Moonchild: Voyage of the Lost and Found

Moonchild #1

by Aisha Bushby

A magical new middle grade adventure from a rising star author, inspired by The Arabian Nights

The Sahar Peninsula lies just beyond the horizon, but it isn't the easiest place to get to. No maps will take you there, nor can it be charted by gazing up at the stars, or down at a compass...

Twelve year old Amira has only ever known a life at sea with her sea-witch mothers. So when their ship is wrecked in a great storm, Amira is delighted to have an opportunity to explore land – accompanied by her best friend Namur – a jinn in cat form. Amira soon finds a boy who has a jinn like her, and learns that their spirit companions are connected to the mysterious storm that gets stronger each day.

When Namur goes missing Amira discovers she has to visit a magical place; a place where lost things can be found. But will Amira also discover her own destiny, and find out what it truly means to be a Moonchild?

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, LGBT, Fiction, Childrens, Queer

288 pages, Paperback

Published August 6, 2020

About the author

Aisha Bushby was selected as one of only four previously unpublished authors in the Stripes anthology for BAME writers, A Change is Gonna Come, alongside writers such as Patrice Lawrence, Tanya Byrne and Nikesh Shukla. The anthology was awarded a YA Book Prize Special Achievement Award. Since then she has been taking part in panels, interviews and events across the UK, from Bristol Waterstones to Manchester Academy, Birmingham Literature Festival to Southbank YALW, BBC Radio 3 to Buzzfeed. A Pocketful of Stars is her debut novel.

Reviews

[Gavin Hetherington · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful middle grade inspired by the Arabian Nights, filled with gorgeous storytelling and seafaring adventure.

Amira is a 12-year-old who lives with her sea-witch mothers and a jinn called Namur, who is a cat-like companion to Amira. They sail the seas, however, a storm damages their ship, causing them to dock at a nearby island. While there, Amira makes friends with Leo who also has a jinn, and she is instantly interested in him considering jinns are rare. When Amira's jinn is taken by the stormbird in the sky, Amira goes to any length to get Namur back.

I was so engrossed in the story; there are elements of stories within stories in this novel that I absolutely love - and some stories had some really great twists that informed the main story, making them useful passages filled with wonder. There is an Arabian atmosphere to this book due to the inspiration of The Arabian Nights, so combined with the writing, this was just overall a perfect read.

Amira is a very interesting protagonist and isn't like other ones I've read about - she's direct and isn't aware of how she comes across to other people. Enter Leo, who is a great balance for her and they end up learning from each other. I really enjoyed their dynamic. We are also introduced to another character later on called Farah who also manages to enter this friendship dynamic and adds to it without subtracting the prior chemistry.

I also especially enjoyed Amira's sea witch mothers, Jamila and Dunya. It never felt odd - it was extremely normalised that a girl would have two mothers and it's beautiful to see how Amira has formed as a person from their parental style. I hope it shows people that it's okay to have same-sex parents, and while there is more to the story here too, I won't mention because spoilers. But, this was a beautiful touch to the story and I cannot express how wonderful this was.

Aisha Bushby is not capable of writing a bad book, this was fantastic through-and-through, and I am so looking forward to the next book in this series.

[Nessa [October Tune] · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this story but unfortunately it 'only' got three stars from me (not a bad rating, I know). For me, the main reason I didn't love it was because the pacing felt off. The first half of the book was rather slow and the latter half felt a bit rushed. I did enjoy the little stories in between the chapters, though not so much the parts where the 'narrator' interrupted.

The illustrations scattered throughout the book were amazing though, and it really got me to enjoy the story a bit more!

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is okay. The protagonist isn't like most protagonists in that she's quite direct and blunt, which I like. The book also gets bonus points for having a same-sex couple without making a big deal out of it.

Things I didn't like: the pacing felt off, and the omniscient narrator got a bit annoying at times. I also didn't understand why such a big deal was being made of the protagonist's menstruation. It was mentioned so many times I almost thought it would turn into a big plot point. Maybe it's a cultural thing that I'm missing. I also found the dialogue lacking, and some of the writing felt dumbed down for the target audience.

