Once in a Blue Moon

Ages 8 to 12, Grades 3 to 7

From the three-time Coretta Scott King Honor winner of The Skin I'm In comes the poignant story in verse about a young boy’s journey from guilt to acceptance to healing.

James Henry hasn’t been the same since that fateful night at the lighthouse when his momma went into the sea. Now months later, he is barely able to leave the house without having a panic attack, and talking to people, well, that’s just too hard. His feisty twin sister Hattie intervenes on his behalf again and again—protecting him from neighborhood bullies and an uncle who just wants him to snap out of it.

    But it's 1939, and without a local doctor to help, there’s only so much rallying Hattie can do. Finding a way back into his own life will mean confronting the truth about what happened at the lighthouse—a step James Henry isn’t sure he can take. Until a blue moon is forecast, and as Gran has said, everything is possible under a rare blue moon...

    Told in verse, this is a beautiful and ultimately uplifting story of family, healing, and redemption.

About the Author

Sharon G. Flake is the author of The Skin I’m In, which has sold over a million copies worldwide and has been translated into numerous languages. Since its publication, Flake has authored over a dozen books, winning multiple Coretta Scott King Honor Awards; ALA Notable and Top Ten Recommended Books citations, and an NAACP Image Award Nomination, among many accolades. She has been writing books from her home (and Panera’s) for over twenty years.

Author Residence: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania