Fatima's review:

Racial segregation and racism were and are large problems within our society. No matter how old our generations become or how much time passes, racial equality will take a much longer time to accomplish. Another large and neglectful problem is child neglect. Parents leave their children for financial or other issues. These two problems are global and, as mentioned before, will take a long time to end. How High the Moon by Karyn Parsons is a fantastic book that summarises these two problems in a beautiful, heartwarming story set in the Southern USA in 1944.

Ella lives a carefree life with her grandmother and two cousins, Myrna and Henry, in Alcolu, South Carolina. However, tensions are high. South Carolina was a major spot of racial segregation. Ella’s eleven years of life have been disturbed by the inferior treatment of ‘coloured people’ like her. Only one white family was kind to them - the Parkers, who owned a corner store in their small town. Ella’s mother was a beautiful jazz singer, living her dream life in Boston. Ella never knew who her father was. In the summer, Ella’s mother Lucille sends her a letter asking her to stay with her in Boston. Ella is ecstatic, but she finds out that her mother barely has time for her and soon finds out she has a job offer in New York, sending Ella back to Alcolu. Despite the freedom of black people and higher racial equality in Boston, Ella is happy to be back home.

However, the worst surprise welcomes her back. One of her good friends, George Stinny Jr, who was also Myrna’s boyfriend, was wrongly sentenced to death for the murder of two white girls. Not only that, but Ella is also restless to find out who her father is after discovering a potential clue. George is later executed by the electric chair at only the age of fourteen. Everyone was devastated, but Ella and her family learn to face the music and accept life as it is , and ignore the views of the racist.

In conclusion, this was one of the most heartwarming stories I have read. I would recommend this book to ten to twelve year olds, however it is not for the fainthearted. This book contains many harsh and violent scenes. However, these violent parts quickly turn into sweet and touching parts. One of my favourite parts was when Ella runs away to a creek after too much emotional stress and gets kidnapped and assaulted by a group of white teenage boys. However, she is is rescued by Mr Parker. In addition, this book successfully voices the different opinions of black people doing the tough times of the 1940s. Karyn Parsons is also a great author for this topic due to her mother’s experience in segregated America.

Anna's review:

As part of the Young Quills initiative, I read the historical fiction book How High the Moon, by Karyn Parsons. The novel pivots around a young biracial girl named Ella, who lives in a segregated southern town called Alcolu, in the USA.

I enjoyed this book immensely. The characters are clear and well thought out, the story has a variety of detailed settings and challenges, and the writer has presented a well-informed, historically accurate description of racism in 1944.

The story also routinely switches perspectives, between Ella and her friends. This idea helped me sympathize with the situation: and after devouring the book in an afternoon, I felt like I'd lost a friend.

And, although the story is written in a first-person narrative, the inferences and situations are conveyed well, despite the age of the storyteller(s). I knew exactly what was happening, even if the narrator didn't. This issue is an incredibly difficult thing to do, but I felt that the writer managed to carry this off with aplomb.

The book is quite obviously a book meant for young teens, and I felt that all aspects of the book reflected this. The age of the target demographic should have hindered the emotional response from the reader; however, the thoughts, descriptions and dialogue created a strong empathy for the characters. And, for those readers with limited knowledge of racial prejudice in those times, the story gave an inside view to what it was really like. I have to admit I shed a few tears at the end.

I particularly felt that the character "Myrna" was done very well. In many books, grief is a tool used only when convenient, but I felt that she gave a well-rounded view of the terror and pain felt by the friends and family of the persecuted. I was particularly struck by the moment near the end when she goes off to the creek with a plate of beetroot.

However, I had one character in the book who I disliked - Henry. He was given a lot of attention in the story, but I thought that the dilemma he faced could have been construed much more easily through other means.

The book, which dealt with some very serious topics, also had moments of joy and laughter - I felt this gave the reader more opportunity to feel, and I connected to these moments, whether they be good or bad. If I had one criticism, it would be that I didn't feel like the story had begun, until around page 100. I found my mind wandering up until that point.

But I found the rest of the book very enjoyable. Although it did not end happily, the character's each got to move on, and I was happy for them. And, although you never found out who killed the two little girls, I thought this worked well: it gave you a more realistic feel of those times. A boy killed wrongly for something he didn't do - who never got justice. It carried the seriousness of the book, without creating an unsatisfying ending.

I would recommend this book, particularly for those who are learning about these times, and I shall be looking out for any more stories written by the author.

Claudia's review:

How High the Moon by Karyn Parsons is a coming of age story about the struggles of being a person of color in the mid-40s US. It’s told mainly from the perspective of 11-year-old Ella, who has just been told she can visit her jazz-singer mother in Boston. The story is then told through multiple points of view, from her cousins Henry and Myrna back in the small, racially segregated town of Alcolu, to Ella, who’s now living in a busier, more progressive city.

