The Moonstones

by Jean Thesman

Jane's decision to sneak out of the house and go with Carey and his friends to the old amusement park leads to unexpected family problems as Jane soon learns that she has lost the trust of her beloved mother.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Romance

208 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1998

About the author

Jean Thesman was a widely read and award-winning American author known for her young adult fiction, with a career spanning over 25 years. Her novels often explored themes of family, identity, and belonging, frequently featuring heroines who find their place in the world by uncovering truths about their families and forming chosen connections. “I loved telling the story,” she once wrote, “because I really believed that families were made up of the people you wanted, not the people you were stuck with.”
Born with a passion for storytelling and literacy, she learned to read before starting school and recalled having to wait until she was six years old before being allowed her first library card. Throughout her career, she authored around 40 books, most under her own name but a few under the pseudonym T.J. Bradstreet.
Thesman published a wide range of novels for teens and middle-grade readers, including stand-alone works such as The Rain Catchers, Calling the Swan, and Cattail Moon, as well as series like The Whitney Cousins, The Birthday Girls, and The Elliott Cousins. Her lyrical style, emotional depth, and strong female characters earned her a loyal readership. Notable works like The Ornament Tree and In the House of the Queen’s Beasts remain particularly admired for their nuanced storytelling and emotional resonance.
She was a longtime resident of Washington state and an active member of The Authors Guild and the Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Jean Thesman passed away in 2016 at the age of 86, leaving behind a significant legacy in young adult literature.

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting and infuriating read... I read it in one day.
It's been a while since I've hated a character so much, that I wanted to reach in and smack
that person on the face.

*SPOILERS*


I really hated the characters Aunt Norma & Ricki. I wish someone had smacked them
both! They never shut up! What a headache it'd be to be around them...
They complained about EVERYTHING! My gosh...

Carey was a nice character. I wish there were more details and dialogue of his conversations
with Jean. The romance was cute, but the book felt too short. There was potential for more scenes...
Owen was a unique breath of fresh air... his humor was great! I was laughing a lot.
That helped balance out the horror that was Norma and Ricki...

[ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book walked, so Wattpad could run

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, quick read-

[Moonbean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another Under The Radar Gem! The Moonstones was a lovely little summery romance between two very unlikely characters.

When cautious, careful Jane travels with her mother to Royal Bay, a desolate seaside town near Puget Sound, to help get her late grandmother's estate in order, the last thing she expects to find is love. Then she catches a glimpse of Carey, a local boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Although the two are opposites, there is an undeniable attraction between them at first sight. But a romance may never happen. Carey and his friends hang out each night at an abandoned amusement park, a place Jane's mother forbids her to go. Besides, Jane and her mother will be leaving soon to go back to Seattle...

Then comes the arrival of Jane's Aunt Norma and cousin Ricki, who is wild, daring, and just about as mean as a mean girl can get. Ricki convinces Jane to sneak out and go to the amusement park. Here, she gets to know Carey. A true summer romance between the two of them begins to blossom. But not all is sunshine and sandcastles. A vicious family drama between Jane's mom and aunt is revived--and this unpleasant history threatens to repeat itself with Jane and Ricki. With so much tension back at grandmother's house, Jane's only escape is her forbidden meetings with Carey. But is even this bright spot safe?

Although dated (no cell phones, no texting, no internet, no email), The Moonstones is a lovely little romance. The interaction between Carey and Jane is innocent enough to be recommended to younger readers, but older readers will appreciate the dynamics. Plus, there's enough drama to keep fans of The Clique and Gossip Girl interested.

[Salsabrarian]

While Jane and her mother prepare her grandmother’s house for an estate sale, Jane and her cousin Ricki sneak out at night to the carnival where Jane secretly meets Casey, a boy she met. Also, a side story of her petty, spoiled, inconsiderate aunt and cousin who join Jane and her mother to “help†clean the house.

[Asenath · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really like her writing style. All her characters fall in love and then have to leave. The ending left some unanswered questions though...

[Mísee J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite books when I was in middle school