Ginny Moon

Ginny Moon is the story told through the eyes of a young autistic girl.  She was taken away from an abusive home when she was nine and after a few foster living situations that did not work out she has found her, "Forever Parents". 

This is a great plot, we watch Ginny, learning to adapt to life in a home with loving parents, and go to school, fitting in with other special needs children and even participate in Special Olympics.  the amazing part of this book is that author, Benjamin Ludwig, has I think, really gotten the voice correctly on this character.  The reader really feels like they are listening to Ginny think and speak.  There is a rhythm to Ginny's speech.  There are the unique behavior patterns.  But, not only does Ludwig understand the autistic brain, he has gotten the young girl's thoughts too.  She is completely believable.

Learning to live together as a family is not easy for Ginny or her Forever Mom and Dad.  There are numerous hurtles to overcome and then there are roadblocks thrown in the way. 

Of course to add some tension to the plot, there is a secret that Ginny has not been able to convey to the people around her about the Baby Doll she left behind when she was taken away from her birth mom.  It is an obsession that Ginny cannot let go of, and she is trying to escape to retrieve her Baby Doll at every opportunity.  This adds some suspense and drama to the storyline.

This is not just an enjoyable storyline, it explores the what it is like to live inside the mind of an autistic child.  This book shows how important love, caring and respect are in changing the life of a foster child, especially one with special needs.  It also shows how much effort parent child relationships take.  How building trust and love can change lives.

Ginny Moon is a book you will not want to put down until you reach the end.