Life on the Moon

by Matthew Swanson, Robbi Behr (Illustrator)

The extraordinary tale of a curious boy sent to live on the Moon, the wondrous discoveries he makes, and the courage it takes to speak a truth no one wants to believe.

The first rule of life on the moon is: There is no life on the Moon.
The second rule is: Don't ask questions.

12-year-old Leo gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join the very first Moon colony. He’s excited to be part of the top-secret mission, but things quickly go off the rails. Right after his family lands on the Moon, Leo’s dad is called off on an urgent mission from which he never returns. The authorities claim the mission never existed, and Leo’s dad is accused of desertion.

Leo goes looking for his dad and discovers far more than he bargained for. Everyone in the colony insists there’s NO life on the Moon. But Leo’s explorations reveal a landscape brimming with extraordinary creatures—with baffling behaviors and beliefs.

Leo’s big question is: why keep Moon life a secret? Who stands to gain? And how can he find a way to save his new Moon friends before the lie becomes a reality?

Genres: Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Fiction, Adventure, Space, Childrens, Juvenile

320 pages, Library Binding

Published April 14, 2026

About the author

Matthew Swanson (and his wife Robbi Behr) are author and illustrator of the critically acclaimed Cookie Chronicles series, The Real McCoys trilogy, and the picture books Sunrise Summer, Babies Ruin Everything, and Everywhere, Wonder. When not advocating for local schools, giving talks on creative entrepreneurship, or running a summer salmon fishing operation on the Alaskan tundra, we live in an old barn on the Eastern Shore of Maryland—making books and raising our four kids.

Matthew and Robbi will spend the 2022-2023 school year crisscrossing the United States in a school bus/tiny home with our four kids, visiting underserved elementary schools in all 50 states (plus DC), and giving away 25,000 free hardcover books to students and teachers from low-income communities. To learn more about the Busload of Books tour, go to: www.busloadofbooks.com.

Reviews

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine the classic Norton Juster book "The Phantom Tollbooth" taking place on the moon with commentary on the connectedness of humanity, instead of a focus on parts of grammar. That'll get you pretty close to where this book lands. If you haven't read "The Phantom Tollbooth" you probably should so that this review makes sense to you, but a better option would probably be to just read this book instead, because then my review wouldn't even matter and you'd be able to have your own opinion about how awesome it is!!!!

It is important to note that this not a paid review for this book, but should the author and illustrator care to compensate me I would gladly give it more than my current 5-Star rating if Goodreads would allow.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply Amazing! I feel like a better human being just for reading this little treasure.

[Sarah Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Calvin said, “I wish we knew more about the moon at the end” - my first audio book with C! And i agree - the ending was a bit abrupt but this book was amazing. Incredible characters and “bigger issues” were handled with age appropriate convos & characters. Perfect for kids and adults to enjoy! Some funny moments, quick witted dialogue.

[Chelsie Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Middle grade sci fi

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute middle grade scifi story that sees Leo living with his dad on colony on the moon only to be left when his dad goes out. What follows is Leo’s adventures searching for his dad where he finds a whole lot more than he bargained for, including some alien friends. This one sadly didn’t resonate deeply for me but it was a lighthearted pretty entertaining time that explored some morally ethical choices and kind of leaves readers hanging. Interested to see if there’s a sequel coming.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly illustrated sci-fi novel featuring a 12 year boy and the establishment of a colony on the moon geared to readers in grades 4-6.

Leo Brightstar has just landed in drone habitat on the moon with his father and Sally, his dad’s girlfriend and a fellow scientist. The two adults are immediately whisked off to find two missing rovers leaving Leo to hear about some very odd colony rules from the dome’s AI. Rule 1: There is no life on the Moon, 2. Don’t ask questions, and 3. There are no technical difficulties. But #2 is extremely hard to follow when you are twelve and you’ve just discovered that #s 1 and 3 are absolute lies and both the adults in your life are now missing and being sought by the extremely cranky and deceitful Constable who is in charge of everything and everyone.

The creativity in Swanson and Behr’s Moon creatures is wonderful in actions created by author Matthew Swanson and sketched by Robbi Behr: the Valrootens (small, blue sausage-shaped beings with two long armlike tentacles called wibbles and two shorter, wavy duggins on the top of their heads), the Hortle (one gigantic, scary mouth on top of 3 stumpy legs), Scagwins (large, green, 6 eyed insect like beings with a long tail ending in a barb) and a Woggler (cross between a raccoon and a rhinoceros who likes to “borrow” things that other beings view as important to them). Leo’s story does tend to get a little complicated at times given all the confusion over who the good guys and bad guys are and what exactly the mission is of not only Colony X but of Leo himself, but with all the chase scenes between imaginative characters, humorous conversations with the artificial intelligences running the rovers and domes, and concern over whether the Hortle will successfully eat Leo’s new best Valrooten friend and all the humans on the Moon, not just bully Bobby, Sally, and Leo’s Dad, a little confusion will just be ignored. Teachers and adult caregivers will thrill to all the lofty themes of personal responsibility, the inevitability of change, an ecosystem’s interdependence and the importance of each and every element, and true friendship but kids will focus on the terrific sketches that cover nearly every page and the actions of the book’s intrepid hero.

Recommended for those in grades 4-6 and in libraries with high circulation in science fiction that leans towards the absurd.

*Profanity: none
*Violence: Yup. The Hortle does eat a Valrooten every day but that’s all part of the plan and everyone ends up being OK with the established Moon food chain plus all the humans it eats don’t end up being dead and are, instead, safely ensconced in a safe, padded capsule and come out the better for the experience.
*Representation: Leo and his family are White as is Bobby and his while the Moon base’s 2nd in command is a Black woman
*LBGTQ+: none

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The timing of this release alongside the 2026 Artemis II mission feels like more than coincidence. Mission Specialist Christina Koch's message — "Planet Earth, you are a crew" — could have been lifted straight from the pages of this book.

Life on the Moon follows Leo Brightstar and his family on their mission to the Moon, where Leo discovers that the native species have been operating as a finely balanced crew long before humans arrived — and that human intervention threatens to upend everything. There are fewer laugh-out-loud moments here than in Swanson and Behr's other work, but many more "contemplate the world" moments, and more than a few "what am I even doing with my life" ones. I'm still thinking about it.

Leo's growth is the quiet heart of the book — particularly his evolving relationship with Mitchell, and what it teaches him about listening to someone else's story before forming your own conclusions. Acts of questioning, trust, bravery, and love, delivered with warmth and without a hint of preachiness.

Our family loves everything from this author-illustrator duo. The illustrations delight our graphic novel reader, the kooky characters win over our book-devouring tween, and the humor and warmheartedness get the parents every time. This book has all of that, plus a depth that earns a place on the shelf for readers of every age.

If you haven't come across Robbi and Matthew before, their mission extends well beyond the page — they travel the country bringing author visits to Title 1 schools through their Busload of Books program. I think what they've learned from listening to kids across America is quietly woven into this story too.

[Linda (The Arizona Bookstagrammer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you RHCBInfluencers at Random House Kids @randomhousekids #RandomHouseKidsPartner Matthew Swanson @writingmatthew and Robbi Behr @drawingrobbi for this free book!
“Life on the Moon” by Matthew Swanson, Robbi Behr Illustrator⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Middle Grade SciFi. Location: The Moon

Leo (12) gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to move to a secret moon colony. He’s excited to be part of the top-secret mission, but right after his family lands on the Moon, Leo’s dad is sent on an urgent mission-and he never returns. The authorities claim the mission never existed, and Leo’s dad is accused of desertion. Leo discovers the Moon’s 1st rule ("There is no life on the moon") is a lie as he searches for his dad, and finds fantastic creatures. As Swanson’s curious main character questions why Moon life is secret, and who stands to gain, he finds the courage to speak a truth no one wants to believe.

