This book is one that grabbed me right away because of the description and the reviews. "Meet Ginny. She’s fourteen, autistic, and has a heart-breaking secret… Ginny Moon is trying to make sense of a world that just doesn’t seem to add up…." I had to know what Ginny's secret was, and I was really intrigued by the idea of an autistic narrator- while there have been a couple of well known books from that perspective, I haven't read a book like this before and wanted to see how that might work as a narrative choice.

Great perspective
From the start this book's perspective grabbed my attention, Ginny is autistic and it was both refreshing and challenging ( see more about this in the "Things I Struggled With" section) to read a book from such a unique perspective. Generally this is a sub genre that I really enjoy - a child narrator who doesn't quite understand what is going on, such as in "Room "by Emma Donoghue (which I loved!) In a similar way, this story has emotional weight and complexity because it is from a child's perspective. As intrigued as I was, I was also anxious starting this book. I am not familiar with very many autistic people, and I feared that Ginny's autism would be a poorly used plot device - thankfully that was not my experience with this book *at all*. Ginny's story and the narrative choices of the author were given extra weight, in my opinion, by the fact that in the acknowledgements the author mentions that he and his wife adopted a teenager with autism. Reading this book, it is both clear and important that the author has such a hands on experience with someone experiencing the same symptoms as Ginny.

Heartbreakingly frustrating
The emotion that I couldn't shake after reading when I would step away from this book was complete and total frustration that just made my heart ache. Reading I felt frustration for every character in the story. Of course for Ginny, but also for her adoptive parents, and then for the school workers, and her counselors, her classmates. It is undoubtedly frustrating at times to raise or assist someone with autism, and the author did a good job of showing how and why that happens. But more frequently during this book, that feeling was not directed at Ginny, but towards a system, and our our human nature, that seemed to constantly be working against her. I wanted even more from this part of the book. I wanted more of an understanding of how the adult characters- particularly her adoptive parents who were raising someone with autism that they adopted in a particularly difficult situation, but because the story is told through Ginny's eyes, we only really get the feelings that they openly say aloud.

Things I Struggled With
As I said at the beginning of the post, while I was initially drawn to reading this book because of my interest in an autistic narrator, ultimately it was challenging to read a book from her perspective. I had a hard time getting into "Ginny Moon" because of the narrative voice. I felt this way also with "Room" at times. In both cases, it was a brilliant choice by the author to have the child be the narrator. It certainly makes for a more interesting read and a more challenging book to write as well - but as a reader, it is hard to balance what I can acknowledge as deft choices by the author and my own desires as a reader. I had to work pretty hard sometimes to get into the book at the beginning. However once I was into the story, I would say for the last third of the book, I had a hard time putting it down! Otherwise I really enjoyed "Ginny Moon" and had few moments where reading it felt like a struggle.

I don't read a lot of adult books but I always am on the lookout for books featuring protagonists with Autism, especially girls as I feel they're very underrepresented! I'm also super pleased to discover the author was writing from his own experiences of having adopted a teen on the autism spectrum, and you can really tell how personal and well researched the book is. So pleased by that.

Although, altogether, I have to admit the book was difficult to read due to a bucketful of awful featuring parents. Even Ginny's adopted-parents ended up making horrible and screwed up decisions that just made the book super stressful. Obviously books aren't supposed to be happy frolics in the park! But it just seemed somewhat frustrating to read about this parents who should know how to look after an ASD girl but will at times be super ableist and condescending because Ginny's being herself and not meeting their expectations.

I just honestly felt every adult was rather dense and awful, although Ginny's adopted-dad was pretty lovely but ended up having a heart-attack from trying to take care of Ginny?! I kind of felt there were a lot of negative messages here about how hard it is to look after people with ASD. It can be hard, of course. But the negativity piled up and made me super sad. If this book is supposed to encourage people to take care of autistic individuals, it kind of sheds more negativity than it does positivity unfortunately.

Tension was A+ though! Even if the pacing was slow.

I also thought it was a good portrayal of Autism! It really gets into Ginny's thought process and I just really appreciated this! ASD runs in my family, so I have a lot of experience too and it's nice to see accurate portrayals. Ginny basically needs 24/7 surveillance. The only thing is: her ASD tendencies are muddied by the fact she was super abused growing up. So don't go reading this thinking: "Oh this is how ASD people think." Because you've got a ton of psychological PTSD mixed in there as well.

I think this was a fabulous exploration of Autism, adoption, and a discussion of what being "wanted" means. It wasn't an easy book to read, but I did like the ending. I just wish it'd shown more positives of autism.

