New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

Meyer, Stephanie. New Moon.

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; 2009,

ISBN: 0316075655.

Reader’s Annotation

When Edward decides that he has to leave Bella in order to keep her safe, Bella finds comfort in her friendship with Jacob, then soon finds out a problem--he's werewolf.

Plot Summary

In this sequel to Twilight, Bella and Edward are still together, still in love.  They even host a family celebration of Bella’s 18^th birthday.  While opening a present, Bella accidentally cuts her finger, and the scent of her blood, pushes Jasper out of control.  He tries to attack Bella, and though Edward stops him, Edward decides that his relationship with Bella is too dangerous for her.  He and his family move away, leaving Bella devastated.  Depressed and lonely, Bella manages to get through the next few months.  She grows closer to her friend Jacob Black, and comes to enjoy spending time with him.  However, Bella never stops missing Edward.  She discovers that when she does something risky or dangerous, she can “hear” Edward in her head, and she’s then hooked.  While spending so much time with Jacob, Bella discovers that he, and others on the reservation are werewolves.  When two vampires comes after Bella, they protect her.  Meanwhile, Edward gets it into his head that Bella died, and now he doesn’t want to live without her.  He head to Italy to seek an end to his life in one of the only ways a vampire can die—at the hands of the Volturi, or vampire royalty.  Alice and Bella rush to Italy to save Edward.  But will that make it in time?  And what to become of Bella?

Critical Evaluation

While the sequel has a slower pace than Twilight, some aspects are entertaining.  Primarily, Jacob’s transformation into a werewolf was imaginatively portrayed by Meyer.  She manages to capture the confusion and sadness that torments Jacob.  His personality is his best feature though—with his wit and more cheerful outlook.  He makes Bella keenly aware that vampires and werewolves are mortal enemies, though.  And he’s fiercely protective of Bella.  Much of the novel is spend on Bella missing Edward, which gets pretty old, but as the pace picks up, the story gets back on track.  In true Romeo and Juliet form, Bella races to save Edward from the same fate as Romeo.

Information about the Author

It was a dream that changed Stephanie Meyer’s life.  When she awoke on June 2, 2003, she had vivid characters in her mind that she couldn’t stop thinking about.  This stay-at-home mother of three boys found time her and there in her busy schedule to write the story, and three months later, she finish Twilight.  With only her sister aware that she had written a book, Meyer sent it off to the publisher where it went into a slush.  It was eventually discovered, published and became one of the most talked about books. For more information, go to: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/index.html

Genre

Horror

Romance

Curriculum Tie-ins

None

Booktalk  Ideas

1. Edward or Jacob?
2. Discuss Bella response to Edward's rejection.
3. How do you think the werewolf/vampire conflict will play out?

Reading level/Interest age

Young Adult

Challenge Issues/Challenge Response Ideas

Violence

• Be ready with a copy of the library’s selection policy.
• Understand the history of challenges for this particular work.
• Be familiar with similar works in the collection.
• Refer to YALSA's 2007 Teens Top Ten

Why I included this work

After Twilight, you kind of want to find out what happens next!

Great Quotes from the Book:

"Time passes. Even when it seems imposible. When each tick of the second hand aches like the pulse of blood behind a bruise. It passes unevenly in strange lurches and dragging lulls, but pass it does. Even for me."