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Dec 29, 2007

Elizabeth rated it:

As 2007 went on I started to hear more and more people talking up, "Red Moon Over Sharpsburg", by Rosemary Wells. It was low buzz, but sometimes low buzz is exactly the flavor of buzz that turns into awards and prizes later on down the road. Maybe this book was going to turn out to be some kind of surprise dark horse hit later in the year! I couldn't take the chance of not reading it, so it was plucked from my library's shelves and devoured on a long plane ride. Sadly, it is not the bu More...

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Dec 19, 2007

Abby rated it:

When we first meet our main character, India Moody is 12 years old. She'd rather run with the boys and play their war games than sit inside with the girls. She likes school and is actually disappointed when the school is shut down because their teacher goes off to fight for the Confederates. With school shut down and the war picking up speed, India's best friend moves north to Oberlin, Ohio where there is a college that accepts women. India begins studying with Emory Trimble, a scientist who sha More...

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Nov 29, 2008

Lia rated it:

Wells has obviously done a lot of research for this book. And it shows. Sometimes to good effect, but often to poor effect. Much of the book reads slowly, with each character obviously serving an illustrative purpose (this is the character who is the trouble-maker, this is the one who mothers the main character, this is the brilliant young scientist, etc.). The main character doesn't quite work. She gets away with just about anything and everything, and no one seems to be really concerned about More...

8 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 20, 2011

Andy rated it:

The American Civil War was a tumultuous time of change. The war killed people and brought destruction and devastation to the land. It also changed attitudes and ideas, about slavery, science and medicine, and women. 12-year-old India Moody is an unusually strong heroine very much ahead of her time. Her town of Berryville, Virginia is altered when the war begins—schools close, many people flee, and others enlist to fight in the Confederate Army. India’s mother wants her to learn scripture, h More...

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Jun 12, 2010

Darla rated it:

(Genre:teen historical fiction) This is the story of 12 year old India, a young girl whose father is a harness maker in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. Her family and her neighbors get caught up in the early excitement of the Civil War and many of the men and young men enlist in the Confederate Army in the belief that the war will be over within 3 months. Disillusionment begins to appear as the war lasts longer than they expect and as the casualties hit close to home. India is a strong-willed More...

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Jan 19, 2010

Alex rated it:

When we first meet our main character, India Moody is 12 years old. She'd rather run with the boys and play their war games than sit inside with the girls. She likes school and is actually disappointed when the school is shut down because their teacher goes off to fight for the Confederates. With school shut down and the war picking up speed, India's best friend moves north to Oberlin, Ohio where there is a college that accepts women. India begins studying with Emory Trimble, a scien More...

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Sep 11, 2010

Chris rated it:

I must have really liked this story of a southern girl during the Civil War because I stayed up late two nights in a row to finish it. India Moody is smart and tomboyish, two things not looked upon nicely in Virginia in 1861. The story develops two themes: India's desire to resist the whaleboned corsets and meek married life that seem to await her and instead go to Oberlin College and the horrors wrought on her family and town by the war. From an adult perspective, parts of the story may seem si More...

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Feb 04, 2012

Karen rated it:

Excellent historical fiction. This is the story of India Moody, a harness-maker's daughter living in Virginia as the Civil War erupts. It is her story of growing up wanting more from life than the ability to cook, clean and "write thank you letters." India has a talent for science and chemistry, and is tutored by her wealthy godmother's asthmatic son Emory-- who has very modern ideas about what causes disease and how to treat and prevent infections. Neither Emory's nor India's bel More...

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Oct 24, 2011

08garrettm rated it:

Summary:
India Moody is living in the time of the Civil war. There are sacrifices that have to be made and which makes life hard. There is no school, and India's father must go to war. For her schooling India must be taught a family friend's son, Emory Trimble. Emory is a scientist, and when India is interested, decides to teach her.
As time goes on, more sacrifices and problems arise. India must move along with her family. This story is about sacrifice and gain.
Who I'd recommend th More...

