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The Moon Key
Wendy Hilton, abandoned by her parents as a child, unlocks the key to a magical world through the only memento of her parents--a small, silver crescent-shaped pendant. Original.
250 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2005
2 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
J.R. Stampfl
2 books7 followersMAGIC...
Those are the kind of books that I always liked to read. Those are the books that I write.
I believe in real magic, the kind that doesn't require a magic wand or an incantation. The kind that we can make everyday - with a smile, with a thought.
I grew up in the Midwest. I loved to play pretend. I visited New York City when I was 10. It was love at first sight. Eventually, after college, I made my dream come true and moved to New York and made magic working in television. Well, it's hard to call it working. I couldn't believe that I was getting paid for living a fantasy.
In television, I got to go to museums after hours when they were empty. I got special admission to many places in Manhattan which no one ever gets to see. I loved that magical time. Those were the experiences that inspired me to create LATCH, the Lunar Arena of Transformation, Concentration and Hope. At LATCH, Wendy Hilton, the main character of MOON KEY and MOON DANCE, goes to all these wonderful places by the light of the moon when no one else is there.
If you believe in magic...
If you loved Harry Potter and Peter Pan...
Then, I think you'll like my books.
HAPPY READING!
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 10, 2021
The Pros:
--I read it a long time ago and have always meant to reread it because it was so memorable to my child's brain. Any book that sticks around that long (and that isn't popular enough that you'd ever encounter it again naturally-- like Harry Potter) must be doing something right.
--The Peter Pan homage. The author's name format ("J.R. Stampfl") hearkens back to PP's author ("J.M. Barrie"). The characters: Wendy, Wendy's younger [foster] brothers (including a Joey who stands in for the original John), Pedro (instead of Peter), etc. (I think I read somewhere that the author named her children Wendy and Peter, so her Pan obsession checks out).
--There's something very bizarre about the plot. It really feels like a strange dream you had, where logic goes out the window and you're left playing connect the dots with odd scenes and strange sequences of cause and effect.
The Cons:
--There are definitely some overly-recycled tropes (orphan girl wants to find her parents, a magic group plucks her out of her mundane existence around the beginning of puberty, she learns her parents were involved in said group).
--The writing is fine for a tween, which I get is the target audience, but as an adult I grimaced a few times. To me, the mark of a truly good children or young adult book is that it's timeless-- you can read it at any age and not make a face about it.
--I read it a long time ago and have always meant to reread it because it was so memorable to my child's brain. Any book that sticks around that long (and that isn't popular enough that you'd ever encounter it again naturally-- like Harry Potter) must be doing something right.
--The Peter Pan homage. The author's name format ("J.R. Stampfl") hearkens back to PP's author ("J.M. Barrie"). The characters: Wendy, Wendy's younger [foster] brothers (including a Joey who stands in for the original John), Pedro (instead of Peter), etc. (I think I read somewhere that the author named her children Wendy and Peter, so her Pan obsession checks out).
--There's something very bizarre about the plot. It really feels like a strange dream you had, where logic goes out the window and you're left playing connect the dots with odd scenes and strange sequences of cause and effect.
The Cons:
--There are definitely some overly-recycled tropes (orphan girl wants to find her parents, a magic group plucks her out of her mundane existence around the beginning of puberty, she learns her parents were involved in said group).
--The writing is fine for a tween, which I get is the target audience, but as an adult I grimaced a few times. To me, the mark of a truly good children or young adult book is that it's timeless-- you can read it at any age and not make a face about it.
May 17, 2020
3 stars
So, the first time I ever read this book, I was 11/12 or something of the sort- basically a long time ago. I remember my Aunt buying it for me and telling me if I liked it, she'd pick more out for me. I was so ecstatic because I felt it was my first actual book seeing as I didn't really have a whole variety of owned books for myself at that time. I was in complete awe of the book's magic and really hoped that I could discover a magical place of my own like Wendy did.
I read this book again so many years later because I never realized there was a second book and I'm a bit OCD when it comes to unfinished series. Ha-ha.
Now, I don't recall what the paperback is like seeing as it's buried in boxes of books, so I realized I had book one and two on my kindle. First thing I will say is that I try not to nit-pick about grammatical errors, because it happens for one reason or another. BUT there were a lot in the e-book. From grammar mistakes (all the way to having a period int he middle of a sentence) to even messing up in one spot talking about R and R classes, but said R and Rand or something like that. It kind of threw my for a loop for a minute.
This story follows Wendy Hilton, aptly named for the Wendy's napkin that spoke of her parents coming back for her and the Hilton hotel towel wrapped around her. The only other thing she was left by her parents was a silver crescent moon necklace. She bounced from one foster family until the next until she was ten years old where she ends up with three younger brothers. When her thirteenth birthday comes, it's a full moon. Seeing as no one has remembered her birthday or ever had a party, she opts to plan herself one. By the end of the night, she's been invited to attend LATCH with no way of knowing how or when, other than to bring her ID and invitation. Along Wendy's journey you see how much she's grown in a year through her confidence, truth, hope, self-esteem, attitude, how people see her, how to use the magic within herself to become who she wants to be, and more. She makes some friends, an enemy of sorts, and maybe even... family.
All this aside, I enjoyed having a flashback into LATCH's fast-paced, mystical world. Young readers are sure to enjoy it as well as hopefully help them see that it's okay to be yourself and that change has to happen because you want it, not because someone told or wanted you to.
So, the first time I ever read this book, I was 11/12 or something of the sort- basically a long time ago. I remember my Aunt buying it for me and telling me if I liked it, she'd pick more out for me. I was so ecstatic because I felt it was my first actual book seeing as I didn't really have a whole variety of owned books for myself at that time. I was in complete awe of the book's magic and really hoped that I could discover a magical place of my own like Wendy did.
