that should be made on an individual timeline.
If Nikki has changed or is going to be a good mom she should be able to accept combative attitude and behavior. It is part of the healing process and is deserved. This book instead modifies Rafa to be more receptive before Nikki returns without proving that that trust is not misguided in the first place.
I think it coasts a lot on the fact that many people do not view neglect in the same way as abuse even though most neglect is also abusive. It also attempts to subtly undermine a lot of weight to Nikki's actions by highlighting her addiction.
Regardless of this distinction, the damage is the same so intentions or motivations don't much matter when you consider impact. I can be sympathetic to the way addiction works while simultaneously not allowing her to dodge accountability for what are still, at the end of the day, her choices.
The book ends without a single word on the page from this woman. How can I possible believe that she has turned over a new leaf without even an apology? Rafa has all these letters from her he refuses to open. Why not have him at least open one up so we can better understand where she is coming from? She says she's changed? Let the reader be the judge of how likely that is.
Better yet, why not have her be released at the beginning of the book and instead of the scary story being about a park caretaker, let it be a caretaker as in parent to create parallels between Rafa's experiences with her as a parent in the past vs present day and the nightmare he has unleashed? I honestly thought when I read 'The Caretaker' as the title of the monster that that was going to be the plot.
This book promotes the idea that you should always be willing to give people chances because they might mean it, but they don't actually have to do any work. Actions are far more important than words. As actively demonstrated in the story when Rafa's single happy moment of his mother is when he fell down the stairs and at the hospital he overheard her promising God if he was okay she would do better only for her to relapse again a month later, words are ultimately meaningless without follow through.
Being willing to risk disappointment is a necessary part of life because meaningful relationships are impossible without vulnerability. So Rafa - and by extension the reader - do need to learn this lesson except I really think the book does him a disservice by putting so much of the onus on him when he is the child. Particularly when you consider the fact that he already has taken on so much responsibility for his mother, in general, due to her abandonment. It is extremely unfair that in the one instance where he is finally safe enough to be the angry, resentful child he is expected to suck it up because he must be the ‘grown-up’ his mother forced him to be through her abuse.
Family therapy is mentioned to ease the transition and work through the complicated feelings which is great. But, again, because the entirety of the story takes place before Nikki ever arrives we never actually get to read about Rafa expressing himself or being validated for his anxiety in a therapy session. Most of the book is Rafa grappling with this perceived threat to this safe space he has established while his abuelos and sister are quietly (and not so quietly) disappointed in him for not being the bigger person.
If you’ve ever read Becoming Naomi Leon, I kept imagining Rafa’s mother like Naomi's and we all know how that story ended.
All in all, a generally fine story that had a chance to stand out that was squandered. I find the overall message regarding his mother harmful, however, I think sketchy messaging is simply part and parcel for the Sunshine State awards. For example, last year’s pick Escape completely ignored domestic violence against the main character by his father.
This is the worst book on the list I’ve read so far, but to keep it in perspective it is not even close to being one of the worst books I’ve ever read.
Read
July 30, 2025DNF at 22%. This middle school story is missing the mark for me. And after just finishing Katherine Arden’s excellent middle school horror book, Small Spaces, there’s just no comparison.
June 22, 2024
I loved this book so much all the suspense was great if you want a good scare read this at night.
August 19, 2023
Rafi loves to tell scary stories. But when his neighbor warns him not to tell stories on the night of the Blood Moon, what is the one thing a kiddo wants to do?? Tell their latest scary story! With the Blood Moon comes a curse. A curse to bring stories to life. But Rafi sets out to break the curse in order to protect his younger sister and his friends and along the way he learns several important lessons: love will always triumph over evil, second chances are worth giving, and listen to your elders--they might just know what they are talking about. ;)
September 5, 2023
Thanks Net Galley and Scholastic for the ARC!
The Cursed Moon was a really engaging read. Fans of Stranger Things, Stand By Me, IT, and Paper Girls will likely enjoy the dynamics of friendship found within this book. I also really appreciated how the author used food to forge connections between the characters. This is a great read for younger readers just starting to get into spooky fiction!
The Cursed Moon was a really engaging read. Fans of Stranger Things, Stand By Me, IT, and Paper Girls will likely enjoy the dynamics of friendship found within this book. I also really appreciated how the author used food to forge connections between the characters. This is a great read for younger readers just starting to get into spooky fiction!