[Roberta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose this book because it’s beautiful cover is so lovely, and the story sounded interesting. I enjoyed reading about the children and their jinn. I love the idea of having an animal (but so much more than one) connected to you like that. Amira was a particularly appealing character. She was curious, adventurous, and courageous. I thought the mix of characters was great, Leo makes a nice contrast, being far more cautious and thoughtful.

I found the interruptions by the narrator a little irritating at times, I just wanted to progress with the story! I think this shows how engrossing the adventure is.

I thought the world building was excellent - interesting and believable, in spite of obviously being fantastical CHECK. The illustrations inside the book are as beautiful and captivating as the cover. They really bring the story to life.

SPOILER IN THIS PARAGRAPH

The one thing I really did not like was Leo disappearing at the end. When I was the age that this book is aimed at, that would have really upset me. I’m assuming that he will reappear in a future book. This is why I have given 3, rather than 4, stars. The ending did not feel satisfying.

END OF SPOILER

Overall, this was a beautiful and magical story, with delightful illustrations, suitable for older children and adults alike. Just be careful if your child is particularly sensitive, as this volume doesn’t end happily for all characters.

I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

[MantaRaye]

DNF @ 50% audio
This is just didn’t hold my attention and I felt nothing was happening and wasn’t bothered about the characters

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just ok to me. I loved the cover, which is what drew me to read the book. The book was pretty slow at first, then felt rushed.

[Tammie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read- August 2020 for the N.E.W.Ts (E in Muggle Studies- Written by someone who is a different race to you)
- I've had this book on pre order for quite a while now and I actually received it yesterday and I read it yesterday as well, which is something that I never do but I'm so glad that I did.

Twelve year old Amira has always had a life full of magic, what with living on a ship with her two sea witch mothers and Namur (her jinni). That's why she's so shocked when they land on an island and is warned not to show off her own personal magic because the rest of the world frowns upon it. However, there's a lot of magic at play and when a ferocious storm starts up and Amira's cat is stolen she has to set sail and discover what is going on in her mysterious world.

The themes of family in this book was it's strongest point, most of my favourite quotes are about family. This book was so heartwarming but also incredibly emotional.

[Grace (irisroman & evajacks' version) ✧ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nope, this really wasn't for me.

At the moment, I feel like I have to be so picky with the middle grade books I read- some are such gems (e.g. Amari and the Night Brothers and the Adventures on Trains mystery series), while others just really don't work for me. Sadly, Moonchild belongs in the second category.

I think one of my major problems with this is it is aimed for a very young audience. The non-complex characters and the way everything works out so conveniently shows that this is definitely on the lower side of middle grade. Nothing about this book was complex or interesting- inside, it all felt really bland. This book may be just under 300 pages long, but it feels like absolutely nothing happens in those pages.

The super simple writing style bothered me, as the limited descriptions and basic vocabulary used made the story feel so BORING. The characters were so incredibly one-sided that being stuck in their head made me go a bit mad. At the beginning, two of them had a petty squabble that made me roll my eyes so hard, then made up later by exchanging gifts. Afterwards, they were suddenly best friends for life!

*sigh*

The pacing was also super weird. It felt like absolutely nothing happened in the first half, then lots more action happened in the second half that wasn't paced properly and so felt very rushed. It all built up to a big climax, which ended up being super easy. I mean, REALLY

Also, the worldbuilding was basically non-existent. In Amira's world, magic was just THERE and there were random magical beings like sea witches, mermaids, djinnis and rocs. Apparently they were just normal, but then some people were also scared of magic so.... Ugh, I have no idea.

Overall, Moonchild obviously isn't aimed at my age group, so ended up being very disappointing. Sadly, I really didn't like it and won't be continuing the series. It just wasn't for me.

~ 2 stars

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an adventure this was!

A middle grade lover on YouTube had included this video in his exciting upcoming releases video so as soon as I spotted it up on netgalley I had to try my luck as it was not available for request but you could wish for it. My wish was granted and I started reading it right away.

Our main character Amira lives with her 2 mothers and they spend all their time at sea on a dhow only coming on land every so often for market days. Amira is 12 years old a proud owner of a cat who is not your ordinary pet but is a jinni.
On her first market day she meets a boy Leo who has his own jinni companion which is a very rare thing indeed.
This meeting is just the start of their adventures to save everyone from a magical being who feeds of people's emotions.