I read this book again so many years later because I never realized there was a second book and I'm a bit OCD when it comes to unfinished series. Ha-ha.
Now, I don't recall what the paperback is like seeing as it's buried in boxes of books, so I realized I had book one and two on my kindle. First thing I will say is that I try not to nit-pick about grammatical errors, because it happens for one reason or another. BUT there were a lot in the e-book. From grammar mistakes (all the way to having a period int he middle of a sentence) to even messing up in one spot talking about R and R classes, but said R and Rand or something like that. It kind of threw my for a loop for a minute.
This story follows Wendy Hilton, aptly named for the Wendy's napkin that spoke of her parents coming back for her and the Hilton hotel towel wrapped around her. The only other thing she was left by her parents was a silver crescent moon necklace. She bounced from one foster family until the next until she was ten years old where she ends up with three younger brothers. When her thirteenth birthday comes, it's a full moon. Seeing as no one has remembered her birthday or ever had a party, she opts to plan herself one. By the end of the night, she's been invited to attend LATCH with no way of knowing how or when, other than to bring her ID and invitation. Along Wendy's journey you see how much she's grown in a year through her confidence, truth, hope, self-esteem, attitude, how people see her, how to use the magic within herself to become who she wants to be, and more. She makes some friends, an enemy of sorts, and maybe even... family.
All this aside, I enjoyed having a flashback into LATCH's fast-paced, mystical world. Young readers are sure to enjoy it as well as hopefully help them see that it's okay to be yourself and that change has to happen because you want it, not because someone told or wanted you to.
October 6, 2013
Wendy is an orphan who leads an unhappy life, which is even worse since she doesn't really like herself. A little too fat, a little too shy, a little too unexciting: why would anyone want to be her friend? Well, she does have the three younger boys she lives with (much younger) and gets along very well with them, but are those friends? A visit to the theater changes her entire life as she finds a mysterious letter, inviting her to LATCH - a magical society which will change her life completely.
I enjoyed this. Wendy is a wonderful little girl, and her self-assurance problems make her even more likable. She doesn't mope around and complain but accepts the fact that she's not as wonderful as everyone else. Of course, this isn't true, and through LATCH she learns to realize that she is someone special. She's faced with exciting challenges, has to master difficult situations and stands up for what she knows is right - all with a slight twist of magic.
Unlike many heroes/heroines, Wendy doesn't always get through her problems on her own. Friendship, trust and hope play a huge role. It was nice to see the reminder that we do need other people helping us through difficult times and can trust that they will. And if these fuzzy feelings weren't enough, Wendy is constantly reminded that if she believes in herself, she can accomplish anything she sets her mind to.
In other words, this is a fast paced, exciting book chucked full of things every kid in this age group needs to hear again and again and again.
I enjoyed this. Wendy is a wonderful little girl, and her self-assurance problems make her even more likable. She doesn't mope around and complain but accepts the fact that she's not as wonderful as everyone else. Of course, this isn't true, and through LATCH she learns to realize that she is someone special. She's faced with exciting challenges, has to master difficult situations and stands up for what she knows is right - all with a slight twist of magic.
Unlike many heroes/heroines, Wendy doesn't always get through her problems on her own. Friendship, trust and hope play a huge role. It was nice to see the reminder that we do need other people helping us through difficult times and can trust that they will. And if these fuzzy feelings weren't enough, Wendy is constantly reminded that if she believes in herself, she can accomplish anything she sets her mind to.
In other words, this is a fast paced, exciting book chucked full of things every kid in this age group needs to hear again and again and again.
August 20, 2011
This was a delightful, magical (fantasy) about a young girl ... all the issues she was dealing with in her real life, and how her fantasy life helped her become a stronger and better person in the real world. I enjoyed the story and the idea. For more on this idea check out the Harry Potter Alliance, which challenges kids to be more than they thought they could be, by learning to give to society, and using the "magic" within themselves to make this world a better place!
October 30, 2009
the Moon key is like no other book I have ever read. It let's you know that it is alright to be yourself......and be able to change because you want to, not because of someone else. If you look close enough, you can be something amazing.
December 5, 2012
This book was ok. It had an interesting story, but I found this story a bit cliche at times. It had an interesting plot about a young girl that didn't know her family and where she came from. She finds out that about who she is and is taken on an interesting adventure.
September 1, 2014
I totally loved this book!
I read it and had it when I was still in grade school. I got my copy from the booksale in the mall near my house (not really near) and I completely fell in love with it.
I still have it in my shelf now :)
I so totally not regret buying it :D
I read it and had it when I was still in grade school. I got my copy from the booksale in the mall near my house (not really near) and I completely fell in love with it.
I still have it in my shelf now :)
I so totally not regret buying it :D
April 7, 2010
This books was a fun, light read. Although every time Pedro said "buenas noches" he never said it correctly ...
May 8, 2013
love the book
July 28, 2013
A cute fun read of a girl finding herself with a touch of magic.
Read
May 29, 2015I remember reading this book as a kid and loving it. I spent many a night looking into the moon from my bedroom window wishing that I had powers like Wendy.
June 7, 2016
Great read! I loved the magic. This is an easy read, good for slow readers or younger kids.
May 26, 2018
This is such an underrated book. Yes, I know the story's a bit cliché, but I'm getting a lot of Harry Potter vibes from it. The Moon Key world is so comprehensively described I could imagine this to be a movie already. Wendy's journey from being a shy, low self-esteemed girl to being strong and self-confident is some really good character development. I also love the recurring themes about the moon and its power. The whole LATCH thing is so well-thought out. I just hate that the ending is so loose I might have to find a copy of the second book.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews