Moon Boy

This is a New Zealand YA Fiction novel like no other. The complex weaving together of spirituality, tolerance, supernatural elements and a local kiwi tale creates an intriguing and often beguiling story. Within locally produced narratives generally, the inclusion of te reo and tikanga is growing steadily and in this book that is a wonderful addition to the story, providing insights into daily cultural elements and increased vocabulary for those who read them. Of note was the way the reo is incorporated into the dialogues seamlessly. Too often Māori language is incorporated in a stilted and highly tokenistic way. Sutcliffe manages to write with real authority and authenticity.

As a story, the outsider premise of an albino Māori boy, Eru, drives a lot of the narrative as we follow a ‘year in the life’ scenario. The otherness is apparent not only in his white complexion but also with his long blonde dreadlocks and cochlear implants. It is great to see such a strong Māori male lead.

The write up on the novel refers to him as ‘more moon than boy’ and the narrative path extends this as a technique throughout. As Eru grows in popularity at school and respect in the eyes of his step sister Kat their world will never be the same again.

As a studied text, Moon Boy brings in a significant number of helpful concepts for exploration - same sex marriages, outsiders, tikanga, bullying, and disability to name a few. The writing is strong and provides clear narrative progression points as the novel unfolds. Of particular note is the expressive use of poetic devices and original descriptions of the characters and the events within the novel.

Title: Moon Boy

Author: Kathy Sutcliffe

RRP: $25

Publisher: Submarine, an imprint of Mākaro Press

ISBN: 9780994137975

Publication: 2017

Format: Paperback

Ages: 13+

Reviewer: Chris Reed, Head of Junior English, Macleans College, Auckland

How are you recommending this book? Recommended

Opening Line: ‘Hey.’ A guy walking past my towel flashes me a white-toothed grin, his eyes sparkling beneath a floppy fringe.

You can buy this book here