Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

Raoul: The book Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech opens with the quotation, "Don't judge a man until you've walked two moons in his moccasins." No, Creech's book is not about being open to different styles of footwear. It's about trying to understand people. The quotation suggests that in order to truly understand a person, you must first think about what it is like to be that person. To put it simply, everyone has a story. Even that annoying kid who insists on belching over and over again in the cafeteria has a story. Maybe he isn't getting enough attention. Maybe he thinks being a clown is the only way to get friends. Maybe he genuinely has a digestive disorder. My point, and Creech's point, is that if we knew a bit more about the people around us, we might be more understanding of one another. "So," you say, "what if I'm not interested in understanding people? What if I just want to be entertained?" Well, I didn't say Walk Two Moons wasn't entertaining as well as wise. It has suspense. Its characters are wonderful, interesting people. It also happens to be two great stories in one. Let me explain: Salamanca (Sal) Tree Hiddle is a thirteen-year-old girl on a special road trip with her grandparents. While cramped in a car for six days, Sal passes the time by telling her grandparents what she calls "an extensively strange story"—the story of her friend Phoebe Winterbottom. You see, this trip follows a difficult year for Sal—one filled with painful life changes. Phoebe was a close, entertaining, but challenging friend who was an important part of her life during this difficult time. As you begin reading, you might assume that the novel is mainly about Phoebe. However, through the story of Phoebe, readers gradually learn more and more about Sal's life. It turns out that Sal's story—a story about love, relationships, and learning to cope with life changes—is just as interesting and powerful as Phoebe's story. I don't want to give away too much information about the twists and turns the plot of this novel takes. But I will tell you one thing. As you begin the book, think about the word journey. This novel is about the journeys we can take in a car or by train, and it is also about the more personal, complicated journeys we take in life. The journeys in this book will sometimes make you sad and sometimes make you laugh, and they will always encourage you to think. Phoebe: I'll say right off the bat—I'm sometimes not great at figuring out what books mean. I have a really strong feeling from this book, though. It talks about one of my interests—astrology. No, I mean astronomy. You know—stars and planets and comets and stuff. First, let's talk about moons. Moons are heavenly bodies that circle planets. Earth has one moon—the one we see at night. Some planets have more than one moon. Now, think about the quotation that opens the novel Walk Two Moons: "Don't judge a man until you've walked on two moons wearing moccasins." This quotation really captures the magic of space travel. It is saying that everyone should have an interest in exploring outer space. By saying that people should walk on two moons, Creech must be saying that people should explore other planets, because Earth has only one moon. Get it? Not only that—people shouldn't have big, bulky boots between their feet and the moons they visit. No—they should wear soft moccasins so that they can truly experience every step they take. Don't think I don't see the symbolism in the quotation. I know it isn't talking just about men - it's talking about women, too. Maybe even children and pets as well. This book gives us hope that someday we will all be in space. I've been thinking about it so much, I feel I'm practically there already.