The Moon Without Stars
by Chanel Miller
Intermediate, Middle School    Philomel    256 pp.
1/26    9780593624555    $17.99

The author of Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All (rev. 7/24) here unfolds heavier themes for a slightly older audience with her signature heartwarming humor. Luna Noon, a biracial Chinese American tween living in the Bay Area, and her quiet, quirky friend Scott develop a bibliotherapy program at school. They collect notes from classmates who face all kinds of issues, big and small, and offer books to ease the problems. The program takes off, successfully helping several kids, supported by Luna and Scott’s special rapport and by the relatability of the adolescent issues (crushes, acne, periods) about which their classmates inquire. But friendships shift in middle school, and soon Luna is part of a popular, mean-girl crowd, wearing mascara, shoplifting, and leaving Scott behind. Worse, the bibliotherapy program has devolved into “fix-it zines” that highlight girls’ worst qualities, eventually alienating Luna and triggering a depressive episode. Luna’s journey back to herself takes time, grace, and the support of adults and peers who see her true worth. Miller has crafted a sensitive, authentic voice for the protagonist, who must confront all-too-familiar instances of bullying and also cope with her mother’s mental health battles and her distant dad. Readers will find comfort in the moments of levity and small acts of kindness in the story that balance these darker plot lines while also knowing that they, like Luna’s bibliotherapy subjects, are not alone.

From the January/February 2026 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.