Claire By Moonlight. Lynne Kositsky. Toronto, ON: Tundra Books, 2005. 272 pp., pbk., $14.99. ISBN 0-88776-659-5. Subject Headings: Acadians—Expusion, 1755—Juvenile fiction. Loyalty—Juvenile fiction. Nova Scotia—History—1713-1775—Juvenile fiction. Grades 7-9 / Ages 12-14. Review by Betsy Fraser. **½/4

excerpt:

"After the Acadians are expelled," he went on, "I'll be packed off to Fort Edward and you'll live in Pisquid by the garrison." After the Acadians are expelled. It was as if he'd said, "After the carrots are cooked," or, "After the fence is fixed." As if my people were just flotsam, floating across the Minas basin.

Claire finds herself in a difficult position in her family. She is frustrated with her maman who is giving their entire family a bad name by being over-friendly with the English soldiers and neglecting her duties at home. Those duties have fallen to Claire, who is now being over-burdened by taking care of her siblings and is not sure what will happen to her community of Grand-Pr‚ now that the rift between the English and the Acadians seems to be worsening. She knows that her brother will not forgive her for her feelings toward the one person she does trust, but she cannot seem to help herself when that one person, English soldier Sam Douglass, makes her feel the center of someone's world. This, however, proves to be just the start of Claire's journey and the beginning of a tale of survival for her. She must try to keep herself together among the ghosts of her family, never knowing where she is going and if she has done the right thing.

     This is a tale taken from a very complex part of Canadian history. It has elements that will appeal to a wide range of readers, including romance, danger, loss, and a very strong heroine who overcomes a staggering amount of adversity. This is a part of history that is not often well-explained, and here it receives a fresh viewpoint, one which might lead readers into wanting to find out more about this part of Canadian history. Claire By Moonlight is a book that would be good for public or school libraries.

Recommended.

Betsy Fraser is a librarian with Calgary Public Library.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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