Author Swanson’s book uses an extraordinary location and creatures to explore real-world themes about life on earth. He shines a light on courage, secrets, and truth through a SciFi tale. Illustrator Behr peppers the pages with charming drawings. It’s witty and wise, weirdly inventive, definitely moving, so it’s 5 stars from me 📚👩🏼‍🦳 #LifeOnTheMoon #matthewswanson #robbibehr #randomhousekids

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an adventure! This book has moments of hold onto your seat twists and turns and also has moments of reflection and quiet. Just as in life, the yin and yang of it all lives in this book. I think any middle schooler 4th grade and up would find something to love and cheer for while reading it.

[Lucky · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart-felt middle-grade sci-fi book with a strong dash of absurdity (think Phantom Tollbooth).

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend Life on the Moon.

[Gretchen Coll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read aloud with my 8 year old.

[Emily Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book to my 11-year-old one or two chapters per day at a time. The excellent news is that the closer we got to the end of the book, the more disappointed she was whenever we reached the end of the amount we were reading for the day. She would have liked to keep going, clearly. But my voice won't hold up for more than three chapters at a time, max. So, the target audience was very entertained.

What about me? A great kid's book entertains the adult reading as well as the child, I think. My experience was mostly positive. It began with a little frustration in the beginning as this is one of the middle grade books where the adults make up stupid and silly rules and can't be relied on and just generally act stupidly. I find it easy to be frustrated with that portrayal of adults. It's a very common device to make kids feel like the heroes of the story, but it sure is hard for me. However, after the beginning that adults behaving badly portion of the story tapered off sharply and the real entertainment began. From 10-15% in the book became very entertaining for me to read. Also, the deeper I got into the story, the more morals there were. There's a strong environmental message. There's a strong message of personal purpose and understanding the emotions of people around you. I can't get more specific than that without ruining the plot, so suffice it to say that I recommend this book. Just push past the silly adult stage and enjoy the rest.

One last word about the illustrations: spectacular and copious. There is a sticker on each page that says the art in this version is not final and that it will be improved before the final book comes out. That means it is likely going to be much better, and I thought it was already quite good. So we're in for a treat.

Thanks to the publisher for the free ARC. My daughter and I enjoyed it.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Leo Brightstar is going to live on the moon in the first colony with his father, a scientist, who has recently separated from Leo's mother, who will remain on earth to work in a zoo. Before he even gets settled, his father gets a message that there is a rover on the wrong side of the moon, and he has to investigate. Leo is left in their "dome", where an advanced smart speaker takes care of him. The dome gives him the rules: number one is that there is no life on the moon, and number two is not to ask questions! This is very difficult, and the dome does answer some, since Leo has many! There is a Constable, who is evil, and a Deputy, who visits Leo and tells him not to admit that his father is missing. The Deputy takes Leo to school, where Leo is reminded by his teacher Ms. Dulcet that children should not ask questions. Leo meets Bobby, and witnesses a large green bug, which is cleaned up by a space Roomba. Eventually, he steals a rover to go search for his father, and gets drawn into an odd world with space creatures. Bobby follows him out, which is great when Leo crashes the rover, but Bobby is eaten by a Hortle! Leo meets friendlier creatures, the Valrooten, the leader of which he names Mitchell. When Mitchell is eaten by a Hortle on his 100th birthday, Leo is sad, but the Valrooten all share a common hive mind, so he consoles himself by talking to Mitchell 2. Eventually, Leo locates Bobby, his father, and his father's friend Sally in a Hortle hairball, but decides that the colony government should not be trying to hide or kill the native species and vows to fight for them, and sends Bobby back to earth with a message.
Strengths: I love the illustrations, and the way that the text is woven around them. The idea of living on the moon is always intriguing, and this has some more space adventure, rather like Bradford's Lunar, Landers' Blastaway or Swiedler's In the Red. The space creatures are a little goofy, but the message about saving indigenous creatures is a timely one. Bonus points for having Leo's parents separated instead of dead.
Weaknesses: Like Swanson and Behr's Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Destiny, this book got a bit goofy. Even though Leo is supposedly 12, he seems much younger, and even with the illustrations, 320 pages is a long book for elementary students. I also found the ending confusing.
What I really think: This is a good choice for reader who liked Lubar's Emperor of the Universe series, Barnett's The Two-Headed Chicken, or Angleberger's The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza.

