The Moon Over Crete [Paperback]

Jyotsna Sreenivasan (Author), Sim Gellman (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up

The Moon Over Crete -- Novel for ages 8-12. Listed in Great Books for Girls. Lily, 11, goes back 3,500 years to ancient Crete, where women and men were equal. "Paints a picture of a society where equality is a possibility, a possibility children need to grasp." -- Women in Libraries Newsletter, ALA.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-In this feminist time-travel adventure, Sreenivasan creates a story with positive role models for girls but fails to give it enough life to make it convincing. Lily, 11, accompanies her teacher back to ancient Crete and is surprised to find an egalitarian society in which women are respected, the goddess is worshipped, and a queen is the ruler. Crete is very different indeed from her normal life where a creepy boy shows her "dirty" pictures, where girls are routinely hassled and harassed by boys, and where dieting and obsession with clothing is all her friends discuss. At first, she wants to stay in this ideal society-even though she knows the country will soon be conquered by Greece-but then she realizes that she should return to try to make life better for girls today. Empowerment is certainly a commendable goal for a novel, but the author's message lacks subtlety, and her lesson overshadows her story. Also, Lily's world is unrealistically misogynistic. The character of Mrs. Zinn (the flute teacher who casually takes her student back in history and then leaves her there) is unbelievable and the writing is flat.
Anne Connor, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

The Moon Over Crete is such a right-on book for everyone, but for girls in particular, because it calls attention to the importance of recognizing the powerful responsibility we all have in ourselves as girls, boys, women and men: to treat each others with respect and equality.

The Moon Over Crete is a well-written, timely piece of inspiration and definitely a book for everyone who wants to work towards partnership. -- Pacific Reader Literary Supplement, 1995

This book, for children of Lily's age, is simple and undemanding. Yet it paints a picture of a society where equality is a possibility, a possibility children need to grasp. Lily loves Crete so much that she wants to stay, but instead, she returns with a goal: she will do what she can to bring Cretan beliefs to modern life. This is a worthy first effort by author Sreenivasan, and a worthy book for children's collections. -- Women in Libraries Newsletter, American Library Association, 1995

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Smooth Stone Press (December 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0961940166
• ISBN-13: 978-0961940164
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,333,719 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born and raised in northeastern Ohio for the most part, although we also lived briefly in Toronto, Canada and Bangalore, India. My parents are from India. I have an MA in English literature from the University of Michigan. I lived for many years in Washington, DC, where I worked as a writer and editor for a variety of nonprofit organizations. I currently live in Moscow, Idaho and work at the University of Idaho.

For more information see my web site, Gender Equality Bookstore, www.GenderEqualBooks.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars A Teen's Point of View, May 15, 2006

By 

Kestrel - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Moon Over Crete (Paperback)

This book is a good idea that didn't make it. The author leaves so many loose ends hanging there unexplained! For example, it is never said, anywhere in the book, that they can't go back to exactly the same time twice, but just accepted as a matter of course.
The historical theories, however, are very interesting.

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, gripping, April 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Moon Over Crete (Paperback)

This is a beautifully-written book that was also gripping from the first page to the last. I actually shed a tear towards the end -- but it is not a sad book. It is an inspiring book that teaches children about an unusual subject: gender equality. I would love to see more books like this for the young girls of today.