Moon Dancer: A YA Romance of First Love, Self-Discovery, and Adventure

by Margaret I. Rostkowski

While camping and exploring the remote canyons of southern Utah, fifteen-year-old Mira responds to their beauty and spiritual mystery and makes some surprising discoveries about herself. “Rostkowski’s romantic plot is nicely entwined with the story of a young woman’s growing awareness of self and of her connections to the archetypal feminine images she sees in the ancient art. Combining adventure, discovery, and first love, this well-written novel can serve as an excellent bridge between YA romance and mainstream adult fiction.” — Booklist

Genres: Young Adult

192 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1995

About the author

Margaret I. Rostkowski was born in 1945 in Little Rock, Arkansas, and was graduated from Middlebury College, Vermont, and the University of Kansas. She is now a high-school teacher in Ogden, Utah. "I find that my students are deeply interested in the issues of war and peace and duty to country and where one finds true heroism," she writes. "This book grew out of those questions, many of which I haven't yet answered for myself."
After the Dancing Days won first place in the young-adult category (1983) and was awarded the publication prize (1985) in the Utah Original Writing Competition.

Ms. Rostkowski lives with her husband and son in Ogden, Utah.

Reviews

[Michelle Stimpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miranda spends five days hiking in Southern Utah.

I read this book a long time ago when I was in college and spending a lot of time hiking in Southern Utah. I loved the book then and thought I remembered it pretty well. As I reread it, however, I realized that I mixed the memory of the book with my own memories of hiking and other hiking stories I had heard. "Moon Dancer" is actually better than I remember it.

The cover of this book is deceiving. Although there is a romance, the book is mostly about femininity and feminism, family relationships, anthropology and spirituality, and coming-of-age.

The thing I love best about this book is that it's about a girl from OGDEN, UTAH!

Golden Lines:

"You never know what's waiting for you around the next hour."

"The little ghost of yourself. I think sometimes it still lives inside me and that even when I'm old, that little ghost will still be there, still half alive."

"Maybe you have to be a bit weird to be a pioneer. At anything."

"They would understand how the moon could fill your eyes and how wanting to hold a boy's hand could be more urgent than watching where your feet were taking you."

"Celebrate everything. Celebrate everything so you don't forget anything."

[Christina Combs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book that captured my love for fiction!

[Kendall]

Two sisters, Miranda and Jenny decided to tag along with their cousin and their friend Max to Utah so they could Hike along the canyons. The four of them use an old pioneer woman journal to help guide them when exploring. Mira is astonished by the beauty of the culture left behind by the natives. There is a little bit of romance demonstrated in this novel but it more of a coming of age story and focuses more on Mira finally finding herself and not having to try and live up to her sisters expectations.

I think the book is good and that there are many different aspects that contribute to the novel, such as love, identity, exploring and culture. The reader gets to experience what it was like for Mira to finally become her self.

[Teen]

This was a satisfying romance. A girl goes out into the west for a few weeks where she meets a young local boy. The book has good descriptions of nature and includes some Native American mythology.

[LeeAnn · Rating 2 out of 5]

(really 2.5 stars)
There's nothing really wrong with this book. It's an interesting, sweet story with not a lot of depth. I believe the author's other books were more highly regarded for good reason.
I think I'd feel better about this book, honestly, if I knew more about the author. I just am left with so many questions. The biggest being: does she really know anything about Native Americans and Native American culture? How much research went into writing this book? Or was it based more on "feelings" the author got from living in Utah?
This book feels less serious than the other two works she's produced. Why has the author only written 3 books?
Anyway, this book isn't terrible. It's a light, easy read with a feel-good ending.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for a Utah setting, and I thought this was a great backdrop for what could easily have been a forgettable YA romance. But because this goes beyond just a high school crush story, and has elements of history and heritage and real struggles of growing into womanhood, it manages to be more. It was a bit dated, but considering that it was published in 1995, this holds up quite well as a young adult story.

[Larissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think if I had read this book as a teenager, it would have been one of those books that stayed with me. It's a simple moment in the life of a girl on the cusp of womanhood, and that simplicity is its strength.

[Ismail]

!!

[Emily renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

its a girl book for sure but has a guy setting

[Michelle Cortez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Total chick book but loved the Indian harritage based in the book.