[Rebecca Fung · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was billed as being the Phantom Tollbooth on the moon. Well, I love space stories and I love the Phantom Tollbooth so how could this miss? I jumped into it eagerly.

The story is that of Leo Brightstar who goes with his Dad to the moon. He soon learns that there is some kind of mission but he can't find out what it is because one of the rules of the moon is that you can't ask questions on the moon. Well, not unless you're an adult. There's also the idea that there is no life on the moon.

Leo, though, thinks he encounters life on the moon. (I was thinking to myself, isn't Leo life on the moon? Or maybe that's part of the plot, to question whether he is life? Maybe I'm overthinking this ...). Leo thinks his Dad is in trouble so he goes on a quest to find him and meets some interesting characters including a rogue talking Mars Rover.

There's bits of moon stuff here that's fun and a lot of stuff that's just made up for the heck of it rather than trying to introduce kids to facts. It's more of a sci-fantasy than sci-fi.

The story does provoke questions about the meaning of life, ecology, humanity and relationships with a moon background. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting.

I think the philosophy that is introduced to children is an interesting one and the moon background may pique children's interest in space stuff. The main reason that the space setting is appropriate is because a space setting often makes us ponder our meaning in the grand scheme of things. The plot is really about life. Why are we here? What is the meaning of life?

It's a feat to try to step away from our own values and consider those of others (aliens in outer space) and yet also try to write a book that children can relate to, because we often relate best to people when their values and motivations are similar to ours or those we know. This was communicated simply and quite well.

A highly enjoyable and accessible book for the age group. I suppose (perhaps because of the comparison to Juster's amazing book) there were times when I was thinking there were other things that could be explored that weren't but it would have been impossible to go down every alleyway. It was highly imaginative and I think stories that provoke questions with a good dose of humour are great. I don't want to give away the ending too much, but it was satisfying yet it did not end up too predictably.

[Leah B · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unexpectedly deep book. So many messages here that can really be thought through. I saw another reviewer likening it to The Phantom Tollbooth, and I agree wholeheartedly. A wild, zany, constantly surprising adventure, filled with humor and wit, and coming home with important, eloquent, timely messages for middle-grade (or, honestly, any) readers to chew on.

I read The Phantom Tollbooth with my students each year, and they hate it. For some reason, it’s too opaque for a lot of them. They find it hard to let go and just let the message carry them without worrying too much about the plot holes and unexplained events. Life on the Moon, in comparison, seems to accomplish similar goals while not being bogged down by the same problems. Namely, the nonsensical nature of this book is understandable because of the setting, and then the plot issues (what happened to Leo’s parents’ marriage? What’s wrong with his mom? Zebras? Why did Leo’s dad and Sally decide to move to the Moon? What happened between Leo and his friend, Mitchell? Why the somewhat cliffhanger ending??) aren’t as important. As readers, though we might want to know the answers out of sheer curiosity, we’re asking the wrong questions, to paraphrase the book. The purpose is the message, and the message is clear.

That’s what’s so rewarding about this book—it has a strong heart, beating through every page, but at the same time, never taking itself too seriously. Highly recommended.

(As a teacher, though, I will note—the open ending will be extremely frustrating for my students. I read The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant with them this year and they could. not. deal with the open ending. I had to explain, again and again, that when the author’s point has been made, they don’t need to continue the story for the sake of the plot, but middle schoolers do not have a ton of patience for these kinds of things. 😂)

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the arc!

