Draw Down the Moon

Gr 7 Up–Fans of the authors’ House of Night and J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series will love this fantasy set in the Pacific Northwest. Wren is celebrating a prank with her best friend, Lee. He snaps a picture as Wren turns 18, posing in front of the soapy water fountain. After years of adjusting to having no magic, Wren feels the power of the moon awaken in her body. As she and Lee return to her uncles’ house the next morning, they find Dean Rottingham from Academia de la Luna explaining how Wren will be leaving for Moon Isle and the school to begin training in her new magical powers. Her mundane (non-magical) uncles are persuaded to keep the secret of magically “moonstruck” people and allow Wren to go. As Lee, Wren, and Samantha (her other best friend) settle into school life, meet the Lunar Council, and find out about the Elemental spirits that protect the island, Wren gets strange vibes from some of the council. She starts to wonder what’s really going on at the school, and what it has to do with its history, deaths, and the Elementals. As much as Wren is determined to find out the truth, Lee is determined to follow the rules. Written from alternating perspectives, this fantasy centers around characters dealing with changes in their relationship and a mystery critical to just about every aspect of their lives.