What a beautifully crafted tale of friendship, family and love. I really enjoyed the story, writing style and all our characters because they were all imperfect in their own ways. The diversity of them was also a huge plus in my opinion.

Couldn't recommend it enough if you or your young ones enjoy action packed adventure tales.

[Layla Crowie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

Fast paced action and plenty of emotions, this story was a rollercoaster from start to finish and that ending hurt me. I look forward to the sequel!

Lovers of the moon, the sea and adventures of the soul will enjoy this magical story of love, loss and discovery.

[Pris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful magical middle grade that teaches young readers a lot about emotions and how to deal with them. Highly recommend! 💙

[Claire Booksnink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved loved loved this book.

My review may be quite vague but in no way do i want to spoil this book.

This book we follow Amira who was a tiny baby her mothers found 12 years previous and she has a cat called Namura who is actually a Jinn but his physical form is a cat.

I love how this book boldly shows same sexed parents bringing up a child which they do not shy away from at all.
Now for the vague bit...reading this all of a sudden the familiarity of this book hit me hard... City of Brass by S A Chakraborty, take that and twist it round and make the main protagonist a child and you’re nearly there.

This was a phenomenal read and the pages just kept on turning and i loved this book. Do i recommend this book? Hell yes and all i can say is get to a book shop and give this a go as it’s brilliant and you won’t regret it

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

‪This is all kinds of magic. An incredible world, gorgeous portrayals is family and friendship and a wonderful main character. I loved the different ways the characters saw and lived the world and how they complemented each other. I loved the sense of power in emotions and FEELING in this paired with the gorgeous magic of this land. There is so so much to love about this. You’ll fall for the writing, the world and the characters so much. Bloody wonderful!

[lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instagram review:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHbOPpTAZ...

[Laura Noakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this. Imaginatively drawn, beautifully written and with a main character you can't help but root for.

[Tricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arabian nights inspiration in this cracking adventure

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful story, about family, friendship and emotions but with a great deal of magic and adventure spread throughout. From the beautiful metaphors to the pacey plot, I loved this book inside and out. I’m saving this one for my children of the future, and I can’t wait to read more by this incredibly talented author.

[Heather James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moonchild: Voyage of the Lost and Found is a wonderful Middle Grade adventure which will delight readers and have them racing to reach the end. It is full of rich world building, and the Sahar Peninsula is exquisitely described. From midnight souks, to animal-companion jinni, it has a magic children will long to be part of.

The real stand out for me in this story was the wonderful narration. It has easily the most vivid, exciting narrator I have come across in a children's story for a long time. The short stories woven through the main narrative are also skilfully done, and it was always a treat to have a glimpse into someone else's world.

Moonchild is full of representation, from characters with mental illness, to different skin tones, to Amira's two mothers. Despite its extraordinary magic, readers will find themselves reflected within Moonchild's pages, and a world that will welcome them no matter who they are. There are even discussions about periods, which I can't remember seeing in Middle Grade before and know I would have so appreciated at that age.

Bushby also packs in a powerful exploration of emotions and the importance of understanding them, rather than always trying to push them away or keep them bottled up inside. This story really is superb, and there's so much potential for the next in the series - I can't wait to find out what happens!

Thank you Egmont for letting me review this story via NetGalley

[Els - Bookspaperink · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, magical adventure. Loved reading this book so much.

[I _teach_muggles · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Aisha Bushby comes a thrilling fantasy adventure which is the first in a new series.

Amira has only ever known a life at sea, raised by her two sea witch mothers aboard their dhow, the Tigerheart. The dhow is their home and aboard it her mothers mix tonics and remedies and weave tapestries that they sell to the folk at the markets of the islands that they visit. When their ship is damaged in a great storm, Amira is thrilled to experience land for the first time although finding her ‘land-legs’ is going to take while. Magic is normal to Amira but many others fear it and she is somewhat shocked when she is warned to keep it hidden from the mainlanders. Whilst on her first market outing Amira meets a boy, Leo, who has a jinni of his own and the two bond over this rare similarity.

Their jinni’s have a connection to the storm that almost drowned her at sea. The storm is getting worse by the day and appears to be created by a powerful bird that lives on the horizon. When Namur gets lost at sea, Amira must go to extraordinary lengths to get him back.

