Burying the Moon

Latika may be young, and she may be ‘only’ a girl, but she is strong and independent, overcoming her fears and fighting for her beliefs in this intense and moving novel by Andrée Poulin. While the boys have freedom to run and play and go to school, Latika’s days are defined by long walks to the river each morning to fetch water for the family and evenings spent weaving baskets with her sister. So far, Latika can still attend school, and this is where she is happiest, but she knows that this privilege will soon end as she approaches her twelfth birthday.

Perhaps the most difficult aspect of Latika’s life and the core of the story is the lack of access to toilets in her village, a reality that forces the women and girls to wait until dark to do their business in a field. The moon is more of an enemy than a friend when these women seek darkness and privacy. Thus, Latika hates the moon and would simply like to “bury” it. When an engineer visits to discuss digging a well for the villagers, Latika sees that change is possible and can make a huge difference in peoples’ lives. She summons up her courage to speak to the engineer and finds that he is open to listening. Her dreams are realized when other engineers return with instructions to build toilets in the village. Despite her age and gender and the lack of any support from the village asarpanch, Latika has the courage to name the Shame and force an important change. Life for her, for the women in her family, and for the rest of the village will never be the same.

Andrée Poulin tells this incredible story in verse which, although seeming simple, manages to convey important facts as well as give readers a sense of character and place. Young readers will enjoy the story, and those with reading difficulties will find that there are few words on a page and plenty of white space. Particularly important are the amazing illustrations of Indian illustrator Sonali Zohra. Her colourful artwork, illustrating both the characters of the story and everyday life in the village, gives the book texture and depth.

In brief notes at the end of the book, Poulin points out that 4.2 billion people around the world lack access to proper sanitation facilities. She underscores the link between this fact and ongoing issues of health, safety and even education, particularly for girls and women.

Burying the Moon is an entertaining and informative book, but, more than that, Poulin dares her readers to take action by bringing attention and awareness to an important global issue which would not take a great deal of expertise or money to overcome. Her book is motivating, and her final comment about World Toilet Day on November 19 helps raise public awareness. While the intended audience is junior age school students, the book would be a valuable resource for intermediate and senior students and even adult readers who are more likely to have the financial and political resources to change this situation and make the world a better place for billions.