January 6, 2025
rafa and brie’s relationship is seriously the cutest. nobody does sibling relationships like middle-grade novels 🥹 my only complaint is the ending seemed a little rushed
September 16, 2024
I loved it. It was suspenseful, creepy yet it had heart. I cried at the end of the book which was my deciding factor on most books if I like it or not. This is one of my favorites now
July 19, 2024
I read this book because it was on our state award list. The story has some good scary moments, but they are not gory or graphic. I thought that there were a bit too many people pressuring Rafa to forgive his abusive, addict mother. He obviously needs more time and it rankled that he would be forced to cohabitate with her so closely so quickly just feels wrong. And that plot point took way too much time in this book.
The danger of horror! :) I have been there.
Content notes: memories discussing child neglect, scary situations, children being killed off screen, ghosts
...the thing with scary stories is once you hear them, everything becomes creepy. Water dripping from a pipe becomes a tiny gargoyle buried alive under the house tapping its way out. Any slight scrape against the window becomes a killer clown who escaped from hell's prison. With just a little boost, the imagination can run wild like a pack of sled puppies and take us for a ride off a cliff.
The danger of horror! :) I have been there.
Content notes: memories discussing child neglect, scary situations, children being killed off screen, ghosts
February 20, 2025
Rafael Fuentes loves to weave scary stories. He isn't the one to be easily scared. His popular amongst his peers and others because of this. Until Rafa is warned by someone not to tell any scary story on the Blood moon. With his mother returning back from rehabilitation to stay with his sister and their grandparents, he has enough on his plate already.
Then on the night of the blood moon, he tells the story of The Caretaker. He is evil and lures unsuspecting kids into a neighbourhood pond, never to be seen. And to his absolute horror, The Caretaker becomes real. And soon everything is messed up and Rafa is the only one who can stop him.
I really loved the storyline. There was suspense and mystery with likeable characters. The story has a depth and back story that follows up with the present chain of events. It was a total page turner and I enjoyed every bit of it. The author's incredible writing style and plot execution is masterful and unique.
I'd highly recommend "The Cursed Moon" if you love middle grade scary books with a brilliant portrayal of anticipation, curiosity and excitement.
Then on the night of the blood moon, he tells the story of The Caretaker. He is evil and lures unsuspecting kids into a neighbourhood pond, never to be seen. And to his absolute horror, The Caretaker becomes real. And soon everything is messed up and Rafa is the only one who can stop him.
I really loved the storyline. There was suspense and mystery with likeable characters. The story has a depth and back story that follows up with the present chain of events. It was a total page turner and I enjoyed every bit of it. The author's incredible writing style and plot execution is masterful and unique.
I'd highly recommend "The Cursed Moon" if you love middle grade scary books with a brilliant portrayal of anticipation, curiosity and excitement.
February 19, 2024
A spooky ghost story for MG readers.
🌕
Rafa loves writing scary stories. It’s the only part of school he does well in, but when he tells a ghost story the night of the blood moon, it starts coming true. With his mom coming home soon from jail, his sister worried about his erratic behavior and a frenemy getting in his way, things are already rough for Rafa. Thank goodness he has Ms. Martin to help piece together the story of The Caretaker as he tries to stop him for good.
🌑
This was a solid scary book for middle grade readers. I believe the underlining story about Rafa and his mom was my favorite part, as well as the bond between Rafa and Brianna, but kids will also love the spooky vibes throughout the entire novel.
CW: prison, incarceration, death, death of a sibling (recounted), injury
A little too much religion throughout the story for my tastes.
🌕
Rafa loves writing scary stories. It’s the only part of school he does well in, but when he tells a ghost story the night of the blood moon, it starts coming true. With his mom coming home soon from jail, his sister worried about his erratic behavior and a frenemy getting in his way, things are already rough for Rafa. Thank goodness he has Ms. Martin to help piece together the story of The Caretaker as he tries to stop him for good.
🌑
This was a solid scary book for middle grade readers. I believe the underlining story about Rafa and his mom was my favorite part, as well as the bond between Rafa and Brianna, but kids will also love the spooky vibes throughout the entire novel.
CW: prison, incarceration, death, death of a sibling (recounted), injury
A little too much religion throughout the story for my tastes.
February 11, 2025
This is a fantastic scary story for Middle Grade readers, featuring great representation and well-developed characters. I especially loved Rafa, the main character, and the rich dynamics between him and his sister, abuelos, and friends. He thrives on telling scary stories—until his tales start coming true, putting the people he loves in danger. At the same time, he’s grappling with his mother’s imminent release from jail and the uncertainty of how her return will change his life.
I think many young readers will enjoy this book because it embraces a love for scary stories while delivering a suspenseful yet age-appropriate climax that doesn’t feel watered down. I also appreciate that it’s fast-paced and the perfect length for young readers who prefer engaging, quick reads. I’ll definitely be recommending this the next time a student asks for a scary book… which will probably be tomorrow!
I think many young readers will enjoy this book because it embraces a love for scary stories while delivering a suspenseful yet age-appropriate climax that doesn’t feel watered down. I also appreciate that it’s fast-paced and the perfect length for young readers who prefer engaging, quick reads. I’ll definitely be recommending this the next time a student asks for a scary book… which will probably be tomorrow!
November 24, 2025
4 stars
Five stars for spookiness!! This book was really creepy at times. There were parts of scenes that were set really well and really gave a creepy atmosphere.
I liked that the characters had depth and there was an underlying conflict for the main character. I also enjoyed The setup and wrapup of the story overall. The bones of this book are very good.
The writing could've been a little better and sometimes and the dialogue felt a little stilted sometimes. But I think overall this is a solid, short read for a middle grade reader who wants to have their pants scared off.
Five stars for spookiness!! This book was really creepy at times. There were parts of scenes that were set really well and really gave a creepy atmosphere.
I liked that the characters had depth and there was an underlying conflict for the main character. I also enjoyed The setup and wrapup of the story overall. The bones of this book are very good.
The writing could've been a little better and sometimes and the dialogue felt a little stilted sometimes. But I think overall this is a solid, short read for a middle grade reader who wants to have their pants scared off.
December 30, 2024
Review to come. This MG horror stuck the right balance of creepy and endearing. I liked following Rafael as a kid who loves telling scary stories. But when warned against telling them under a Blood Moon and he does it anyway, he finds that some of the creepy tales told become more real than he realizes. Also a story of family ties and navigating some of his relationships. I enjoyed it.
October 4, 2023
Very spooky middle grade! The scary stories told in this were great and actually quite scary. I also loved how this book did tell the story from a child's POV of dealing with a parent that as an addiction and unfortunately serving jail time. I thought it was a great portrayal in an easy digestible way for a child to understand as well. I only wish the ending was a little longer to understand more about the Spooky Caretaker.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book!
Read
November 17, 2023Seriously spooky!!
April 20, 2024
My kids also rated this.
Oldest (11): 7/10
Middle (9): 11/10
Youngest (6): “It was pretty scary and I hate scary stuff, so zero.” (Personally, I find this a win, and my rating stands.)
Oldest (11): 7/10
Middle (9): 11/10
Youngest (6): “It was pretty scary and I hate scary stuff, so zero.” (Personally, I find this a win, and my rating stands.)
October 10, 2024
Pretty creepy!!
October 22, 2024
The Cursed Moon offers a gripping narrative. Fans of Stranger Things, Stand By Me, IT, and Paper Girls will likely resonate with the deep bonds of friendship portrayed in this book.
January 9, 2025
Buddy read with my daughter. It was a quick suspense/thriller type book and we both really enjoyed it!
February 19, 2025
Kids who like scary stories will enjoy this. Bonus points for being set in Missouri!
April 26, 2025
Actual rating 3.75 stars.
June 22, 2025
I LOVE this book! It is a scary story about two kids, but it is also a drama about them, and their life. The chapters aren't too scary, or just about what's going on with the spooky stuff happening! I would rate it FIVE stars!
July 27, 2025
Mark Twain Award nominee 2026. Horror is really not my thing, but I'm trying to read all the nominees to be able to discuss them with my students. It probably didn't help that the audiobook narrator read the whole book, even the not-suspenseful parts, in a suspenseful tone like he was telling a ghost story--it got old.
Read
November 28, 2023Just the right amount of scary for budding horror fans who aren't quite ready for Hide and Seeker by Daka Hermon. Hand to kids who like their horror level on par with The Forgotten Girl by India Hill Brown or Small Spaces by Katherine Arden.
October 6, 2025
Probably 2.5. Did not like how everyone wanted Rafa to just forgive his mom but! It was spookier than I expected for a middle grades book!
April 19, 2024
One of the Sunshine State picks of 2024 and I was a little disappointed. I wanted more information about the Caretaker darn it. I wanted to know where he came from and I wanted to hear about the other kids. Towards the end, Rafa encounters dozens of pairs of shoes which means The Caretaker had many, many more victims and I wanted to know their stories as well. I did love Balam, as he reminded me of my own kitten in description, not necessarily in bravery, and a dimension traveling cat that follows your family line sounds like a dream.
September 15, 2024
Perfect middle grade spooky story for fall!
April 6, 2025
Had to read it for a work thing with my kids, figured it still counted toward my year reading goal 😂
Honestly though I can see kids really enjoying this book and actually being creeped out by it. It was a good balance of spooky and comforting.
Honestly though I can see kids really enjoying this book and actually being creeped out by it. It was a good balance of spooky and comforting.
November 27, 2024
A good middle-of-the-road book on the scary meter where spooky stories come to life, paving a creepy tale without too much gore / violence.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews