Sun Moon Stars Rain

by Jan Cheripko

Still grieving over his father's death, nineteen-year-old college dropout Danny Murtaugh turns to a drunk, an eccentric landowner, and a young waitress for answers about his past and direction for his future.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Grief

160 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2005

About the author

Jan Cheripko is the author of several books for young adults and children. He currently teaches English at The Family Foundation School, a private residential school for at-risk teens.

As he does in his novels, Cheripko focuses his talks to students, teachers, and parents on the choices young people make, the need to identify the principles one stands for, and to place them ahead of personalities.

For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/jan-cher...

Reviews

[Lorelei Ponto · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really am enjoying this book, it is very action packed new stuff is always happening all the time. Johnny(the main character) likes taking pictures he wants to use a mans land, but he does not like people on his land. Benji(the land owner) makes an exception for Johnny since he knew his dad who had passed away. Benji was a drunk he would always get drunk every day even though his friends try to help him quit. Benji would tell Johnny to drink even though he is under aged, it is a good thing that Johnny refuses. I thought it was said when the book told how the father died, there was a dog out in the river about to drowned so Johnny tells him to do something about it and he did he went after him and drowned himself. From that point Johnny has partly blamed himself for his dads death. Johnny try's to help Benji by taking him to alcohol sessions but he does not want to go and tells Johnny "ain't nobody tell me when I can drink". Benji should have taking the help instead of refusing it. Johnny's mother does not like him going to Benjis house, but Johnny still goes to take pictures of his land. Every time Johnny takes pictures on Benjis land he has to give Benji some. Johnny is very Good at taking pictures but I think he should have more than one spot to take them.

[Michaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the story I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised. As a Catholic, I appreciated the portrayal of Catholics in this book. I don't normally like endings like the one this book has, but it worked so well in this book. I loved the music included in the audiobook, though it was an odd kind of pleasure to hear Briar Moss of Circle of Magic and Enna of the Goose Girl in the same world...

This book is supposed to be thematically similar to the e. e. cummings poem "sun moon stars rain"

[souffle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how this book started and the author's style of writing

[Kiri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed how it started off, and simply the artistic way it was written.

[Alessandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

in all honesty this was the bleakest story i’ve ever read. the plot is all over the place and not very cohesive and the mystery of it suffers the same flaws. i could see how it might be enjoyable to some, but the entirety of the book might as well be empty.

[Ilias Filali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Danny Murtaugh is a 17-year-old boy that just dropped out from school as a music student because his girlfriend went with another boy.But there is still something about him inside.His father died in a tragic drowning and now he lives with his mother still alone in the dark.And his mother is anxious about Danny dropping out of school.Danny does not know what he is going to do so he does nothing but takes pictures in the woods.As he is still living with his mother he meets Stephanie, a young girl with a past daughter.Next, he starts learning more about her and a little of her personal life.And Stephanie learns more about Danny especially when his father dies.Danny is so touched by the death of his father.How is the mother of Danny going to act?Is Danny going to be the boyfriend of Stephanie?
I really enjoyed reading this book,this book is a young adult book and it's a fiction book.It talks mainly about how life is hard when you lose a parent and how the mother becomes depressed.I would recommend this book to 6th and 7th graders because I think it would be interesting for them to read it and to easily understand it.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Danny Murtaugh, 17, has just dropped out of college as a music student, saying it's because he found his girlfriend with another boy, but there is a kind of melancholy about him that is mysterious and draws one into the story. We learn about his father's tragic drowning, his mother's anxiety over Danny dropping out, and that his love of photography takes him into the woods which is off-limits by a wealthy, but grumpy older man, fighting to keep his land from being taken by the state. It has a river running through it, and a damn may be needed. Sound complicated? It is, and then there's this girl, a new waitress at the local dinner, with whom Danny becomes entangled. Religion also plays a role in Danny's life as he shares what's going on during this particular time in his life. With all that, the story grabbed me immediately and I was immersed in the passion and depth of each character in Jan Cheripko's story, and there are a few more I haven't mentioned. Definitely high school and up, and well worth reading this introspective book about figuring out what one wants to be.

[Kaarin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed listeing to the full cast audio production, though I think the casting of the voice for Mr. Garrick was off--he seemed too young and the delivery of lines was weird.
But to the story: it is a good one and definitely interesting. Not as "powerful" as the blurb on the back made it seem, but still, it had interesting characters and situations.
I think it was edited a bit too much. It seemed as though some things could have been fleshed out a little more for my taste.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the short, quick chapters: the good story moved along at a good pace: I felt preached at a couple of times, but not too bad. I understand and believe it to be true, the message that you can have something happen when you're a kid that affects you your whole life. Often it's necessary to go back and face fears, or demons, then move ahead. I enjoyed Cheripko's voice and will look for other works by him.

[Starry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short young-adult novel, beautifully crafted.
Deals with tough stuff (addiction, theft, murder, prostitution, seeing one's dad die from an accident) and people trying to overcome their tough stuff.
Well crafted to roll out the story in a compelling manner, with the right balance of introspection and action. Realistically complex view of Christianity, which I always appreciate.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a simple read, even for YA. The plot was good, but I wished it had gone more in depth. It was as though the author just skimmed the surface of all that happened. I wasn't crazy about first-person present tense.

[N · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really sure what to make of this story. I don't know who I would recommend it or what really is gained from reading it. It's not a 'bad' story. However, too much happens too quickly and then it's over.

quick paced, short episodic chapters
dialect, New York

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to this book on Playaway. The Full Cast recording was high quality but the teen book was just average. 19-year-old, talented pianist Danny drops out of school and returns to his rural hometown. He finally faces the accidental death of his father when Danny was much younger.

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

It started off okay, but it turned into a cheesy Christian commercial of sorts.

[Annaliese · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was different from what the description made it sound like. It is going on my fave book list

[Stephanie A. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really, really bored, probably due to the fact that this book is 90% pure dialogue with no further embellishments. Whatever didn't bore me was irritating.

[✩ · Rating 1 out of 5]

No plot and everything about this book is sadly annoying.