Unhooking the Moon - Couverture souple

“Rollicking . . . poignantly wrought, concluding on a note, of hope and fraternal love.” —John Freeman Gill, The New York Times Book Review

"Unhooking the Moon is one of the best books I have ever read. The story line is so good I can't explain it in words. It is intense and has a lot of action.
I think it is a great book for growing kids."—Mattieu Pattugalann, Newsday

“Though many of Hughes' characters will sink emotional hooks into readers, Rat takes and earns center stage by glibly charming the pants off every adult, showing a winning mix of quick wits and vulnerability. . . . Rousing adventures on the not-so-mean streets, with heart aplenty.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred)

“[A] hilarious, poignant and devastatingly tragic tale of newly orphaned siblings. . . . [A] road trip tale for the ages.” —Jean Westmoore, The Buffalo News

"This is an antic, swift-paced mini-epic filled with action and adventure. As a bemused Joey asks, 'Is there ever a dull moment around you kids?' The answer, happily, is 'no.'"—Booklist

"Quirky, poignant . . . From First Nation Natives in Winnipeg to gangsters and a rap star in Manhattan, Bob and the Rat interact with a predictably wild array of characters; readers will appreciate Bob’s seesawing between his determination to protect his 'drama queen' of a sister and his frustration at her recklessness."—Publishers Weekly

“Unhooking the Moon is a delightful adventure story, off-kilter fairytale and a marvelous commentary on the strong emotional bonds between siblings. Bob and the Rat are endearing characters, the plot is engaging, and the pace is perfect.” —Terry Miller Shannon, Kidsreads.com

“The colorful characters and exciting . . . readers will be engrossed in the story right up to the unsettling conclusion. . . fast-paced and entertaining.” — Marie Orlando, School Library Journal

"Screams instant classic!" —Barbara Ellen, The Observer

"A brave, zany and warm-hearted road story." —Julia Eccleshare, The Guardian

"Memorable." —Nicolette Jones, Sunday Times

"A masterpeice among novels; a stunning tale of self-journey, friendship and loyalty . . . an absolute delight." —Chelsea Brown, Books for Keeps

"A deliciously subversive, tragic fairytale . . . it made me laugh even when I should have been crying." —Mal Peet, author of Exposure
From the Hardcover edition.

Winner of the Booktrust Teenage Prize and a finalist for The Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, a starred review  Kirkus Review praised  Unhooking the Moon as a “rousing adventure on the not-so-mean streets, with heart aplenty.”
 
When an adventurous sister-and-brother duo become orphans, a funny and heartbreaking roadtrip to New York ensues, as the pair searches for their long-lost uncle.
 
Meet the Rat: A dancing, soccer-loving, fearless ten-year-old from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Meet her older brother, Bob: Protector of the Rat, though more often than not her faithful follower, Bob is determined to build a new and better life for him and his sister in America. Of particular concern for him are his sister’s mysterious fits, which keep getting more and more severe.
 
On their adventures traveling alone from the flatlands of Winnipeg, southward across the border into America, Bob and the Rat make friends with a host of unlikely characters, including a hilarious con man and a famous rap star. As they struggle to survive in the big city, they realize that finding your uncle in New York is incredibly difficult if you have almost no information about him—even if he is rumored to be one of the city’s biggest drug dealers.
 

From the Hardcover edition.