Everything changes, however, when family friend 14-year-old George gets arrested for the murder of two white girls. Through witty dialogue, vivid descriptions and unforeseen plot-twists, How High the Moon highlights the injustice of the past and sends a passionate message to all readers. I particularly enjoyed the difference in characters and how they all added their personal outlook and ideas throughout the novel, especially Myrna, who becomes aware of what it means to be a minority in a non-accepting community, and forces us to see first-hand the consequences of such ignorant and damaging mentalities. I think the author handled and projected the multiple issues that played out during the book in an appropriate, yet highly effective way; and all throughout the novel managed to convey the sheer horror and hatred behind many sensitive themes in a way that would touch and stimulate the audience without scaring them off the topic of segregation and racism forever. The historical aspects were relevant and accurate, and projected multiple stereotypes at the time concerning age, gender, and race.

Overall, what touched me the most about the book was the true story behind the innocent George Stinney and his not only unlawful, but heart-wrenching conviction and penalty. Although the writing could be quite simple and child-like at times, I recommend this book to anyone over the age of 10 due to the range of topics discussed.

Francesca's review:

I read this book over a weekend - it's brilliant!

It has an easy flow for reading but a tense atmosphere for the characters. The title 'How High the Moon' feels like a cliffhanger until the end but in fact it isn't. It helps and supports the black community throughout the book.

My favourite character is called Mr Parker. I like him because he is different from all of the other white people from South Carolina. He helps the black residents by making discounts in his shop, looking out for the children and generally being fair and kind. My least favourite character is the Sheriff. He is very prejudice and unfair and he doesn't give George a chance.

I would recommend this book to people who can face the terrible truth of the past without crying!

Leo's review:

The story is set in South Carolina during the Second World War

Did you enjoy the book? Why?

I didn’t really enjoy the book because I don’t like the subject but it was written well so I would prefer books on different subjects from Karyn Parsons.

Did you learn anything new about the past from the book?

I learnt that there wasn’t much race equality as I thought there was at this time.

It must have been very difficult to live as a black person in America then.

Which of the characters did you find most interesting and why?

Was the plot exciting, thought-provoking, serious, or light hearted?

The plot was quite light hearted at the start with Ella going to live with her mother but then it gets a bit more serious with the family being caught up in a murder.

What most stands out from the book?

The theme stands out to me because I haven’t read any books to do with this topic. It was interesting to learn about this period of American history. The way black people were treated I found was shocking.

Would you recommend it to other pupils?

Personally, I would recommend it to people interested in civil rights history. However I prefer novels and books about earlier history.

Did you learn any new words or facts?

I learnt more about the history of civil rights in the 20th century.

Nicholas' review:

I really enjoyed reading How High the Moon. This thrilling and exciting tale takes place during the 1940s. An eleven-year-old girl named Ella is over the moon. She has heard that her mother wants to reunite with Ella in the big city of Boston. However, what Ella didn’t realise at the start, is that by leaving to go to see her mother, she will have to make some sacrifices. She will have to leave behind not only her grandparents, but her cousin/best friend Henry. I found Henry the most interesting character and I think others might too. The reason I found him interesting is that Ella is many years younger than him but their bond is as if there is not a day between their birthdays.

Also, I learnt something new about the past. Children could just go wandering off by themselves and it wasn’t that protected. Anybody could go up to them and possibly harm then but it wasn’t that much of a problem back then. The plot was very exciting and I have to admit I was on edge for a bit of it. I would recommend it to other pupils that enjoy adventure stories mixed with a bit of history. Which is my favourite combination

To conclude, this book is very entertaining and fun to read. I give it a 4 star out of 5. The reason I have given it a 4 star, is that the slang terms are overused, and a little frustrating. I understand that the author is trying to portray an eleven-year-old girl, however it will not change the impact on the story massively if less slang was used.

Shona's review:

This week I have read a book called How High the Moon and it is by Karyn Parsons. This book may be set in the world war two period, but it is still a deeply moving story.

In 1944, in a small southern town in the United States of America, lives eleven year-old Ella. Ella spends her time running around with her cousins and friends, generally enjoying life, even though it's World War 2. But when Ella gets an invitation to see her mother, a beautiful jazz singer who lives in Boston, her life dramatically changes. Suddenly she's surrounded by lots of things she's never seen before, including a murder accusation that could dramatically change her life forever...

Simone's review:

It's quite sad and addresses an important issue but it's not very intriguing. The issue is racism in America. It tells the story of a miscarriage of justice. The book consists of snippets of people's diaries put together in order to tell the story. I'd rate it 6.5 out of 10.