Ginny Moon is an unforgettable character. Why would a 14 year old Autistic girl want to leave her forever family and go back to her single Mom in terrible living conditions? The answer will touch your heart , give you a few laughs and take you on an unforgettable adventure with the wonderful Ginny. I could not wait to get to the end buy yet was sad when I finished . You won't want to leave this character. A stunning brilliant debut novel

4+ stars. I'm having a good reading streak these days, and Ginny Moon is right up there. Ginny is an autistic 14 year old. She now lives with her "forever parents", but she used to live with her birth mother Gloria. There is a history of abuse with Gloria, but things aren't perfect with Ginny's adoptive family either. The story is told entirely from Ginny's point of view. I don't know if Ludwig has done a realistic job of portraying the inner workings of Ginny's mind, but he's created a fabulous character. I completely fell for her. Her inner logic made perfect sense to me, although it was clearly challenging to the people around her. At its core, Ginny's story is upsetting, but it is told with some humour and a lot of heart. Recommended to anyone who likes books told from a child's perspective. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

Well, this was a lovely one. I really enjoyed meeting Ginny. This character felt so real.
Before I read this I had some idea of what autism was but I think I had only come across the most extreme cases so I did not really know it was possible to live with this condition and still make a fairly normal life, though obviously restricted.

Ginny only replies to people when there is actually a question, she does not answer if she is asked more than one at a time, she absolutely hates being interrupted, and she will take everything you tell her literally. And she has an outstanding memory.

For the most part I was engrossed in the story but I have to admit after a while the book dragged on a bit for me because Ginny’s quirks are so often repeated and it gets tiresome. Still, there is plenty of tension, with plenty of stuff happening around Ginny that she does not grasp because she is so focused on getting to her Baby Doll.

There is a sensitivity, tenderness and realness to this book that I really appreciated.
Recommended.

Disclaimer: I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Ginny Moon was removed from an abusive home five years ago and placed in foster care with broken bones and malnourished, constantly asking for the Baby Doll she left behind in a suitcase. She has been in multiple foster homes since and is now with her Forever Parents in the Blue House preparing for the arrival of a new Forever Baby Sister. Ginny is autistic but highly verbal and reasonably social, she attends a special school and Special Olympics. With the arrival of the new baby, Ginny becomes obsessed with finding her Baby Doll and there her trials and tribulations begin. The story hinges upon the flexibility of the adoptive parents, the school officials and the patient therapist who try to figure out what Ginny is trying to accomplish while she attempts to contact her birth mother. The book provides insight into all of the characters' thoughts and feelings while always keeping Ginny front and center. She is a remarkable protagonist: charming, headstrong, lovable and determined. She is a young teen not easily forgotten and beautifully rendered on the page by the author. The story itself is wonderful, part mystery, part family saga; it is difficult to put down once begun. I read it in one sitting and loved it. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGally.

This is definitely a story that will be in my heart and thoughts for a long time. And for this I wanted to give the book more than three stars. But I had some serious difficulties with the reading flow of the story. And that is just me, I know that, but I had a hard time with that everybody and everything has not only a name but also a description. And I understand that this might be how autistic children think, but it just didn't help me getting through the book. I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin!

Wow. This book grabs you from the beginning and will not let go of you until the final gasp. Ginny is stuck in an aftermath. This is a new word for her but after being removed from prior foster homes; she is now with Brian and Maura – whom she refers to as her Forever Mom and her Forever Dad in the Blue House. That is when she is not referring to them by their first names.

Being somewhere on the Autism Spectrum, Ginny has a hard time with what is going on around her. She is very bright and understands that people lie and that they cannot always be reliable. This is the issue with her birth mother and ever since she was removed from Gloria, the second scariest person she knows, and her Baby Doll was placed in a suitcase for safekeeping, Ginny has been trying to get back to them. Gloria is not a safe person and is not capable of taking care of her Baby Doll and now that her aunt Crystal with a C is no longer there to help, Ginny needs to get back to the apartment so she can “take excellent care of it”.

The rules are what keep Ginny going. You do not hit, you do not steal, you do not lie, you must have nine grapes for breakfast, and exactly and approximately are not the same thing. Ginny lives a great deal in her brain. Sometimes it is hard to come up out of her brain when others are talking, especially if they ask two questions at the same time, but that is where she does the math. She loves math and when things do not add up, she finds herself as (–Ginny), which is heartbreaking when you understand what she is saying.

I love the child that Benjamin Ludwig introduced us to. Through his personal life experience, he has given a voice to a brilliant character. A coming of age teen that has to learn how to self-advocate and find her own place in the world no matter which side of the equal sign that she is on.

Ginny is adorable, sweet and utterly unforgettable! She is autistic, loves rules and boundaries and has a hard time fitting into the 'normal' world. Ginny is focussed on finding her Baby Doll which she had to leave behind when she was taken from her birth mother Gloria, at the age of 9. Ginny is now with her latest Forever Parents. Her Forever Mother is expecting a baby and that is why Ginny has to find her Baby Doll. Ginny struggles to be understood. A touching story.

I can't deny it's a well written, unique story with one of the most intriguing main characters I've encountered this year. The author did a more than excellent job of describing and portraying the autistic Ginny and it has been truly fascinating to be able to have a glimpse inside her head. It really shows that Benjamin Ludwig has personal experience with autism and both the character development and behavior feel authentic. That said, it took me longer than expected to get used to the voice of the autistic Ginny and I found myself a bit confused in the beginning. Like I said before, the author did an excellent job of describing autism and what it is like to live and interact with someone autistic, but I did understand why her ‘Forever’ parent got so frustrated with her at times. I felt the same frustation as well and it made me enjoy the story slightly less than I thought I would, although this has nothing to do with the story itself and I want to stress that the author did a brilliant job of putting autism in the spotlight it deserves. And there is no doubt Ginny Moon will leave her mark and will stay with you for a long time...

Ginny Moon is an autistic teenager who after being in foster care for many years has been adopted and in a safe and protected family. However, she can not let go of her birth family(despite history of abuse in this setting) and will do anything, even get kidnapped to be reunited with her original family. Ginny is struggling to understand her world and find her place in it. This is a unique and interesting book and I do recommend it.

I loved this book. It was quirky, but I liked the voice of this socially awkward teen and really got into the story! Thank you, Netgalley!

Ginny Moon has such a unique voice...I could not put this book down. I received a pre-pub copy as a school Librarian...I didn't get a chance to read it until Spring Break, and all Easter prep got put aside as I entered Ginny's world. Ginny is autistic...she's an 8th grade girl in a "forever" home, but is still clearly traumatized by the life she lived until she was 9 years old. The novel is narrated by Ginny...the reader enters Ginny's world and sees "our" world through Ginny's eyes. Every middle school child should get the chance to see things the way Ginny does, especially those who have children on the spectrum in their classes. I hope to share with my Bookclub soon! The grown-ups in Ginny's world range from the slightly imperfect but well meaning to the dangerously selfish. The readers can't help but hold their breath, hoping that Ginny can make sure her needs are met and that the adults can be strong, smart and caring enough to help her. It was a terrific read!

I received this book complimentary from the publisher via NetGalley. If you've read my other reviews you'll know that if it's bad I'll say so, regardless of how I received the book.

The Original Ginny Moon is the story of a teenage girl who has gone through the American foster system and found her forever home. That's not a spoiler. From the start Ginny is living in the blue house with her Forever Mom and her Forever Dad. I should mention that Ginny has autism, but as it's not mentioned in the book it's not that important. Kind of.

The story is too delightful (and sad and funny) to ruin with spoilers. It's written from Ginny's point of view, so we live her concerns and happiness. She's a "smart cookie" - her words - and determined and strategic. Her plans may have flawed logic, like spending a $20 bill because the change has bills and coins thus more money. But they are thought out.

So back to the autism issue. The main character having autism was one of the reasons why I requested Ginny Moon. Autism is a spectrum and it can be very isolating for the people and their close friends and family because there's rarely anyone exactly like them. Most of the literature is academic, making it hard to digest. I love the way Benjamin Ludwig deals with Ginny's autism. He never mentions it. We know that Ginny is in a special-ed classroom and has an aide. We see all her behavioral quirks and her family and friends all refer to them and manage their actions to help Ginny. But it's all just Ginny. While I see the nine grapes as a autistic trait, many of her behaviors could also be PTSD. She definitely went through enough with her birth mother to cause damage. I can see autistic teens and others being able to relate to Ginny, because her diagnosis isn't made a factor. But it is a book about a person like them.

The other part of this that I love is that Ginny's voice is maintained right through the story. The Eagle Tree by Ned Hayes is another recent fiction story about an autistic child, but by the end of the book the boy is waxing philosophically in a very mature tone. Very different than at the start when he was saying he started using words because he realized it's easier.

The Original Ginny Moon? Definitely recommend.

This is another novel connecting the past and present time, taking place in different locations as in so many novels these days. In this case it's 1937 in RI, New York City but mostly in Spain from 1937 - 1946 and 2009 in RI. The older person in these kinds of novels has a story, a secretive past and it's assumed that the younger person who is usually floundering learns something from the past story . I find that I'm tiring of this format. Having said that, I was enlightened to learn some history of the Spanish civil war and I genuinely liked the characters.

Marian is from a well to do, staunch Catholic family with influence. Her father has enough influence to have a gay bar raided so her brother Johnny can be arrested and then committed to be "cured". The dire consequences for her beloved brother Johnny motivates 19 year old Marian to leave her family. She doesn't just walk away from them but goes far away to Spain to help provide medical assistance during the Spanish Civil War, as the wife of her brother's lover who is a doctor. Was she rebelling against the Catholicism of her family in working with the communists aiding those that suffered in Spain at the hands of the rich and the church who supported Franco or doing what she thinks will honor and preserve her brother's memory or just defying her father ? Maybe all of these . She experiences the horrors of the war, falls in love and experiences some personal horrors of own. At 92, she's made a life with loyal friends and has the devotion of her granddaughter, Amelia who at 22 can't find who she is.