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Aug 28, 2009

Lincolnwood Public LIbrary rated it:

Meh-I didn't love the book, and I can't quite figure out why. It may just not have been the right book for me at the right time. It was a well written,vivid portrayal of life during the civil war, highlighting what the opportunities (or lack their of) that were available for women at the time. It also included lots of interesting information about the state of medicine at the time. The book received a star review from SLJ, Booklist, and even Kirkus--so just because I didn't love it doesn't mean More...

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Mar 27, 2009

Caroline rated it:

Meh-I didn't love the book, and I can't quite figure out why. It may just not have been the right book for me at the right time. It was a well written,vivid portrayal of life during the civil war, highlighting what the opportunities (or lack their of) that were available for women at the time. It also included lots of interesting information about the state of medicine at the time. The book received a star review from SLJ, Booklist, and even Kirkus--so just because I didn't love it doesn't mean More...

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Jun 05, 2009

John rated it:

I don't really know what I think about this book. It doesn't glorify war, but it kind of glorifies the southern cause in the Civil War. All the southerners agree that slavery is wrong, but none of them want to do anything about that. Instead, they all want to fight against the north, whom they all agree will win (and should win). It reads like an apology for the south. Being from the south and being easily offended at those who take easy pot-shots at the south, I don't feel comfortable with More...

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Aug 19, 2008

Yara rated it:

I couldn't decide between a four and a five. A beautiful book.

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Oct 27, 2009

Kelly rated it:

Girls in particular will like this novel that follows, India, a 14-year old heroine of the proud Southern tradition. Raised in meager means amongst the South's more prosperous residents, India lives a life of tempted privilege -- she has the desire, personality, and talent to accomplish great things, but lacks the money or social status to do so on her own.

When the Civil War breaks out, her best friend moves north with her family to escape what is sure to come, but India stays in More...

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Aug 05, 2011

Shannon rated it:

* WELLS, Rosemary. Red Moon at Sharpsburg. 238p. Viking. Apr. 2007. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-670-03638-7. LC number unavailable.

Gr 7 Up--One word describes 13-year-old India Moody-perseverance. She has heard of a college in Ohio that accepts women and is determined to go there, an unthinkable dream for a girl in 1862. She is tutored by her neighbor, Emory Trimble, an eccentric scientist who teaches her about biology and chemistry, and with whom she later forms a romantic relationship. More...

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Nov 07, 2008

Maryellenmrphy rated it:

Used to read Rosemary's books for kids religously back in the day-had no idea she wrote novels for young adults too. Very glad I found out though, I couldn't put this book down (literally, my boyfriend was giving me a weird look last night because I was carrying it around trying to finish it while getting ready for bed). We just finished this one for Children's lit as well. I like the protagonist because she's a headstrong teenage girl who insists on playing with the boys and learning what were More...

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Feb 02, 2010

Jenny rated it:

The first thing I noticed as I began to read this book was the simple writing. There was nothing even remotely complex in the writing. I was surprised and the style actually irritated me, but I thought that perhaps Wells was using a writing technique where the complexity of the writing would grow as her narrator grows up. I was mistaken, and the writing style irritated me right through the end of the novel. It was only when I realized that this is the same Rosemary Wells who writes the charm More...

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Dec 27, 2007

LFPL Teen Services rated it:

Imagine life as you know it changes forever as neighbor fights against neighbor, brother against brother, and troops of strange and menacing men take over your town, land and home. This is what happens to India Moody and her family and friends in their small Virginia community during the Civil War, the bloodiest war in American history.

Just weeks before her birth, India’s father, a modest blacksmith, help saves the life of rich, land-owning neighbor, Calvin Trimble. Calvin swears to More...

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Jan 06, 2008

Jane rated it:

I love Rosemary Wells books for younger children and she has not disappointed me in the historical novel for Young Adults.
One of my favortie books is Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt which is the story of a young southern boy coming of age during the Civil War. Red Moon at Sharpsburg can be viewed as the counterpart story, a coming of age story of a young girl from a working class family in Virginia during the Civil War. India is 12 when the story begins and is 16 as the story ends. The More...

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Feb 12, 2008

Betsy rated it:

India Moody, a young teen when the Civil War breaks out, is an inquisitive, bright young woman with very few options to advance her education. Her world changes significantly when war breaks out and her teacher enlists. She is be tutored in the ways of moral upright Southern womanhood. All of this changes as she becomes interested in the scientific experiments of her tutor & son of her godparents, Emory Trimble. As the war progresses we see the toll that it takes on both soldiers and their famil More...

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Mar 07, 2011

Rhea rated it:

This book was a good read. I finished it quickly, and found it to be a page turner. Maybe it's the nerdy biologist in me, but I just plain like books about girls who love biology. I found myself wishing that India was a real girl, who really lived, instead of a fictional character. Don't you think that's the best kind of historical fiction....the kind that you can't tell whether it's a true story or not? Red Moon was that for me.

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Jan 10, 2011

Amy rated it:

A truly fantastic piece of historical fiction! This book was extremely well-researched and gave a very poignant portrait of the Civil War for those living, fighting, and dying for the Confederacy. Every event has multiple stories and this does a great job humanizing those that are often portrayed as the "enemies" in the Civil War. It definitely is not for children younger than 13 or 14 years old...there are some very vivid descriptions of battles and those suffering. The only slight he More...

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Mar 20, 2011

Michele rated it:

I know there is some controversy regarding the discussion of antibiotics in a book that takes place during the Civil War. However, I'd like to leave it as possible that there were scientists exploring the ideas of germs at this time, primarily because I liked the book so much. I loved how war is shown as particularly pointless. The book finds a beautiful balance between the horror and beauty of humanity.

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Apr 05, 2010

Monta rated it:

Civil War historical fiction. Really quite good. It's interesting to note that the North and the South often had different names for the same battles. This is what we commonly call Antietam. Quite a good story from a young southern girl's point of view. Quick read. A little slow coming off of Hunger Games and Catching Fire (I read these 3 in a row, in 2 days).

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Oct 14, 2009

Sue rated it:

YA book that was outstanding! It was told from the point of view of a young southern girl, India Moody, as she sees the Civil War unfold in her life. We understand how much war affects even the most innocent, perspective, and the life of the southerner in the middle of that horrible war. It was a fantastic story.

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Dec 04, 2007

Gwen the Librarian rated it:

Well-written and well-researched, this is a nice and different take on the South in the Civil War.

India Moody is 12 when the Civil War comes to Virginia. All of the local boys can't wait to join the rebel army and India's pa joins too. School is closed, so India goes to study with a neighbor, Emory Trimble, whose health has kept him out of the war. Emory is a student of the emerging field of chemistry and teaches India all kinds of "men's science" about bacteria, penicillin More...

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Feb 17, 2009

Holly rated it:

This beautiful book describes life in Northern Virginia during the Civil War is clear, unflinching prose that is both painful and beautiful. The author achieved her purpose is showing war for what it is - and never to be pumped full of glamour and glory. This was an evening well spent, my mind is still at work. I disliked the ending however. It was abrupt... and I kept waiting for more chapters.

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Jan 28, 2012

Bethany rated it:

This book is neat in that I got to relearn some Civil War history through it. It is a good story and provides a very sobering and (I assume) realistic picture of the horrors of war, which I would be surprised to find treated so well in a book for adults.

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Dec 11, 2008

Barb rated it:

India Moody is touched in many ways by the Civil War as her Virginia town sees soldiers, wounded and deprivation. When her tutor and her father are drawn into the war India faces the battlefield to save the people she loves.

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Feb 19, 2009

Cindy rated it:

Set during the Civil war, this books provides and interesting look at the war from those living and fighting for the south. This is an interesting story about a young lady that goes against the societal pressures to read scriptures, and and developing her skills to become a wife and Mother. India Moody is very interested in the sciences and loves to learn. Her parents ask a young gentleman to become her tutor, and she is drawn to his knowledge of the sciences. Then her life takes a drastic t More...

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