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't want to review this without being transparent with you: I'm already a HUGE fan of Matthew and Robbi's books. I'm not coming into Life on the Moon blindly; it was a preorder, because I will preorder any book they ever create. Their mission as a duo is incredible; their highly-and-incredibly-illustrated and greatly-hilarious books are marvelous. I strongly felt those things before this book even arrived on my doorstep.

So now that you know the background of my Swanson-Behr feelings, I can share my thoughts of this particular book.

--> The story is charming and quirky and full of both adventure and heart.
--> When you peek under the book jacket, you won't be able to stop smiling.
--> The illustrations move the story along, and give SO much context, humor, and delight to each page.
--> Following the story is a double-page spread called "But enough about us, how about you?" on which insightful, thought-provoking questions are asked and I LOVE THESE PAGES AND QUESTIONS SO MUCH.

--> And especially: after the story ends, Matthew and Robbi write a note to the reader. It's so honest and well-written that it feels like they're actually reading that note to you. And if their words don't give you goosebumps as you read them, I'd be absolutely shocked.

"We're pioneers in search of a mission.
We're aliens looking for common language.
We're variables trying to ignite a better story."

Don't skip this gem, but also - and most importantly - please share it with middle grade readers everywhere, because they all need this book.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leo is excited to move to the moon to live with his dad, but when he arrives, nothing is as he expected. His father is missing, somehow caught up in serious trouble, and despite everyone insisting there is no life on the moon, Leo soon encounters plenty of things that seem very much alive. To find his dad and clear his name, Leo will have to question everything he thought he knew.

This is an intriguing sci-fi novel that offers a fresh take on life in a lunar colony. What I appreciated most was its philosophical bent. Beneath the adventure, the story asks thoughtful questions: What counts as life? What is right or wrong? How do we meet our own needs while caring for beings whose lives may look very different from our own? Leo often sees the world differently than the adults, leaders, and other life forms around him, and that perspective gives the novel its heart.

At times, I found myself a little unsure of what was actually happening, and the story occasionally ventured into darker territory than I expected, especially given the lighthearted feel of the illustrations and parts of the narrative. Even after finishing it, I wasn’t entirely sure where to put it in my brain, if that makes sense. It’s one of those books that lingers because it doesn’t fit neatly into a single category.

I enjoyed it, even if I wasn’t always certain where it was taking me. Readers who enjoy thoughtful science fiction, philosophy, space exploration, and stories that are a little off the beaten path will likely find a lot to appreciate here.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

In LIFE ON THE MOON, Leo, his dad, and his dad’s girlfriend have settled in Colony X on the moon, leaving Leo’s mom behind on Earth. He quickly learns the colony rules: 1) there is no life on the moon and 2) don’t ask questions. After Leo’s dad and his girlfriend mysteriously disappear while on a mission and are charged as deserters by the Constable in charge of the settlement, rule-follower Leo takes matters into his own hands. He begins an epic journey to locate them. Despite the insistence of the colony’s leaders, Leo encounters some unique creatures and forms a friendship with a Valrooten he dubs Mitchell. He will need to think on his feet as he unravels the secrets behind Colony X and the other colonies that came before it.

What starts out as a space-themed sci-fi romp turns to a much more complex examination of morals and ethics as Leo discovers new things about the moon and its established ecosystem. Leo is a wonderful character, showing thoughtfulness and heart throughout the story, and readers will enjoy following him on his journey and watching him interact with the different moon creatures. While the book is long at 320 pages, the fantastic illustrations help to carry the action and the way they are integrated with the text will help to hold reader attention. Middle grade readers may find the ending unsatisfying, but it will leave them with plenty to think about.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing an eARC of the book with me.

[Jessica Tarnowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life on the Moon was definitely not the type of book I would normally pick up, but I ended up really enjoying it!

