Red Moon Rising

A teenager begins to question everything she thought she knew after she and her sister are kidnapped. The abductors: creatures native to the tiny, inhospitable moon on which 13-year-old Rae Darling’s colony has struggled to survive for decades. Impulsive, strong-minded Rae chafes at the religious doctrines that restrict opportunities for girls in her culture, and she’s both delighted and terrified to learn that women are prized as warriors and leaders by the so-called Cheese (real name Kihuut). Though Rae yearns to go home, she starts to enjoy her newfound acceptance, responsibility, and martial training among the Kihuut. When long-standing tensions erupt into all-out conflict, Rae has to choose which side she’s on. Holt (House Arrest) makes it easy to sympathize with Rae’s new clan, less so with the close-minded and reactionary humans from whom she was stolen. While this leads to a certain element of predictability, Holt still delivers an entertaining tale that presents some thought-provoking ethical dilemmas, while also making points about colonialism and respect for native cultures. Ages 10–14. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. (Feb.)