A fresh and necessary perspective. Ludwig gives the reader the thrilling (and at turns frustrating) opportunity to inhabit the brain of Ginny Moon. Also, bonus: a lesson in empathy and understanding.

This debut novel was a slam dunk, this author was amazing. This novel was so good I couldn't put it down easily. I absolutely loved it and it is one of the best books I've read in a long long time

When Ginny Moon is 13 years old, she is placed in her third “forever home.” When she was nine years old, she was taken away from her drug addicted and abusive mother and sent to a series of foster homes before she finds the Moons – a family that loves her and is able to work with her quirky (autistic) personality. That is, until they begin to prepare her for the birth of her new sibling.

This impending birth has triggered something from Ginny’s past and even Ginny isn’t exactly sure what that is. All she knows is that she must get back her “baby doll” which she has left in her mother’s home in a suitcase, under the bed. As Ginny’s behavior becomes more and more erratic, her “forever mom” becomes more and more worried about the safety of her new baby and completely disengages from Ginny while her forever father tries his best to understand Ginny’s compulsive behavior.

This novel is a remarkable debut and the voice of Ginny is unique and authentic. Book club readers will not be able to put it down and will spend hours discussing family love.

Oh Ginny Moon; she just worms her way into your heart. I struggled a bit with this at first, but ended up loving the way that the author made you feel equal parts frustrated with and sympathetic to Ginny.

This is an amazing story of how an autistic fourteen year old girl who is put into the foster care system views the world. This novel really tugged at my heart strings. Benjamin Ludwig has done an excellent job of bring alive the heart and soul of an autistic child. I absolutely recommend this book as a "must read".

Interestingly told from the point of view of Ginny, a teenage girl with autism who has been adopted by her "Forever parents" but longs to go back with her abusive and drug-addicted birth mom to protect her baby sister.
An older autistic child adopted from an abusive background certainly made for an interesting narrator and point of view. However, the adults in her life, both her birth parents and her adoptive parents did not always act in Ginny's best interest, which was maddening to this reader. Clearly she was more clever than the adults in her life, but she herself often made poor decisions. As a very quirky read, I feel this would appeal to those who have special needs people in their lives.

What an absolutely wonderful book! From the very first page, this novel had my heart. I adored Ginny. The author did such an amazing job portraying her and making her come to life. While I'm no expert in working with people with autism, from my experience interacting with them, I can say that the author's depiction was pretty spot on! And on top of being so accurate, the author also created a very unique and interesting voice for Ginny. Her story is heartbreaking and I was tense throughout the entire book, as I saw Ginny struggle to find her place. This novel isn't just about Ginny. This novel is about the concept of family and the different ways it can present itself: as an abusive mother, as an absent father who believes in forgiveness, as a foster family that is trying to maintain normalcy in a situation that defies normal. And it's beautiful and tragic and amazing to see how it all works out. I can't stop talking about how much I loved this novel and I don't want to keep repeating myself so all I will say is that this novel will touch your heart and give you an interesting perspective on the term "family". I hope everyone will give this novel a shot because it is absolutely worth the time and effort!

Benjamin Ludwig did a fantastic job of capturing Ginnie’s voice — what a brave, sad complicated (and somewhat frightening) character. A very real, eye-opening story.

BEST BETS
The 7 Women’s Fiction Best Bets of May 2017
SCARLETTLEIGH

The Man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them
Mark Twain

Are you going to take advantage of this month’s list of good books? Of course, good is subjective—but every base is covered in this month’s selection. There are books to challenge the way you think; books that incorporate a sweet romance; book that are pure escapism; and books that celebrate starting over—even when the heroine of the book doesn’t think she ready for that. Grab your favorite beverage and your sunscreen and take some advantage of some “Me” time.

The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman

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Lilian Girvan has been a single mother for three years—ever since her husband died in a car accident. One mental breakdown and some random suicidal thoughts later, she’s just starting to get the hang of this widow thing. She can now get her two girls to school, show up to work, and watch TV like a pro. The only problem is she’s becoming overwhelmed with being underwhelmed.
At least her textbook illustrating job has some perks—like actually being called upon to draw whale genitalia. Oh, and there’s that vegetable-gardening class her boss signed her up for. Apparently, being the chosen illustrator for a series of boutique vegetable guides means getting your hands dirty, literally. Wallowing around in compost on a Saturday morning can’t be much worse than wallowing around in pajamas and self-pity.
After recruiting her kids and insanely supportive sister to join her, Lilian shows up at the Los Angeles botanical garden feeling out of her element. But what she’ll soon discover—with the help of a patient instructor and a quirky group of gardeners—is that into every life a little sun must shine, whether you want it to or not...
Strengths: Humorous voice; Appealing characters; Uplifting and emotionally satisfying starting over story
Measure of Love: Teaspoon
Mood: Poignant and lighthearted
Why You Should Read this: The author captures the dichotomy of moving forward, but reluctant to let go of the past perfectly. Great combination of character growth, romance and rewarding ending!