This is a spell-binding read set in the most magical and wondrous of worlds. It is a voyage of self-discovery, uncovering your past and learning what it is to be a moon child. Magic, myths, secrets, mermaids, cursed cities, floating markets, magical birds, floating islands, spirit animals and lots of adventure are all woven into story.

Bushby brings places alive with a glorious assault on all of the senses of the reader. I love the setting for this story, it sounds so near but at the same time impossibly far away. The Sahar Peninsula is a place that can easily be seen but is impossible to reach. There are no maps to show the way and no amount of skill in reading the stars and navigating by the light of the moon can guide you there, not even a compass will find the way. It is this magical and mysterious place that is the setting for Amira’s adventure.

There are stories within stories that reveal the pasts of the characters and these are woven seamlessly into the main narrative. Some of these backstories were some of my favourite parts and they helped fill in the gaps and wonderings that I had. As truths are revealed and secrets are shared, the tension builds and the air is alive with a hum. Amira’s anger is simmering to almost boiling point and the storm clouds are darkening overhead. You are just waiting for things to come to a head and they do in an ending that will not please all readers or is perhaps not suitable for those sensitive little souls.

There are strong themes of family, friendship, emotions and feelings throughout. The main narrative itself is driven by the suppression of emotions. The inclusion of same-sex parents is wonderful as this is a family dynamic that is under-represented in children’s fiction. Rachel Dean provides the gorgeous black and white illustrations and I adore the double page spreads - more of these in the future books in the series please.

Full of magic of that of the Arabian Night tales; Moonchild: Voyage of the Lost and Found is both wonderful and full of wonder.

Recommended for 9+.

With thanks to Netgalley and Egmont Books for the review copy.

[Sifa Poulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The blurb says that it is inspired by the tales of The Arabian Nights, and that tradition of telling stories within stories, that link and weave together, sometimes in very subtle ways, is very much present in this book. It's a world of magic on the edge of another, of jinni and adventures and mysterious islands.

The book mostly tells Amira's story, but there are other stories - told by her or others - scattered in between the chapters. Sometimes they start or end in a chapter, so the stories bleed out of their separation and into the "main" story. It really does help to link it altogether, taking that liminal space between the "present" and the stories they tell in the world.

There are also a few sections where the narrator stops telling the story and breaks the fourth wall, directly addressing the reader. It's slightly meta at times, discussing how stories work, or how the world functions within ours. It's engaging, but what I appreciated what that slightly meta elements - the analysis and acknowledgement that it is a story being told. This also fits into that oral story telling tradition The Arabian Nights descends from, as many story tellers will pull in their readers by addressing them directly (this technique, for example, is very powerfully used in Shakespeare's Henry V.)

Beyond that, it's a cute little adventure about a girl with all this anger seeking a missing friend and making new ones - and about the danger of suppressing emotions. I completely appreciate the irony of reading this in the middle of a burnout phase, which does mess with my emotions (MG often helps, hence I'm reading it now.) Joking aside, it's a serious message that I think we could all do with taking note of!

There's one other book in this series, though it's more of a companion about a secondary character from what I can tell.

[Fern · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired by The Arabian Nights and set in an enchanting Middle Eastern inspired landscape that lies just beyond the horizon, Moonchild: Voyage of the Lost and Found is storytelling at its finest. And it's a story that has it all - mysterious midnight souks, cursed cities, magical jinni animals, fearless sea witches, a destructive firebird, a seafaring adventure and a spellbinding voyage of friendship and self-discovery. And at the heart of all this is a beautifully inclusive and powerful exploration of emotions. Anger, anxiety, and curiosity are just a few of the untamed feelings that bubble at the surface of Bushby's narrative and with it is the honesty, acceptance and magic that comes from understanding and sharing them.

Irresistably evocative and gorgeously rich, I was utterly captivated and charmed by Bushby's lyrical writing style. Like The Arabian Nights, the way Bushby weaves stories and fables into the main narrative is seamlessly done, and this coupled with Rachael Dean's stunning black and white illustrations makes this a beautiful book to own.

