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The Moon Without Stars
The New York Times bestselling, Newbery Honor–winning author of Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All explores the way growing up, finding friends, and discovering who you are can be both awkward and empowering in this heartfelt middle school novel.
★ "Genuine and poignant; has the makings of a modern classic.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
At the beginning of seventh grade, Luna knows who she an observant, quiet girl who loves writing and making zines with her best friend, Scott. But when one of their zines takes off, Luna is somehow swept up into the popular group and learns just how much of herself she's going to have to compromise to stay there. Will she give up her writing? Her best friend? What about her own beliefs about who she is and what she stands for?
Featuring author-illustrator Chanel Miller’s signature line drawings, The Moon Without Stars is a deeply personal and often funny novel about what it means to lose and then find yourself again during the vulnerable, life-changing years of middle school.
★ "Genuine and poignant; has the makings of a modern classic.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
At the beginning of seventh grade, Luna knows who she an observant, quiet girl who loves writing and making zines with her best friend, Scott. But when one of their zines takes off, Luna is somehow swept up into the popular group and learns just how much of herself she's going to have to compromise to stay there. Will she give up her writing? Her best friend? What about her own beliefs about who she is and what she stands for?
Featuring author-illustrator Chanel Miller’s signature line drawings, The Moon Without Stars is a deeply personal and often funny novel about what it means to lose and then find yourself again during the vulnerable, life-changing years of middle school.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 13, 2026
99 people are currently reading
6955 people want to read
About the author
Chanel Miller
3 books4,742 followersChanel Miller is a writer and artist. Her memoir, Know My Name, was a New York Times bestseller, a New York Times Book Review Notable Book, and a winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, the Ridenhour Book Prize, and the California Book Award. It was also a best book of the year in Time, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, NPR, and People, among others. She was named one of the Forbes 30 Under 30 and a Time Next 100 honoree, and was a Glamour Woman of the Year honoree under her pseudonym Emily Doe.
(source: Amazon)
(source: Amazon)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 229 reviews
March 2, 2026
i will read everything chanel miller writes, including middle grade.
i am old enough to very much not be the intended audience for this book, but not so old that i don't remember what it was like to be in seventh grade. feels like those memories might be seared in my brain for a lifetime.
i think this was a lot braver than this age range tends to be, and resulted in a more over-the-top, crass, cruel, messy, goofy, weird cast of middle schoolers. which is to say, more realistic. i didn't always know where this book was going (or why!), but i liked its message of forgiveness.
bottom line: sweet!
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
i am old enough to very much not be the intended audience for this book, but not so old that i don't remember what it was like to be in seventh grade. feels like those memories might be seared in my brain for a lifetime.
i think this was a lot braver than this age range tends to be, and resulted in a more over-the-top, crass, cruel, messy, goofy, weird cast of middle schoolers. which is to say, more realistic. i didn't always know where this book was going (or why!), but i liked its message of forgiveness.
bottom line: sweet!
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
March 11, 2026
A lot of books claim to feel like Judy Blume’s Are You There, God? It’s Me Margaret, but nine times out of ten that just means that they either discuss religion and/or they discuss periods. Folks forget that the hallmark of Blume’s book was that it felt transgressive to read. Point of fact, for all that folks paint her with a rosy hue, many of Blume’s books were willing to "go there". There’s sex and masturbation and people eating live turtles when you least expect it. To be frank, I was fairly certain, up until this exact moment in time, that with the state of publishing as it is today (marketing teams, sales teams, considerations of what might sell at Barnes & Nobles or what might get banned) you probably couldn’t get a book like Judy Blume’s out on shelves anymore. So a hat tip and a jaw drop to Chanel Miller for so splendidly, gloriously, marvelously proving me wrong. I don’t know what alignment of stars allowed this title to make it onto shelves, but whatever it was, let's not jinx it!
“… seventh grade would be a vicious churn of revelation, catastrophe, excitement, and exile that all began the day I said, ‘Okay’.” There’s a lot that’s comfortable in Luna’s life. She’s had her best friend, Scott, by her side since forever. The kids at school are all the same, and will seventh grade be all that different from sixth? But then she agrees to take all the books from Poppy Lee’s mom. Poppy died the year before and when Luna inherits her books, she starts finding ways to share them with the classmates that need them most. What begins as philanthropic soon becomes a system. But the more she helps others, the more Luna gains their notice. When June, the most popular girl in her grade, takes Luna under her wing, the results will be giddy and tragic all at once. A breathtakingly honest and realistic depiction of middle school in all its warts and glory.
I alternate between reading books and listening to their audiobook companions. This book was an audiobook listen (at least at first). Audiobooks are great, but they have one significant flaw. When you run across an off-handed comment, double backing to check on it is a lot harder than when you’ve the text in hand. Case in point, the small details that slowly proved to me that this wasn’t the typical middle grade novel I’d assumed it to be. I think the first clue was the brief mention of masturbation that pops up amongst the many anonymous notes that Luna receives in her tree. Later, it’s an honest-to-god discussion in class between two boy doofuses about dolphins raping people. Honestly, when that happened I found myself completely aware that what I had on my hands wasn’t young stuff at all. This is a blazingly honest discussion of what middle school kids actually do, think, and say. There’s vaping, instructions for inserting tampons (which is going to prove to be VERY useful for more than one female-associating reader), why you shouldn’t send boys photos of your boobs, and a lot more. It is, in short, gross in all the ways puberty itself is gross.
Now the nice thing about great writing is that it can work in tandem with gross just fine. If anything, gross can potentially heighten the experience. And the thing that will strike you long before you begin wondering how in the heck those dolphins got in there in the first place, is the fact that Miller is an extraordinary writer on every level. From a structural standpoint she kicks everything off with a great premise, moves on to making her heroine relatable and likeable, then backtracks to feature temptations, our heroine succumbs, and then must redeem herself again by the end. Luna at the beginning of this book seems, at first, perhaps just a little too much of a good thing. She’s practically a therapist for the other kids. Then the complexity seeps in, but not before you’ve been treated to some truly choice writing. Just skimming the Prologue, for example, Luna considers her best friend Scott and she feels “neutral toward him like I would toward a penguin.” Or about Miki, “Miki’s got air in her dome, but she’s sweet; her clothes are bow-laden, and she once spelled bikini with a Q, so people don’t take her seriously.” I’m going to stop myself there because a person could go on for quite a long time, pulling out key turns of phrase from this book for fun.
But to get back to the arc of the book, I understand putting your main character through trials and tribulations (murder your darlings, right?). Yet I’ve rarely encountered in a middle school book a story of a heroine who begins by doing good in the world, connecting with other people, slowly expanding her social circle, and learning more about who she really is. Then that personality takes a deep dive southward as she becomes one of the nastiest kids in just the span of a few chapters. Miller had to make that change not only believable in the time in which it happens, but comprehensible in a first-person narrative. I suppose a first person narrative allows you to watch the justifications build up in the main character’s brain with more ease. Luna’s downfall comes from the seduction of popularity, sure, but there’s a little more too it than that. If the mean girls were just that, mean, then you may as well just watch Mean Girls rather than read this book. But Miller gives her main baddie June just enough intelligence and sympathy to make her more than just a toxic wastedump of a human. She discusses her eating disorder (and makes it clear why they’re awful) and is the one to tell Luna never to send naked pictures to the boy you’re with. It’s a clever way to put the reader in Luna’s shoes. When these things come out, Luna’s at a sleepover, which in typical children’s book parlance is the precise time to have some kind of terrible experience. Instead, she bonds with these girls… while also starting something with them that will lead to her own eventual downfall.
Naturally it’s not all sunshine and roses. I have issues with this book. Well, one issue. One particularly prominent issue. I am 99% certain (and my copy neither confirms nor denies this fact) that Chanel Miller did her own cover for this book. And if this were yet another rote my-best-friend-isn’t-my-best-friend-anymore middle grade drama I’d have no issue with it. There’s a big old Maxi-pad on the cover, but beyond that this is pretty standard stuff. The trouble is that it reads young. It looks like you could slot it in next to all the other titles for 9-year-olds and it would fit right in. But the text of this story is straight up middle school. Not elementary and not high school. Junior High, my friends. And as such, this book jacket image is way way way too young. It's cute. It’s playful. It’s entirely and utterly misleading. I mean, this book is smart in a way that so many other titles could only wish to be. It’s also perfectly aware of its own audience. So why did its cover image not get the message? Folks are going to start reading this to their kiddos as a bedtime book and discover all too soon that while it may be many things, bedtime fare it ain’t.
There are books out there that you share with your kids, and then there are books that you step back and let them read on their own without your input. I consider some classics like Harriet the Spy to fall into that latter category. The Moon Without Stars belongs there too. There’s such a raw honesty to this title that it’s going to leave adults feeling unnerved and kids feeling like they’re getting away with something just by reading it. That Chanel Miller’s writing is some of the strongest literary fiction coming out today is without question. But shhhh! Keep it to yourself, children. That’s just between you and this book.
“… seventh grade would be a vicious churn of revelation, catastrophe, excitement, and exile that all began the day I said, ‘Okay’.” There’s a lot that’s comfortable in Luna’s life. She’s had her best friend, Scott, by her side since forever. The kids at school are all the same, and will seventh grade be all that different from sixth? But then she agrees to take all the books from Poppy Lee’s mom. Poppy died the year before and when Luna inherits her books, she starts finding ways to share them with the classmates that need them most. What begins as philanthropic soon becomes a system. But the more she helps others, the more Luna gains their notice. When June, the most popular girl in her grade, takes Luna under her wing, the results will be giddy and tragic all at once. A breathtakingly honest and realistic depiction of middle school in all its warts and glory.
I alternate between reading books and listening to their audiobook companions. This book was an audiobook listen (at least at first). Audiobooks are great, but they have one significant flaw. When you run across an off-handed comment, double backing to check on it is a lot harder than when you’ve the text in hand. Case in point, the small details that slowly proved to me that this wasn’t the typical middle grade novel I’d assumed it to be. I think the first clue was the brief mention of masturbation that pops up amongst the many anonymous notes that Luna receives in her tree. Later, it’s an honest-to-god discussion in class between two boy doofuses about dolphins raping people. Honestly, when that happened I found myself completely aware that what I had on my hands wasn’t young stuff at all. This is a blazingly honest discussion of what middle school kids actually do, think, and say. There’s vaping, instructions for inserting tampons (which is going to prove to be VERY useful for more than one female-associating reader), why you shouldn’t send boys photos of your boobs, and a lot more. It is, in short, gross in all the ways puberty itself is gross.
Now the nice thing about great writing is that it can work in tandem with gross just fine. If anything, gross can potentially heighten the experience. And the thing that will strike you long before you begin wondering how in the heck those dolphins got in there in the first place, is the fact that Miller is an extraordinary writer on every level. From a structural standpoint she kicks everything off with a great premise, moves on to making her heroine relatable and likeable, then backtracks to feature temptations, our heroine succumbs, and then must redeem herself again by the end. Luna at the beginning of this book seems, at first, perhaps just a little too much of a good thing. She’s practically a therapist for the other kids. Then the complexity seeps in, but not before you’ve been treated to some truly choice writing. Just skimming the Prologue, for example, Luna considers her best friend Scott and she feels “neutral toward him like I would toward a penguin.” Or about Miki, “Miki’s got air in her dome, but she’s sweet; her clothes are bow-laden, and she once spelled bikini with a Q, so people don’t take her seriously.” I’m going to stop myself there because a person could go on for quite a long time, pulling out key turns of phrase from this book for fun.
But to get back to the arc of the book, I understand putting your main character through trials and tribulations (murder your darlings, right?). Yet I’ve rarely encountered in a middle school book a story of a heroine who begins by doing good in the world, connecting with other people, slowly expanding her social circle, and learning more about who she really is. Then that personality takes a deep dive southward as she becomes one of the nastiest kids in just the span of a few chapters. Miller had to make that change not only believable in the time in which it happens, but comprehensible in a first-person narrative. I suppose a first person narrative allows you to watch the justifications build up in the main character’s brain with more ease. Luna’s downfall comes from the seduction of popularity, sure, but there’s a little more too it than that. If the mean girls were just that, mean, then you may as well just watch Mean Girls rather than read this book. But Miller gives her main baddie June just enough intelligence and sympathy to make her more than just a toxic wastedump of a human. She discusses her eating disorder (and makes it clear why they’re awful) and is the one to tell Luna never to send naked pictures to the boy you’re with. It’s a clever way to put the reader in Luna’s shoes. When these things come out, Luna’s at a sleepover, which in typical children’s book parlance is the precise time to have some kind of terrible experience. Instead, she bonds with these girls… while also starting something with them that will lead to her own eventual downfall.
Naturally it’s not all sunshine and roses. I have issues with this book. Well, one issue. One particularly prominent issue. I am 99% certain (and my copy neither confirms nor denies this fact) that Chanel Miller did her own cover for this book. And if this were yet another rote my-best-friend-isn’t-my-best-friend-anymore middle grade drama I’d have no issue with it. There’s a big old Maxi-pad on the cover, but beyond that this is pretty standard stuff. The trouble is that it reads young. It looks like you could slot it in next to all the other titles for 9-year-olds and it would fit right in. But the text of this story is straight up middle school. Not elementary and not high school. Junior High, my friends. And as such, this book jacket image is way way way too young. It's cute. It’s playful. It’s entirely and utterly misleading. I mean, this book is smart in a way that so many other titles could only wish to be. It’s also perfectly aware of its own audience. So why did its cover image not get the message? Folks are going to start reading this to their kiddos as a bedtime book and discover all too soon that while it may be many things, bedtime fare it ain’t.
There are books out there that you share with your kids, and then there are books that you step back and let them read on their own without your input. I consider some classics like Harriet the Spy to fall into that latter category. The Moon Without Stars belongs there too. There’s such a raw honesty to this title that it’s going to leave adults feeling unnerved and kids feeling like they’re getting away with something just by reading it. That Chanel Miller’s writing is some of the strongest literary fiction coming out today is without question. But shhhh! Keep it to yourself, children. That’s just between you and this book.
Read
January 7, 2026
Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026:
After adoring Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All, talk of another middle grade novel by Miller had me on the edge of my blue sofa. But with a comp like Judy Blume’s iconic Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (a comfort book of mine), I cozied up with this moving story featuring 12-year-old Luna the day it arrived. When classmates begin confiding in the seventh grader, she and her best friend, Scott, create zines to uplift them. Delving into attentiveness, insecurities, friendship, and growing up, this—with its Mean Girls vibes—made me laugh, and I marked up so many passages and hearted so many sentences that my copy resembles a bathroom stall wall. —Connie Pan
After adoring Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All, talk of another middle grade novel by Miller had me on the edge of my blue sofa. But with a comp like Judy Blume’s iconic Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (a comfort book of mine), I cozied up with this moving story featuring 12-year-old Luna the day it arrived. When classmates begin confiding in the seventh grader, she and her best friend, Scott, create zines to uplift them. Delving into attentiveness, insecurities, friendship, and growing up, this—with its Mean Girls vibes—made me laugh, and I marked up so many passages and hearted so many sentences that my copy resembles a bathroom stall wall. —Connie Pan
November 25, 2025
As an adult I found this book extremely readable and entertaining. I'm very happy to NOT be 13. This is supposed to be for ages 10 and up but Idk about that.
January 17, 2026
I think Chanel Miller wanted to write a self-help book, but after Magnolia Wu’s success, she stuck with the middle grade thing. I haven’t disliked a book this much in a while….
Main character Luna is obnoxiously full of pseudo-sage observations and advice—mostly about self image. But also, in-depth period management. We get a thorough explanations of period products and their options (length, absorption, wings) as well as step-by-step of how to insert a tampon, complete with TSS warning. Okay, fine…maybe this is useful information for some readers. But is this literature? Does it advance the plot or serve the story in anyway? I don’t think so. Such digressions are abundant.
In business school, we called this “scope creep.” Someone needed to help Miller tighten this up and figure out what this story was really about. Instead, self-help is dressed up with some figurative language and packaged into a contrived backstory about Luna receiving the books of a deceased former classmate, which she then distributes as “prescriptions” to help her peers with personal issues. Exasperatingly, we never even hear the titles of these books; this reinforces how underdeveloped the novel really is.
It took until nearly 50% for the plot to get off the ground. This was when Luna starts hanging out with a middle school version of The Plastics. Instead of a burn book, these mean girls have “fix-it books,” cruel suggestions for personal improvement. To me, borrowing from Mean Girls was further indication that the plot here is an afterthought.
Parents, teachers, librarians may want to know about some vocabulary that felt mature for the audience—such as the use of the word “horny” and phrase “masturbated by grinding against my pillow.” Hearing that read aloud on the audiobook by a youthful sounding voice was honestly just disturbing. Then imagine a fourth grader who thought this book might be about astronomy and asks you what “dolphin rape” is; yes, I know who Chanel Miller is, but the adults who put books into the hands of children need to know if those children are ready for them.
Main character Luna is obnoxiously full of pseudo-sage observations and advice—mostly about self image. But also, in-depth period management. We get a thorough explanations of period products and their options (length, absorption, wings) as well as step-by-step of how to insert a tampon, complete with TSS warning. Okay, fine…maybe this is useful information for some readers. But is this literature? Does it advance the plot or serve the story in anyway? I don’t think so. Such digressions are abundant.
In business school, we called this “scope creep.” Someone needed to help Miller tighten this up and figure out what this story was really about. Instead, self-help is dressed up with some figurative language and packaged into a contrived backstory about Luna receiving the books of a deceased former classmate, which she then distributes as “prescriptions” to help her peers with personal issues. Exasperatingly, we never even hear the titles of these books; this reinforces how underdeveloped the novel really is.
It took until nearly 50% for the plot to get off the ground. This was when Luna starts hanging out with a middle school version of The Plastics. Instead of a burn book, these mean girls have “fix-it books,” cruel suggestions for personal improvement. To me, borrowing from Mean Girls was further indication that the plot here is an afterthought.
Parents, teachers, librarians may want to know about some vocabulary that felt mature for the audience—such as the use of the word “horny” and phrase “masturbated by grinding against my pillow.” Hearing that read aloud on the audiobook by a youthful sounding voice was honestly just disturbing. Then imagine a fourth grader who thought this book might be about astronomy and asks you what “dolphin rape” is; yes, I know who Chanel Miller is, but the adults who put books into the hands of children need to know if those children are ready for them.
February 23, 2026
I took photographs of certain pages so that I could remember these words forever. I can't recommend this book enough.
February 10, 2026
I think writing middle grade is one of the hardest things someone can do and Chanel Miller has the perfect voice for it. Reminds me of a modern day Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret and I thought this was perfect from beginning to end. I thought the characters all sounded and acted realistically 12 and 13 and I loved that it didn't shy away from the language that tweens use in real life while also not sounding exaggerated. Lastly, I loved how this book is about trying to live your life without expectation and that your value and life are not tied to your mistakes.
January 29, 2026
I love this book so much and I adore Chanel Miller. The Moon Without Stars is truly the modern day "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" I laughed, cringed, got tears in my eyes. I wish I could go back to my 12 year old self to give her this book - and tell her it will all be okay.
"Turns out seventh grade was complicated because the number 7 was shaped like a cliff, and all of us were suddenly dropping off the safe, flat land of childhood into free fall. We were tumbling, arms flailing, unsure how any of us were going to land on our feet."
"Turns out seventh grade was complicated because the number 7 was shaped like a cliff, and all of us were suddenly dropping off the safe, flat land of childhood into free fall. We were tumbling, arms flailing, unsure how any of us were going to land on our feet."
January 20, 2026
EXCELLENT book for today’s middle-schoolers. Chanel Miller is a brilliant writer.
February 22, 2026
A cute YA book about 12 year old Luna and her friend Scott. She inherits boxes and boxes of books and becomes the “book doctor” for her classmates, writing solutions to their issues. But things get messy when she starts hanging out with the “cool” kids, spending less time with her BFF Scott and starting to write “”Fix It books - mean books full of criticism for the other students. This will take you right back to the angst and heartache that was middle school.
I had no idea Chanel Miller wrote and illustrated children’s books. Her memoir “know My Name” is a powerful read.
I had no idea Chanel Miller wrote and illustrated children’s books. Her memoir “know My Name” is a powerful read.
December 27, 2025
Chanel Miller has really tapped into the mind of a middle schooler in her soon to be published book, The Moon Without Stars. This book is filled with the typical social hierarchy of middle school and through Luna she has captured all of the awkwardness, anxieties, and apprehensiveness of seventh grade.
I love how this delves into the mind of a 7th grade girl exposing all of the secrets and shame most preteen girls are too embarrassed to talk about.
While this is YA I think it’s an important read for parents of middle schoolers as well. Ms. Miller has so beautifully captured middle school and reading this will help parents remember what it was like and give a better understanding to what their children are dealing with.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for an advanced copy of this. The Moon Without Stars hits the shelves on January 13.
Some favorite quotes:
“You are fierce. You are the one to be feared. Don’t let small minds define you.”
“Being self conscious took up so much of my brain space. And as soon as I accepted it, it freed up all this room to think about other things.”
“All adults had forgotten what it was like to be in the seventh grade.”
“When adults wanted to avoid reality, they drowned themselves in work, booked a trip to Aruba, or joined a new Zumba class. Not us at thirteen. To be a seventh grader was to be stuck inside your circumstances…”
“You were sent to school relentlessly, nonnegotiably, even if it meant getting eaten alive.”
I love how this delves into the mind of a 7th grade girl exposing all of the secrets and shame most preteen girls are too embarrassed to talk about.
While this is YA I think it’s an important read for parents of middle schoolers as well. Ms. Miller has so beautifully captured middle school and reading this will help parents remember what it was like and give a better understanding to what their children are dealing with.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for an advanced copy of this. The Moon Without Stars hits the shelves on January 13.
Some favorite quotes:
“You are fierce. You are the one to be feared. Don’t let small minds define you.”
“Being self conscious took up so much of my brain space. And as soon as I accepted it, it freed up all this room to think about other things.”
“All adults had forgotten what it was like to be in the seventh grade.”
“When adults wanted to avoid reality, they drowned themselves in work, booked a trip to Aruba, or joined a new Zumba class. Not us at thirteen. To be a seventh grader was to be stuck inside your circumstances…”
“You were sent to school relentlessly, nonnegotiably, even if it meant getting eaten alive.”
Read
January 30, 2026
Trigger & Content Warnings
:
Racism
Vaping mentioned (on-page, secondary character)
Drunk-driving car accident mentioned (a teen crashes into a store & an employee’s hand is injured by broken glass)
Biking accident mentioned, resulting in minor nose injury
Bullying & vandalism discussed
Racism
Vaping mentioned (on-page, secondary character)
Drunk-driving car accident mentioned (a teen crashes into a store & an employee’s hand is injured by broken glass)
Biking accident mentioned, resulting in minor nose injury
Bullying & vandalism discussed
February 11, 2026
In these pages Chanel Miller has captured the feelings of being in middle school: the naïveté, the angst, the longing to belong, changing and refusing to change for others, the friendship woes and wins, the discomfort of your own skin, the mistakes and failures and learning, always learning.
I can’t wait for my 12 year old to read this. Recommended for 12+ and a great one to read together.
I can’t wait for my 12 year old to read this. Recommended for 12+ and a great one to read together.
February 10, 2026
“Life is not meant to be solved only to be lived as best as you can. I hope you explore new ways of being and shrink your inner critic to the size of a pea because your worth is already whale size and your one job in this life is to be gentle to yourself as you go,”
January 16, 2026
The Moon Without Stars is Chanel Miller’s second middle grade novel and this one reads a little older. When Luna begins 7th grade, she becomes somewhat of a “book doctor” with her best friend, Scott. Classmates trust the pair with their struggles and embarrassments. At first, Lunda prescribes them books, but eventually she and Scott create personalized zines to make them feel less alone. They learn that everyone has struggles, some are just better at hiding it.
Eventually, Luna falls in with the popular group of girls. She leaves Scott behind, learns a new way of life very quickly, and is pressured to turn her zines into something more sinister.
Miller is honest with readers about a wide variety of serious struggles including accepting one’s multicultural identity, puberty (including how to use a tampon, body hair, bra shopping), eating disorders, drunk driving, grief, parent mental health, and especially bullying. Miller importantly emphasizes that these aren’t all problems Luna can help on her own, so she sometimes refers classmates to the counselor and takes breaks from book doctoring when she needs to.
I wish that there were not so many metaphors. I understand Luna is burgeoning author and learning to express herself, but with her own metaphors and those in the text, they lost some of their impact.
This felt like Mean Girls x Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret x something else book-related.
I hope this book teaches young readers that their words have power, and they shouldn't be afraid to ask for help.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Eventually, Luna falls in with the popular group of girls. She leaves Scott behind, learns a new way of life very quickly, and is pressured to turn her zines into something more sinister.
Miller is honest with readers about a wide variety of serious struggles including accepting one’s multicultural identity, puberty (including how to use a tampon, body hair, bra shopping), eating disorders, drunk driving, grief, parent mental health, and especially bullying. Miller importantly emphasizes that these aren’t all problems Luna can help on her own, so she sometimes refers classmates to the counselor and takes breaks from book doctoring when she needs to.
I wish that there were not so many metaphors. I understand Luna is burgeoning author and learning to express herself, but with her own metaphors and those in the text, they lost some of their impact.
This felt like Mean Girls x Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret x something else book-related.
I hope this book teaches young readers that their words have power, and they shouldn't be afraid to ask for help.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
February 5, 2026
i love you chanel miller
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
"We all do things we're not proud of. We hurt people we love, even if we don't mean to. We learn, then we change, that's the most we can ask for. But none of us will succeed in navigating through life perfectly. And what if that's okay?"
This was a thoughtful and emotional read, and I can really appreciate what the author was trying to do. For me, the story felt a bit heavier and more mature than I expected for the intended audience. I did appreciate the way Luna found herself by the end of the story, but I wish there had been more closure with the students she had hurt along the way. Overall, I didn’t dislike this book, and I think it could resonate more with older readers or those reading alongside an adult who can help unpack the themes.
This was a thoughtful and emotional read, and I can really appreciate what the author was trying to do. For me, the story felt a bit heavier and more mature than I expected for the intended audience. I did appreciate the way Luna found herself by the end of the story, but I wish there had been more closure with the students she had hurt along the way. Overall, I didn’t dislike this book, and I think it could resonate more with older readers or those reading alongside an adult who can help unpack the themes.
February 16, 2026
I was completely transported back to middle school in the best and worst ways. What a rich, poignant world Chanel Miller has created. All the characters felt impressively tangible, there’s a lot of wisdom between the pages, and Miller’s whimsical observations are always unique and unexpected. I will read everything she writes and hopefully my children will too.
November 22, 2025
Book Report: The Moon Without Stars by Chanel Miller
Middle school is a lot…awkward…emotional…hilarious and weirdly transformative and Chanel Miller captures every bit of that glorious chaos in this heartfelt middle grade novel💫
We follow Luna…a quiet…observant seventh grader who loves writing and making zines with her best friend Scott. But when one of their zines suddenly blows up…Luna is pulled into the orbit of the popular crowd… and soon finds herself facing impossible choices. Can she keep her creativity? Her best friend? Her sense of who she really is? 📝✨
I adored Chanel’s kids’ debut Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All…so I was so excited to see her step into middle grade and she absolutely delivered. I saw someone call this “today’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” and honestly? I can confidently say YES 🙌
Even though it’s been a long time since I walked the halls of middle school…this book transported me right back. Luna’s inner monologue was constant…chaotic and painfully accurate. I giggled…I cringed and I felt deeply😂😬💛
This is one of those stories where young readers will feel seen and adults will feel remembered. A relatable and heartfelt look at growing up and finding yourself🌙⭐️
Thank you Philomel Books and PRH Audio for the copy.
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...
Middle school is a lot…awkward…emotional…hilarious and weirdly transformative and Chanel Miller captures every bit of that glorious chaos in this heartfelt middle grade novel💫
We follow Luna…a quiet…observant seventh grader who loves writing and making zines with her best friend Scott. But when one of their zines suddenly blows up…Luna is pulled into the orbit of the popular crowd… and soon finds herself facing impossible choices. Can she keep her creativity? Her best friend? Her sense of who she really is? 📝✨
I adored Chanel’s kids’ debut Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All…so I was so excited to see her step into middle grade and she absolutely delivered. I saw someone call this “today’s Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” and honestly? I can confidently say YES 🙌
Even though it’s been a long time since I walked the halls of middle school…this book transported me right back. Luna’s inner monologue was constant…chaotic and painfully accurate. I giggled…I cringed and I felt deeply😂😬💛
This is one of those stories where young readers will feel seen and adults will feel remembered. A relatable and heartfelt look at growing up and finding yourself🌙⭐️
Thank you Philomel Books and PRH Audio for the copy.
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...