Twelve-year-old Leo gets the incredible opportunity to become one of the first people to live in a colony on the Moon. But almost immediately after arriving, things start to go wrong. His dad leaves on a mysterious mission and doesn't return, and even stranger, the people in charge insist that the mission never happened. As Leo starts searching for answers, he discovers that the Moon isn't nearly as lifeless as everyone claims.

I really enjoyed following Leo as he explored the Moon and encountered all of its strange and imaginative creatures. The mystery surrounding his dad kept the story moving, while Leo's discoveries added a fun sense of adventure and humor. I also liked that underneath all of the sci-fi elements, the story explores some bigger ideas about questioning what you're told, doing what you believe is right, and realizing that sometimes a situation is more complicated than it first appears.

Sci-fi isn't usually my go-to genre, but this was such a creative and adventurous story that it completely worked for me. Definitely a fun surprise and a great reminder to occasionally pick up something outside of your normal reading comfort zone!

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This chapter book for ages 8-12 is certainly a timely read for the young readers. It is for publication on April 14th, 2026. We recently witnessed the return to the moon with NASA'S hard work and this chapter book will be an eager read for the young readers.

Leo Brightstar is twelve years old and has an opportunity to join the first moon colony. Right after Leo's family lands on the moon, his dad goes missing when he embarks on a mission. He does not return from his mission. Leo goes in search of his dad who has been accused of deserting his mission on the moon. This chapter book will be a page-turner for young readers who recently experienced the real-life mission of the four astronauts.
Leo sets out to answer the question of life on the moon. He discovers an extraordinary landscape.
This chapter book might not be far from real life in the times that we are living in now.

The illustrations are in black and white throughout the chapters. Life On The Moon is a partnership project from a husband-wife team.

Life On The Moon is published by Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin/Random House and has an ISBN of 978-0-593-70472-1.

[Brian Alan S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This was a highly entertaining illustrated novel. Made me smile and laugh out loud. I love how the absurdities of the story led to deep insight: insights as deep as outer space. But whether kids can travel into that deep space or not doesn’t change how enjoyable this adventure is. And let me say this: this space-themed novel is NOT corny or cheesy at all. This is quality writing- the kind of intelligent writing that gets you nominated for the National Book Award. And yes, this novel was nominated this year. The pacing of the novel was pretty exciting. I can’t say it was fast-paced in a way that the quality is lost: but there are no dull moments. The pacing and adventure reminds me of Adam Gidwitz’ The Inquisitors Tale (Newbery Honor Book), Catherine Gilbert Murdock’s The Book of Boy (Newbery Honor Book), Gavriel Savit’s The Way Back (National Book Award Finalist), and Traci Chee’s A Thousand Steps into Night (National Book Award longlist). What is very interesting to me with Life on the Moon is that it introduces Community Ecology. This was the strong point of the novel. Thank you Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr for this high quality work of middle grade fiction!

[Anna Blankenship · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending still has me processing some stuff... But in all seriousness, this is such a cute story full of mystery, curiosity and friendship at a level I did not expect from a middle grade book. We follow Leo, who is trying to find his dad shortly after moving to the moon, and he quickly realizes that the Moon colony is not what he expected.

There are rules, and it seems like there are a lot, and honestly who can follow them? Leo soon finds out that the "no questions" rule is impossible to follow, especially when you are new and need to find out how things work.

Leo's interactions and friendship with the Valrootens is full of wonder and trust, and these curious creatures have some deep layers of meaning to what they do.

I definitely recommend pre-teens to check out Life on the Moon! If they love adventure, space, creatures and maybe some rebellion, this is perfect for them!

[Shella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This title starts off fast and the pace never has a dull moment. Full of wacky characters, this title will draw in readers. I agree with another reader’s review of reminding me a bit of Phantom Tollbooth. Many opportunities to mull over life lessons and deep pondering about our individual role within humanity. I really liked the questions at the end. If I were still teaching I would be starting of the year with this as a class read aloud. The way it ended- is there a sequel planned? If not I would still like the end because it gives the reader many types of futures to think about. I listened to the audio because that is what I had available- I’m waiting on the hard copy to see the illustrations. I’ve not been impressed with many Newbery contenders so far- glad one title has finally stood out.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for fans of The Wild Robot and similar sci-fi stories. We follow Leo as he and his dad move to a colony on the moon, where also must learn how to survive in a world that makes him question everything- but where questions aren’t allowed. This is a great story filled with themes and discoveries that are relatable to readers of all ages - from figuring out who to trust to finding the wonder lurking beneath the surface and that things aren’t always as they first appear. And the illustrations (which are marked as not final in my ARC copy) seem like a cartoon-inspired, line drawing style that will attract even those readers who tend to prefer graphic novels. I will definitely be recommending this for our school libraries.

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life on the Moon is so much fun...action-packed with a little bit of mystery, laugh-out-loud funny, full of heart and compassion, and just plain awesome! I love everything about it. I didn’t want to put it down because I kept wanting to know what was happening next, and it’s hard to believe that everything happened in only 2 days. Also, I love the beautiful messages about friendship, community, being open to learning how others see things with different perspectives and experiences, and finding your true purpose, not to mention envisioning moon melons that taste like starlight soaked in joy…sounds delightful! Thank you, Matthew and Robbi, for another spectacular book…I hope there’s a sequel!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

12-year-old Leo is on the first human colony on the moon--they have an important mission, but he's not sure what it is. When his dad disappears and Leo sets off to find him, Leo spends the rest of the book making discoveries and friends, learning things and having adventures, on the way to finally discovering his mission. The last 30 pages lifted this to 5 stars for me, but I'm not sure the target audience (8-12) will stay around long enough. Also, the lessons seem to be more important than the story telling. Still, it's unique and thought provoking, and I'll recommend this to some middle grade students and see how they respond. It's by the same authors as the Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of ___ series, which I enjoyed.

[Deena Lipomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leo's been sent to Moon Colony X, but soon after he arrives, his dad goes missing, so Leo goes rogue to find him. Despite being told by AI rovers that life doesn't exist on the moon and the moon mission is classified, Leo befriends a lunar creature. Together they adventure, uncover clues, and learn about each others' species. The sci-fi humor and alien irreverence contained within a story of serious universal consequences reads like a middle-grade version of Edward Ashton's (Mickey7) novels. There are LOL conversations and while it doesn't seem like a sequel is planned now, the sacrifices of few for the good of the many could lead to another story. A much needed scifi novel for middle schoolers.

[Mickayla Reyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Minor Spoiler? I listened to this as a part of the libraries BB4All 2026. It was on the list and immediately available on Libby so I checked it out. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. The budding friendship between Leo and the not alien Mitchel (Leo is technically the alien here) was very relatable and kind of heart warming as they worked to understand each other and their ways of living/thinking. The is some humor and the plot is much one thing after the next. There is consistently another task and another plan or solution for each. One after the next and once that starts it doesn't seem to slow in pace. There are some real interesting and fun inclusions in the book like getting to talk to and know the hortle? (I don't know the spelling cause I listened to it LOL). The human hairballs. And the ending is quite unexpected. Weird but good for sure.

[Kelly {SpaceOnTheBookcase] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leo Brightstar joins his dad in space as he joins a group set to colonize the moon for the first time. When he gets suspicious about his dad’s whereabouts, Leo takes off on an adventure that will change everything. Filled with illustrations, this book hits all the right notes.There is adventure, there is a deep look at humanity through the eyes of a child, there is fun and there is heartbreak. So easy to consume I did it in a day with both my eyes and ears. Nick Trengove brought the perfect mix of youth and emotion to his role as narrator.

Thank you to PRHAudio and Random House Kids for the gifted copies.