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
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Meet Eleanor Oliphant: She struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she’s thinking. Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding social interactions, where weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy.
But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen on the sidewalk, the three become the kinds of friends who rescue one another from the lives of isolation they have each been living. And it is Raymond’s big heart that will ultimately help Eleanor find the way to repair her own profoundly damaged one.
Smart, warm, uplifting, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is the story of an out-of-the-ordinary heroine whose deadpan weirdness and unconscious wit make for an irresistible journey as she realizes. . .

The only way to survive is to open your heart.
Strengths: Atypical heroine & hero; wonderful exploration of good & bad parents; Unique storyline; Uplifting ending
Measure of Love: Dash
Mood: Poignant
Why You Should Read this: Unpredictable and engrossing!

All the Best People by Sonja Yoerg
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Vermont, 1972. Carole LaPorte has a satisfying, ordinary life. She cares for her children, balances the books for the family’s auto shop and laughs when her husband slow dances her across the kitchen floor. Her tragic childhood might have happened to someone else.
But now her mind is playing tricks on her. The accounts won’t reconcile and the murmuring she hears isn’t the television. She ought to seek help, but she’s terrified of being locked away in a mental hospital like her mother, Solange. So Carole hides her symptoms, withdraws from her family and unwittingly sets her eleven-year-old daughter Alison on a desperate search for meaning and power: in Tarot cards, in omens from a nearby river and in a mysterious blue glass box belonging to her grandmother.
An exploration of the power of courage and love to overcome a damning legacy, All the Best People celebrates the search for identity and grace in the most ordinary lives.
Strengths: Complex characters; Compelling storytelling; Uplifting ending
Measure of Love: Dash
Mood: Poignant
Why You Should Read this: Wonderful exploration of a taboo topic with realistic scenarios.

The Simplicity of Cider by Amy Reichert
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Fall in love with The Simplicity of Cider, the charming new novel about a prickly but gifted cider-maker whose quiet life is interrupted by the arrival of a handsome man and his young son at her family’s careworn orchard by the author of The Coincidence of Coconut Cake and Luck, Love & Lemon Pie.

Focused and unassuming fifth generation cider-maker Sanna Lund has one desire: to live a simple, quiet life on her family’s apple orchard in Door County, Wisconsin. Although her business is struggling, Sanna remains fiercely devoted to the orchard, despite her brother’s attempts to convince their aging father to sell the land.

Single dad Isaac Banks has spent years trying to shield his son Sebastian from his troubled mother. Fleeing heartbreak at home, Isaac packed up their lives and the two headed out on an adventure, driving across the country. Chance—or fate—led them straight to Sanna’s orchard.

Isaac’s helping hands are much appreciated at the apple farm, even more when Sanna’s father is injured in an accident. As Sanna’s formerly simple life becomes increasingly complicated, she finds solace in unexpected places—friendship with young Sebastian and something more deliciously complex with Isaac—until an outside threat infiltrates the farm.
Strengths: Appealing setting; Multi-generational characters; Sweet Romance
Measure of Love: Tablespoon
Mood: Poignant & Lighthearted
Why You Should Read this: If you in the mood for a prickly heroine, and engaging hero with an artless son then this book is a perfect fit!

Meet Me at Beachcomber Bay by Jill Mansell
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When Clemency meets the brilliant Sam Adams, she could just about fall in love with him—if he weren't married. Three years later, Clemency has settled into her cozy home village of Cornwall to focus on her career. Everything is smooth sailing until Sam upends her entire life...by showing up as her stepsister's boyfriend.
Caught in the midst of a love triangle, Clemency has to pretend she's never met Sam...and choose between the love of her life and the bond of sisterhood.
Strengths: Multiple HEA storylines; Engaging characters; U.K. setting; HEA
Measure of Love: Tablespoon
Mood: lighthearted
Why You Should Read this: Because it is a perfect Chick-Lit escapism book. Light & humorous!

