Luna

Author: Julie Ann Peters
Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.
Year Published:2004
Cost:$12.09
Other Bibliographic Info:
ISBN: 0-316-01127-4
ISBN 13: 978-0-316-01127-3
Word Count: 67,914
Reading Level:3.5
Interest Level:9-12

Plot summary:

Regan’s brother, Liam, lives a double life and Regan is the only one who knows about it. Liam assumes the role of “boy” by day and only reveals his/her true self at night. During those moments of peace when she is trying on new outfits, experimenting with different wigs, and trying various makeup techniques she calls herself Luna. Regan witnesses these moments because they always take place in Regan’s room. Regan’s own life suffers because of the time and effort it takes to keep Luna’s secret. Not only do we get to see Liam transform into Luna; we also get to see Regan transform into a confident young woman. While the ending of the book is hopeful, getting there is sometimes heartbreaking.

Issues for Being Challenge: Dysfunctional family (family problems), Sexuality (Transexuality/Transgender), and use of Profanity


Evaluation:
I did not know how I was going to react at first when I started reading this book, but I ended up loving it. This book by Julie Ann Peters is such an eye-opener for me since I was not familiar about the term "transgender". This book is very unique


Reader’s annotation:

Liam transforms himself into the beautiful girl he longs to be, with help from his sister's clothes and makeup. Now, everything is about to change-Luna is preparing to emerge from her cocoon. But are Liam's family and friends ready to welcome Luna into their lives?

Review Excerpts:

Horn Book

Regan is the only one who can see her brother Liam's true self--a girl born in the wrong body. Night after night, Liam has slipped into her room to secretly transform into a girl with makeup and wigs; now he's taken a new name, Luna, signaling the greater change about to come. While this book is determined to educate, Peters succeeds in creating whole, complex characters confronting transgender issues.

ALA Booklist

Peters tells two stories in this groundbreaking novel--one about Regan, and the other about Liam, Regan's transgender brother, who is the son his father expects by day but a young woman, Luna, by night. Fiercely protective of Liam/Luna, Regan has put her life on hold; she worries about her brother's female self being discovered and the family's reaction, and she fears that her brother may someday give in to despair. While Regan wonders if she will ever be able to have a life separate from the needs of her sibling, Liam seriously begins to consider a permanent change. Peters isn't putting forward a political agenda here. Rather, she's bringing the circumstances surrounding a difficult situation to light, and her sensitively drawn characters realistically encompass a wide range of reactions--from tentative acceptance by a best friend to Mom's feigned ignorance and Dad's total disbelief. The subject matter and occasional rough language will undoubtedly raise some eyebrows, but this book belongs in most YA collections.

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-"Yeah, I loved her. I couldn't help it. She was my brother." Regan has always been there for her transgender brother, Liam, sacrificing her needs for his, but when he announces that he is ready to "transition" into Luna permanently, Regan is not sure she can handle the consequences. She has been his confidant all her life, letting Luna dress in her room, buying underwear for her when Liam couldn't, and giving support. However, when the attractive new guy in chemistry class shows an interest in Regan, she wishes her sibling would just go away and give her a chance to live her own life. Liam realizes that in order for his sister to be free, he, too, must free himself to become the woman who lives inside him. Told from Regan's point of view in the present and in flashback, this novel breaks new ground in YA literature with a sensitive and poignant portrayal of a young man's determination to live his true identity and his family's struggle to accept Luna for who she really is.-Betty S. Evans, Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Author's website: http://www.julieannepeters.com/

Keeping You a Secret

Author: Julie Anne Peters

Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.
Cost:$12.21 (Hardcover)
Other Bibliographic Info.:
ISBN:0-1316-00985-7
ISBN 13:978-0-316-00985-0
Word Count: 60,892
Reading Level:3.5
Interest Level: 7-12

Plot Summary:
This book by Julie Ann Peters is about a young teenager by the name of Holland in her last semester of high school when a new girl comes to her school named Cece. Holland is intrigued. She finds herself attracted to CeCe, but none of her friends understand, especially her boyfriend.

After Holland falls for CeCe, she gets outed to the entire school and her mother kicks her out of the house. We're supposed to believe that her love for CeCe makes it all worth it, but it sure doesnt' feel that way.

Holland's mom has high hopes and expectations for Holland and when she comes out, all that changes. Holland's Mom had her own struggles with her family and you would think she would come around in the end, but she does not.

Issues for Being Challenged:Issues that might get this book challenged are issues of homosexuality,

Evaluation:

This is another great work by Julie Ann Peters. I personally thought that the book gave a realistic portrayal of what high school is like for most teens especially teens faced with the issue of homosexuality. The author does a great job in making the characters especially Holland come to life in her writing. Keeping You a Secret by Julie Anne Peterson is one young woman's coming out and what that means in her life.


Reader's Annotation:

Holland Jaeger’s mother has Holland’s life all planned out. She wants Holland to go to the perfect college, marry a perfect boy and have a perfect life. Holland has gone along with her mother’s plan all her life, student body president, wonderful boyfriend, until the day she meets Cece. Cece baffles Holland. She finds herself thinking about Cece all the time and going out of her way to see her. Cece is an out and proud lesbian and the way she makes Holland feel causes her to question everything she ever thought she was. Eventually, Holland can’t deny her feeling for Cece anymore, but when the girls decide to keep their relationship a secret, it could destroy them both.



Excerpt from the Book:

First time I saw her was in the mirror on my locker door. I'd kicked my swim gear onto the bottom shelf and was reaching to the top for my calc book when she opened her locker across the hall. She had a streaked blond ponytail dangling out the back of her baseball cap.

Great. Now I was obligated to rag on her for violating the new dress code. Forget it, I decided. My vote—the only dissenting one in the whole student council—still counted. With me, anyway. People could come to school buck naked for all I cared. It wasn't about clothes.

We slammed our lockers in unison and turned. Her eyes met mine. "Hi," she said, smiling.

My stomach fluttered. "Hi," I answered automatically. She was new. Had to be. I would've noticed her.

She sauntered away, but not before I caught a glimpse of her T-shirt. It said: IMRU?
Am I what?

She glanced back over her shoulder, the way you do when you know someone's watching. That's when it registered—the rainbow triangle below the message. My eyes dropped. Kept her in sight, though, as she disappeared around the corner.