March 31, 2026
4.5 stars
I'm definitely not the target audience for this book, but I work with enough middle school kids that this book rang true for me, especially for 7th and 8th graders. The main character and narrator begins the book as naive about a lot of things, but she has a good heart with a solid best friend, and when her recently deceased friend's mom gives her all of her daughter's books, she is initially thrown, but then decides to share the book with her classmates. Which starts her on a journey of finding herself.
My thoughts:
I had no idea who Chanel Miller was and didn't learn who she was until after I finished the book. That said, what happened to her does NOT happen in this book. This book is not about that and it is definitely geared towards middle school kids, but with all that is discussed in this book, I would recommend it for 7th or 8th grade. The letters that Luna receives talks about vaping, masturbation, negative self-talk, and so much more. Some of it is funny, some of it is sad, but it's all very honest and rings true for the grade level. It also made me extremely thankful I'm no longer in middle school! That said, don't let the cover fool you into thinking this would make a good read aloud to your 5th or 6th grader! Unless you don't mind reading about these things to your kids!
This book also talks about bullying and all the different forms that can take, including taking part in bullying because of peer pressure. But it also talks about the reasons why someone might be a bully, and just how complex life in junior high can be. And it also talks about forgiveness, and what that looks like.
What I also liked is that even when Luna was at her worst, you didn't really hate her; instead you felt empathy and wanted to help her navigate the situation she was in. The writing was really good and even when I was telling Luna to stay away from June, I could see why she was drawn to her. Because as much as June was a bully, she wasn't completely bad. In her own misguided way, she was also trying to "help" Luna--just on her own terms. Does that mean I would want to be friends with June? Not until she does her own growing up, lol!
I do believe this book should be in middle school libraries and I hope Chanel Miller continues to write middle school books. I've now requested her other middle school book and her memoir and look forward to reading those!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I'm definitely not the target audience for this book, but I work with enough middle school kids that this book rang true for me, especially for 7th and 8th graders. The main character and narrator begins the book as naive about a lot of things, but she has a good heart with a solid best friend, and when her recently deceased friend's mom gives her all of her daughter's books, she is initially thrown, but then decides to share the book with her classmates. Which starts her on a journey of finding herself.
My thoughts:
I had no idea who Chanel Miller was and didn't learn who she was until after I finished the book. That said, what happened to her does NOT happen in this book. This book is not about that and it is definitely geared towards middle school kids, but with all that is discussed in this book, I would recommend it for 7th or 8th grade. The letters that Luna receives talks about vaping, masturbation, negative self-talk, and so much more. Some of it is funny, some of it is sad, but it's all very honest and rings true for the grade level. It also made me extremely thankful I'm no longer in middle school! That said, don't let the cover fool you into thinking this would make a good read aloud to your 5th or 6th grader! Unless you don't mind reading about these things to your kids!
This book also talks about bullying and all the different forms that can take, including taking part in bullying because of peer pressure. But it also talks about the reasons why someone might be a bully, and just how complex life in junior high can be. And it also talks about forgiveness, and what that looks like.
What I also liked is that even when Luna was at her worst, you didn't really hate her; instead you felt empathy and wanted to help her navigate the situation she was in. The writing was really good and even when I was telling Luna to stay away from June, I could see why she was drawn to her. Because as much as June was a bully, she wasn't completely bad. In her own misguided way, she was also trying to "help" Luna--just on her own terms. Does that mean I would want to be friends with June? Not until she does her own growing up, lol!
I do believe this book should be in middle school libraries and I hope Chanel Miller continues to write middle school books. I've now requested her other middle school book and her memoir and look forward to reading those!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 24, 2026
I received an eARC copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I will forever be reading anything Chanel Miller writes and her middle grade is no exception. This book is often being compared to Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, which I really agree with. As Miller states in her authors note, it is not hard to remember the feelings one had when they were 12/13 and how much it potential shapes you as an individual. The feelings and situations experienced by not only Luna but all characters in this book were really relatable and I think any child can resonate with them as Miller perfectly encapsulated the anxieties of this age. I also think she really captured how annoying, obnoxious and weird middle schoolers are while not making her readers feel embarssed or awkward. I cried at the end because I felt as though Luna's story came full circle in a really meaningful way and I wouldn't have minded following her antics for a little longer.
I will forever be reading anything Chanel Miller writes and her middle grade is no exception. This book is often being compared to Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, which I really agree with. As Miller states in her authors note, it is not hard to remember the feelings one had when they were 12/13 and how much it potential shapes you as an individual. The feelings and situations experienced by not only Luna but all characters in this book were really relatable and I think any child can resonate with them as Miller perfectly encapsulated the anxieties of this age. I also think she really captured how annoying, obnoxious and weird middle schoolers are while not making her readers feel embarssed or awkward. I cried at the end because I felt as though Luna's story came full circle in a really meaningful way and I wouldn't have minded following her antics for a little longer.