Oozing with magic and infused with passion, Aisha Bushby is a force to be reckoned with. Moonchild is definitely a book to read aloud - the taste of magic on your tongue is tingle inducing. Fans of Philip Pullman, Jasbinder Bilan and Maria Kuzniar will adore this!

[Lizzie Huxley-Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished Moonchild: Voyage of the Lost and Found last week, and I don’t think I can describe how beautiful and brilliant this book is. Sensorially rich, intricately plotted, and one tremendously angry girl and her cat jinni Namur.⁠
⁠
I’ve been reading it slowly because, like Strangeworlds Travel Agency earlier this year, it has grasped my heart so deeply that I keep skipping backwards to reread lines and chapters. It is a book of feeling so very much, all the time. I relate very much to that.⁠
⁠
The story follows Amira who lives on a dhow with her two magical mothers, Ramady the goat and Namur her jinni. When a magical mysterious storm rages, Amira sets out to find out why. Expect mermaids, rocs, potion making, smelling other people’s feelings, and mystery islands. In between Amira's chapters are shorter tales, including words from a mysterious narrator, all alongside Rachael Dean's illustrations.⁠
⁠
Aisha Bushby is a tremendous magical storyteller, and both Moonchild and A Pocketful of Stars are rich in feeling, place and emotion. Sometimes I have to put the book down just to feel all the things she’s made me feel! I love both books so much!! Just adding (bc my followers are mostly autistic people or parents of at this point!) that I think a lot of autistic kids (and adults!) would relate to this story — Amira’s plot line deals with her struggles with emotions, particularly her anger, which resonated deeply with me.⁠
⁠
First in the series once again, and I'm extremely looking forward to more tales in the Moonchild series.⁠

[Guillermo Andrade Uribe · Rating 5 out of 5]

CAWPILE: 9.29/10 - 5/5

Hablemos de cuándo un libro te da la SORPRESA del mes. Moonchild es un libro que hace tiempo quería leer, más que nada porque tenemos la representación de una relación lésbica como mamás del personaje principal.

Eso fue lo primero que me atrajo a la historia, luego quedé encantado con la forma en la que la autora escribe este libro. Tenemos 3 formas de escritura, uno es un personaje que nos habla directamente a los lectores, el segundo es la narrativa principal de la historia, y el tercero es una serie de cuentos que los personajes nos van narrando durante toda la historia.

Además de esto, el libro esta inspirado en las 1000 y una noches. Amé cómo la autora no tuvo miedo de jugar con sus personajes, presentarnos incertidumbre, dolor y las cosas que normalmente pasamos en la vida.

Pueden ver qué amé este libro con lo mucho que quiero decir. Pero al final terminé llorando, abrazado el libro y queriendo comprar el segundo de inmediato.

Gracias por curar mi bloqueo <3

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

A magical, heartwarming adventure. I loved the characters and especially the family dynamics between Amira and her mothers. The narrator's little asides slightly irritated me at times - I just wanted to stay in the action - but that's a minor niggle. Overall it's a delightful book and I definitely want to continue the series.

[trijnewijn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastisch jeugdboek, in beide betekenissen van het woord. Na Pocketful of stars kon ik een tweede boek van de schrijfster niet weerstaan en ze loste alle hoge verwachtingen in. Ze schrijft voor westerse kinderen over schoonheid en wat magisch is aan het midden oosten en creëerde zo alweer een pareltje.

[James Haddell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeously imagined and sumptuously written fantasy, with echoes of His Dark Materials and the Voyages of Sinbad.

A magical adventure extolling the importance of emotional honesty and the beauty of letting the heart truly feel every untamed emotion.

Looking forward to book 2!

[Cute Rabbit · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW!This book I cannot believe but I enjoyed it quite much and I am actually looking forward to reading the next book like ASAP.I loved reading about Amiras journey.Also loved the mini stories throughout the plot.It was such an amazing reading this year thank you to Aisha Bushby👍🏾

[Jess Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was the best book I have read so far this year. I enjoyed the plot, characters and magic. It was about friendship, controlling your emotions but let them out and not bottle them up. It's was about Jinni.

[Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it very much and it made me feel curious at some parts, happy at some parts and sad at some parts. My favourite part is when Amira gets reunited with her jinni. (Namur). After a long time. Such a good story.