The Girl Who Drank the Moon

The Girl Who Drank the Moon

• Genre: Fiction; middle-grade fantasy
• Originally Published: 2016
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 640L; grades 4-6
• Structure/Length: 48 chapters; approximately 400 pages; approximately 9 hours, 31 minutes on audiobook
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The story is centered around Luna, a young girl who was accidentally fed moonlight by a witch, giving her magical powers. In a world filled with magic, monsters, and witches, Luna must learn to control her magic, understand her true origins, and challenge the misconceptions and fears of her world.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Violence and peril; themes of sacrifice; loss of a parent; death of a loved one; witchcraft and magic; use of ableist language regarding mental health

Kelly Barnhill, Author

• Bio: Born in 1973; worked as a teacher, park ranger, and waitress before becoming a writer; writes middle-grade novels and short stories; focuses on themes of magic and nature in her works
• Other Works: The Witch’s Boy (2014); Iron Hearted Violet (2012); Dreadful Young Ladies and Other Stories (2018)
• Awards: Newbery Medal (2017); Texas Bluebonnet Award (2017)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• The Relationship Between Sorrow and Hope
• Knowledge and the Repression of Ideas: The Power of Stories
• The Consequences of Repressed Memory
• Transformation: Growing Up and Changing
• The Strength of Hope and Family Bonds
• The Cycle of Creation and Death

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Explore background information on folk stories and symbolism to increase their engagement with and understanding of The Girl Who Drank the Moon.
• Read/study short, paired texts and other resources to deepen their understanding of themes related to The Relationship Between Sorrow and Hope, Knowledge and the Repression of Ideas: The Power of Stories, The Consequences of Repressed Memory, Transformation: Growing Up and Changing, The Strength of Hope and Family Bonds, and The Cycle of Creation and Death.
• Demonstrate their understanding of the bird symbolism used in the novel by creating their own paper bird containing a message of hope.
• Analyze the significance of various literary elements, such as imagery, description, language, characterization, plot detail, and symbolism, and construct essay responses that connect these ideas to the author’s message.