Moondancer

Moondancer
by Margaret Rostkowski
Browndeer Press
San Diego, CA
1995
ISBN: 0152001948Plot Summary:
Miranda and her sister Jenny accompany their cousin Emily and her college friend Max on a hiking trip to research the paths, caves, and waterways surrounding a female pioneer who lived alone in the desert. As the trail moves down further into the depths of the caves and desert, Miranda begins to feel a deeper connection to Katie and her neighboring Native Americans. The cave drawings they discover, and her burgeoning sympathies with Max lead to feelings of transformation and rejuvenation.
Critical Evaluation:
Rostkowski weaves the historical tale of Katie into the current story of Miranda in a way that produces a deeper understanding of both. Miranda's quest to discover more knowledge of Katie, and her growing feelings of identification with the pioneer works to make history come alive.
Reader's Annotation:
Miranda can't wait to graduate high school and start her new life in college. However, an adventure in the desert forces her to appreciate her life in the moment, as it's lived, never forgetting all the women who came before her.
Author Info:
Margaret Rostkowski is a high school teacher and author of many YA books.
Genre:
Feminist History/ Romance/ YA Fiction
Reader Level/ Interest Age:
Middle school and up.
Booktalking Ideas:
*What does the discovery of Katie the Pioneer mean for Miranda?
*Does the journey transform Jenny like it does Miranda?
*Is Max the guide or the partner in Miranda's quest?
Challenges: No challenges foreseeable.
Why Include?: Cover beckoned. Novel's backdrop concerning the life of a solitary pioneer woman and the protagonist's cousin's academic feminist research proved beguiling.