Moon Over Crete, The (Paperback)

by Jyotsna Sreenivasan (Author), Sim Gellman (Illustrator)

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

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Smooth Stone Press; 1st Paper, 1st Printing edition (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.com Sales Rank: #217,289 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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 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 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.