Confessions of a Domestic Failure by Bunmi Laditan
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There are good moms and bad moms—and then there are hot-mess moms. Introducing Ashley Keller, career girl turned stay-at-home mom who's trying to navigate the world of Pinterest-perfect, Facebook-fantastic and Instagram-impressive mommies but failing miserably.
When Ashley gets the opportunity to participate in the Motherhood Better boot camp run by the mommy-blog-empire maven she idolizes, she jumps at the chance to become the perfect mom she's always wanted to be. But will she fly high or flop?
With her razor-sharp wit and knack for finding the funny in everything, Bunmi Laditan creates a character as flawed and lovable as Bridget Jones or Becky Bloomwood while hilariously lambasting the societal pressures placed upon every new mother. At its heart, Ashley's story reminds moms that there's no way to be perfect, but many ways to be great.
Strengths: Sardonic Humor; Motherhood challenges; Imperfect Heroine; HEA
Measure of Love: Dash
Mood: Lighthearted
Why You Should Read this: Pure entertainment along with a great use of humor to challenge our societal expectations of motherhood.

Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig

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Meet Ginny Moon. She’s mostly your average teenager—she plays flute in the high school band, has weekly basketball practice, and reads Robert Frost poems in English class.

But Ginny is autistic. And so what’s important to her might seem a bit…different: starting every day with exactly nine grapes for breakfast, Michael Jackson, her baby doll, and crafting a secret plan of escape.

After being traumatically taken from her abusive birth mother and moved around to different homes, Ginny has finally found her “forever home”—a safe place with parents who will love and nurture her. This is exactly what all foster kids are hoping for, right?

But Ginny has other plans. She’ll steal and lie and exploit the good intentions of those who love her—anything it takes to get back what’s missing in her life. She’ll even try to get herself kidnapped.

Told in an extraordinary and wholly original voice, Ginny Moon is at once quirky, charming, heartbreaking, and poignant. It’s a story about being an outsider trying to find a place to belong and about making sense of a world that just doesn’t seem to add up. Taking you into the mind of a curious and deeply human character, Benjamin Ludwig’s novel affirms that fiction has the power to change the way we see the world.
Strengths: Fascinating main characters; Unique insights into different type thinking;Uplifting ending
Measure of Love: N/A
Mood: Poignant and lighthearted
Why You Should Read this: While not truly women’s fiction, Ginny Moon is a fascinating character, and this book will definitely keep you turning the pages. Original and compelling read!


http://www.heroesandheartbreakers.com/blogs/2017/05/best-womens-fiction-for-may#comments

It took me a long time to get through this novel. The beginning dragged a bit, and I also brought my own foster parenting baggage into it. The end was spectacular, and I am glad I stuck with it!

Thirteen year old Ginny Moon suffered horrific trauma and abuse as a child and was finally rescued and placed in foster care. After leaving two foster care homes, she has been adopted by Brian and Maura Moon, her “Forever Parents.” They are loving and supportive and go to great lengths to accommodate and help Ginny with her autism and developmental difficulties. Part of helping Ginny is the establishment of specific rules and itemized lists. Ginny likes lists and rules because they help her understand how she is supposed to behave in an often confusing and baffling world. As much as Ginny wants to build a new life with her “Forever Family,” she can’t do that until she finds her Baby Doll, and she is willing to resort to desperate measures to do that. No one understands why a baby doll is so important or why Ginny is willing to risk everything to find her, and part of the joy of the book is discovering Ginny’s motivations.

Benjamin Ludwig, the father of an adopted autistic teenage daughter, has written a novel that is so realistic and believable that it could easily be mistaken for non-fiction. His personal experiences bring an essential depth of understanding of those who have autism and their families and friends. While the novel is not based on his own daughter, it does take inspiration from stories he heard from other parents at his daughter’s Special Olympics basketball games. Ginny is truly an unforgettable character - smart, brave, funny, and incredibly resilient. Once the reader understands her thinking, everything she does makes perfect sense, especially her total commitment to finding her Baby Doll. That journey and everything she does to fit in with her new family are so emotionally affecting that you won’t soon forget her. Bravo Benjamin Ludwig for writing this memorable book and for encouraging fostering or adopting children.

My review was posted on Goodreads on 5/21/17

I loved Ginny's character, and her Forever Dad, too. The premise is wonderful, but it took over 50% of the book to really take off and be solidly interesting. I get that the dialogue between Ginny and the adults had to be concise and simple because of her autism, but the adults conversed that way between each other, too. I felt not making use of the adult interactions to add more depth to the story was a problem. As I said in my update, it isn't very writerly writing and many of the scenes were too long.

