Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen

The book I recommend that all of you should read is Keeping the Moon by Sarah Dessen who is a New York Times Best-Selling Author. It is about a girl whose name is Colie who is living with her rather quirky aunt for the summer because her mom is traveling the world to sell her weight loss products. Colie is very insecure about herself because of her earlier years of being overweight. So she doesn’t know what will happen when she goes to live in a complete new community and she’s scared of what people will think of her there. While she’s living there she meets two girls who try teaching her to have self respect. One of the things they tell her is, “Colie, you should never be surprised when people treat you with respect, you should expect it. Self Respect, Colie. If you believe in yourself up here it will make you stronger than you could ever imagine.” I really liked reading all of the advice they gave Colie. Another quote from the book that I really enjoyed was something Colie’s mother told her while she was talking on the phone with her. She said, “But then, somewhere along the way, I started to believe in myself. I think that being brave and self confident doesn’t necessarily start inside, honey. It starts with the rest of the world and leads back to you.” Does Colie take the advice from her friends? or does she continue to keep the attitude she already has? You must read this heart-touching novel to find out.
The recommenced reading age for this book is young adult. Other books by Sarah Dessen include The Truth About Forever, What Happened to Goodbye, Along for the Ride, and many, many more. Kirkus Reviews says, ”Dessen continues her run of engagingly cast stories about women helping each other through life-altering experiences. Former fat girl Colie Sparks arrives in her aunt’s small town physically fit but still bowed by memories of years of humiliation. Under the influence of eccentric Aunt Mira’s rock-steady self-assurance, witnessing a marvelously contentious friendship between twenty-something waitresses Morgan and Isabel, and becoming aware of shy, artistically gifted Norman—who goes from being “so not the guy for me,” to one whose smiles she feels “all the way to my toes”—Colie passes in subtly marked stages to the point where she can let her past go, although not before exacting exquisite revenge on one of her past tormenters. Rich in sharply observed relationships, deftly inserted wisdom, romances ending and beginning, and characters who are not afraid to pick themselves up and try again, Dessen’s tale will leave readers thoughtful, amused, reassured—and sorry when it concludes.”

Recommended by Becca Kennedy