February 17, 2026
Ok, Chanel Miller has captured the agony of 7th grade so fully in this book. I loved the main character and just wanted to make it all better for her...but that is exactly what adults cannot do for 7th graders. However, reading this book would be a good start for finding more empathy! The themes are more mature than I would have thought appropriate for a middle grade novel, both cruder and crueler, but at the same time, I can believe many seventh graders today face these same scenarios. Will I be handing it to my rising 6th grade daughter? To be honest and transparent, No. She is in a more cushioned environment than most, though, as a homeschooler in a mostly Christian community, who also doesn't have access to social media or much else on the internet at this point in her life. Many 7th and 8th grade girls in a more mainstream, public school environment will find a friend in
this book, though. Highly recommend for anyone with middle schoolers in their lives, even though many homeschool moms like me will find it a little jarring. It's important for us to understand the world we live in and the world out kids live in, too, even if they are not completely immersed in it. And chances are good they know now or will know soon more than we realize about the world around them.
this book, though. Highly recommend for anyone with middle schoolers in their lives, even though many homeschool moms like me will find it a little jarring. It's important for us to understand the world we live in and the world out kids live in, too, even if they are not completely immersed in it. And chances are good they know now or will know soon more than we realize about the world around them.
January 29, 2026
This slice of life story follows Luna, a Chinese-American 12 year old, through her 7th grade year, complete with friendship highs and lows, first periods, first bras, and first crushes. The depiction of middle school was so realistic that it brought back a little middle school PTSD for me. Chanel Miller, like Rebecca Stead, does a great job of depicting this age group without making them seem too old or too young. She treats their concerns and insecurities with nuance and respect. There are some familiar tropes and archetypes (the quirky art teacher with sage advice, the beautiful and rich mean girl, etc.) but I'm sure they'll feel fresh and still resonate with the intended audience. Definitely recommend.
March 27, 2026
In every piece of her writing, Chanel Miller speaks to my soul. Moon Without Stars is so clearly written with love for the awkward, conflicted middle schooler who can’t catch a break. It’s about self-discovery, consequences, and identity, while also capturing that feeling of your crush lending you their jacket and a difficult conversation with a teacher. People forget how simultaneously big and small the world seems when you’re a seventh grader, but Chanel Miller clearly didn’t. I loved this book dearly, it made me smile like an idiot in public and healed a part of me that I didn’t even know needed healing.
December 28, 2025
Chanel Miller is proving she can write it all. I’ve read all 3 of her books and recommend them all for different reasons.
Luna is in the awkward phase of being 13, and for many series of events is trying to figure out where she fits in. This perfectly encompasses the social hierarchy, friendships and struggles of being an early teenager. Middle school is brutal and this is a beautiful exploration of it.
Pub date: Jan 13
Thank you penguinteenca for the highly anticipated arc 🤍🤍
Luna is in the awkward phase of being 13, and for many series of events is trying to figure out where she fits in. This perfectly encompasses the social hierarchy, friendships and struggles of being an early teenager. Middle school is brutal and this is a beautiful exploration of it.
Pub date: Jan 13
Thank you penguinteenca for the highly anticipated arc 🤍🤍
January 24, 2026
My 12yo self would have adored this book. And my 37yo self really enjoyed it. The character of Luna is so lovable and relatable. The angst of middle school and all of its challenges were so well depicted. Chanel Miller, are now officially on my pre-order list 😊
January 30, 2026
I loved Chanel Miller’s 𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘔𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦 (adult book) and 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘞𝘶 𝘜𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘐𝘵 𝘈𝘭𝘭 (3rd grade +). Her newest book, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴, is best suited for middle school.
Luna and her best friend Scott are a best friend duo who love reading and making zines together. But as often happens in friend groups, Luna drifts off to a more “popular” group. As they change, their friendship changes, too.
There was so much to like about this book, but it felt like there were too many storylines going on. This always feels like my biggest criticism of chapter books for kids. When I think of my favorite elementary school chapter books, the “simpler” ones are my favorite. Miller was successful in keeping the story tight in 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘞𝘶.
I would still recommend this book!
Luna and her best friend Scott are a best friend duo who love reading and making zines together. But as often happens in friend groups, Luna drifts off to a more “popular” group. As they change, their friendship changes, too.
There was so much to like about this book, but it felt like there were too many storylines going on. This always feels like my biggest criticism of chapter books for kids. When I think of my favorite elementary school chapter books, the “simpler” ones are my favorite. Miller was successful in keeping the story tight in 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘞𝘶.
I would still recommend this book!
February 8, 2026
Chanel Miller’s writing is absolutely amazing. This is a quick read meant for middle schoolers, yet I found myself getting emotional as I was transported back to being 12 and all the feelings that go along with it.
January 18, 2026
As the mom of a tween and someone who survived some mean girl moments in middle and high school, this was hard to read at times, but the story was moving, authentic, introspective, and inspiring. Luna’s story will stick with me for a while.
February 4, 2026
So cute and heartfelt. Loved it. Wish I had it when I was in middle school.
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