Also, in the acknowledgements, the author said he wrote this book primarily to promote adoption of children with disabilities, but the events near the end of the story do just the opposite. Ginny's Forever Mom acted seriously out of character to push a dramatic conclusion. I had some raised eyebrows at some of the social workers non-actions throughout the story, too. Plus, they watched Ginny like a hawk at school, that is, unless there was some story drama needed and then they seemed to have no interest in why she wasn't around. It just wasn't a very well thought out, or constructed story

Ginny Moon is 13 years old and autistic. She has a new foster family, a history no one understands that she can’t explain, and a quirky means of meting out justice, including duct-taping your drugs to Maine coon cats, flushing your socks down the toilet, and pooping on your rug (hiding some of the poop in the heat register for good measure). Told from Ginny’s first-person perspective, this is a unique novel that is funny, scary, and ultimately satisfying.

This book was a surprise for me. It was an impulsive pick after reading a quick excerpt from in it one of the Buzz Books samplers. Upon receipt, I promptly forgot why I was so excited for it and it got pushed down the TBR. I finally picked it up in my post ACOWAR haze because I needed a non-romance, non-fantasy book. I almost exclusively read romance & fantasy, so I didn't have many options on my list.

IT WAS GOOD.

From the first page, I instantly remembered why I had requested this book. Ginny is such a unique voice in the book world. Her point of view is captivating and seeing the world from where she stands was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. I was entranced to say the least, and finished the book within 12 hours of picking it up. I got emotional at points and desperately wanted to save Ginny from herself. I both empathized with and hated her "Forever Mom". I understood where she was coming from in that protective new mom focus but wished she was stronger in her dedication to Ginny. I couldn't look away from this book. I wanted to save Ginny and her Baby Doll.

This is a beautifully written story about a young girl and her quest to find a place she can call home. Because she is autistic, with an abusive back story, this novel was at times heartbreaking as misunderstandings and mis-communications occur between Ginny and her "Forever Parents", as the reader can see what she means before the parents understand. I found myself having empathy for the parents but really feeling the frustration that Ginny felt as people kept brushing off what she was trying to communicate. I highly recommend this book!

GINNY MOON by Benjamin Ludwig is a must read book. I try not to say that very often and this debut novel is certainly uncomfortable to read at the beginning, but I became so enamored with the characters that I simply could not stop. New Hampshire English and writing teacher Benjamin Ludwig was at The Book Stall last Wednesday afternoon (May 3rd) and I am really sorry to have missed that discussion about this story of an autistic teenage girl in a foster family.

It has been almost 5 years since Ginny Moon, then nine, was removed from an abusive and neglectful situation with her Birth Mother, Gloria. Since then she has been in several foster homes and may have found her Forever Home with Maura and Brian who are expecting a child. In an effort to help Ginny adjust to a sibling, she is given a plastic electronic baby, but it will not stop crying and Ginny wants her Baby Doll instead, obsessing over finding Gloria and making sure that her Baby Doll is safe.

GINNY MOON is a coming of age story that is full of suspense and action as well as troubled relationships and several well-intentioned blunders and misunderstandings. In creating these situations and Ginny's internal monologues, Ludwig aptly draws on his own experience as a foster parent of a teen with autism. I, too, see Ginny in some of my students - in their sheer determination and certainness of purpose, their tendency to interpret most comments literally, and their sense of trust and wonder. I am looking forward to sharing this book with teachers and students. I think that our book group and class literature circles would benefit from reading and reflecting together on the title. In addition, we should add it to our Junior Theme list. GINNY MOON received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal and Publishers Weekly; plus it is an Amazon Best Book of the Month for May and almost fifty percent of its ratings on Goodreads are 5 stars. Clearly, I am not the only one to say GINNY MOON is a must read book.

Link in Post: http://www.thebookstall.com/event/benjamin-ludwig-book-stall

I've been telling everyone about this book. A dear friend's daughter has autism and I finally understand her everyday struggles and experiences with her daughter. Ginny had a maturity about her that I had to keep reminding myself that she's only 14.

There were times I found myself frustrated with Ginny's obsession about being kidnapped but I was so proud of her decision in the end.

I’m so glad I got the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Original Ginny Moon. Ginny is a wonderful character on the autism spectrum, and I enjoyed hearing her voice as narrator. The book had a great mix of humor, suspense and drama. I flew through the book, anxious to see what would happen. I think it helped me appreciate the lives of those with autism and to admire people who choose to adopt older children with problems. The characters were realistically complex; all of them had flaws and good points. I’m glad that the bad events in Ginny’s life were only alluded to; it made it much more pleasant to read. The reader knows enough to appreciate how Ginny evolved. This would be a great selection for book discussion groups. I highly recommend this beautifully written book.