Moonboy

By Anna Ciddor

Reviewed by Jenny Ruge

Moonboy is the latest time-travelling adventure from multiple award-winner Anna Ciddor, author of The Boy Who Stepped Through Time and A Message Through Time. With over 50  books to her credit, Ciddor is well-known for her compelling family stories as well as intriguing fantasy adventures.

Ten-year-old Letty is staying with her Nan and visiting Grampa, recently confined to an aged care home. When Letty finds Grampa’s old treasure box she slips to 1969, right into the middle of the excitement around the Apollo 11 mission and the first moon landing. Letty meets Keith, a.k.a. Moonboy, and stumbles upon the key to Grampa’s failing memory. A new hairstyle and a change of name give Letty (now Charlotte) the courage to reinvent herself, allowing old friendships to evolve and new ones to blossom. The only problem is her trips to the past seem to be changing history! Will disaster strike? And when an unfortunate incident prevents Letty from fulfilling her promise to return one last time, she fears she may have lost Moonboy forever.

Letty’s wonder at out-dated household items and differences in technology, as well as Keith’s tendency to speak in old Australian sayings — ‘Holy Moly!’ — inject humour that balances the more serious themes in the novel. With admirable attention to historical detail, Ciddor cleverly uses excerpts from radio and TV broadcasts of the time to capture the thrill and tension of the moon landing, catapulting readers right into the action. And isn’t that what all good time-slip novels do? Bring the excitement and fascination of long-gone times to life for the current generation? To broaden understanding and open discussions? In Moonboy, Anna Ciddor achieves this perfectly.

But Moonboy is so much more than a riveting time-slip adventure. It’s a sensitively-written novel about dealing with dementia, gently exploring the emotional turmoil of losing a loved one before they’re truly gone. It’s about growing up and seeing people for who they really are, and the power of love and understanding. The result is a moving blend of history and family that’s sure to enchant readers. Highly recommended for middle-grade readers, ages 8-12.

Allen & Unwin 2025

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Anna Ciddor