There are definitely some thought provoking themes - the civil war, the role of the church in the war, the stigma surrounding homosexuality, more stringent views than today , family relationships, who people connect to and who your family really is. Even though I liked Marian and Amelia, the connection between the past and present story fell a bit short for me. I'll still give it three stars for the characters and the history I learned.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Pantheon Books through Firsttoread.

Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig
If this story tells us nothing else, it screams “Pay attention!” Pay attention to Ginny, pay attention to children like Ginny. They may think differently than us, they may act differently than what we think is normal, but pay attention! They have something to say.
Ginny was removed from her mother’s non-care when she was nine years old. She was emaciated, abused and on her own. She is also autistic, so while her reality may have seemed skewed to others, she did figure out how to survive her mother.
After several false starts in foster care, she finally found her Forever Home with her Forever Father and her Forever Mother. She has everything she needs now except the one thing she left behind in her mother’s home, stuffed in a suitcase under her bed. And Ginny is determined beyond all reasoning to return and get her Baby Doll. It’s now five years later and she still can’t get anyone to listen to her.
In the past she’s set fires, run away, stolen and schemed in ways that made sense to her (planning her own kidnapping,) but she can’t make anyone believe she needs her Baby Doll and her Baby Doll needs her.
There are many issues in Ginny’s life. Her hoarding and gorging on food, a throwback to being starved by her mother. Her refusal to accept another doll to replace Baby Doll and not being able to make her new family understand she does indeed know how to take care of the new baby born to the family even though they just saw her abuse the doll they bought to replace Baby Doll. There are always new rules to follow and break in her attempts to find her mother so she can find Baby Doll.
Simply, ultimately, Ginny just wants to belong somewhere. This is a beautiful story. Read it.

Ginny Moon is an unforgettable character. Ginny is autistic and has been in the foster care system for quite some time. Now she has been placed in her "forever home," but she needs to go back to her birth mom, Gloria, to take care of something that she had to leave behind.. This is the story of how she manages to find her place in the world and love her Forever Dad and Forever Mom. At times, this is not easy-both for Ginny and her Forever Parents. Truly a remarkable book. I loved it! Read it! You will not be disappointed!

I received a free copy from NetGalley. Ginny Moon, the narrator and main charter, is autistic. This story from her point of view as a young teenager, who has been through too much, and struggles to make herself understood and understand the world around her, is absolutely engaging. Great for fans of Fish in a Tree, this is a must read.

I really prefer reads that take me away from the everyday stress of life. We are all bombarded these days with frustration and depressing information that I don't want to spend my "down" time dealing with more of the same. I choose this book not really knowing what it would entail. I had thoughts of "Wow, do I really want to read this?" It was definitely not a "Calgon, take me away" story. Although fictional, I am sure the author used many emotions and trials of his everyday activities to round out this very captivating tale of an autistic teenager adopted by a couple who thought they were prepared to deal with her very special needs.

The first couple chapters had me intrigued by the writing and the story line. Told in first person style of an autistic teenager, I was taken in by the raw emotion it evoked. Not only was Ginny autistic but had been put in the foster system after abuse and neglect by her mother. The author stayed true to the writing style till the very end and although there were times I thought I would tire of the frustrating dialogue within the mind of Ginny, I had to keep going to discover the outcome.

If you know anything about the autistic mind, it makes sense but still no less frustrating. I applaud the author for trying to interpret what Ginny was thinking because I believe only another autistic person could truly understand and relate on that level. He did a great job of showcasing the "Forever" families interactions and feelings in dealing with Ginny. I felt the emotion and frustration on all sides. If you are looking for a little insight on autism or are dealing with something similar, this book might shine some light on the do's and don'ts of the very real day to day life of the families dealing with these amazing but so misunderstood children.

Ginny is in her third "forever home" since the police came and took her away from Gloria. Gloria didn't take very good care of Ginny or Ginny's Baby Doll. In fact, Gloria could barely take care of herself. If Ginny is lucky, the third time will be the charm and her new foster home really will be her permanent home. Ginny is her own worst enemy sometimes though and her autism doesn't help. She is fixated on getting back to Gloria so she can take care of her Baby Doll, and her nonstop plotting and planning may put her and her new family in danger. Ginny is an original character and Benjamin Ludwig has done and excellent job of bringing her, in all her autistic teenage glory, to life. There isn't another book out there quite like the story of Ginny Moon and every page will keep the reader engaged, sometimes rooting for Ginny, sometimes groaning out loud as yet another hurtle is tossed in her way. Well worth the read. Great for high school and up. For younger students, be aware there is some bad language, plenty of dangerous situations, and some all too real-life frights.

I would like to thank Benjamin Ludwig, Harlequin and Netgalley for giving me this book for my honest review.
Review By Stephanie
I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!! Ginny Moon is amazing! She is a 13 years old autistic girl who finally is in her forever home with forever parents. Everything is perfect but she wants her baby doll, the doll that was left behind at her birth mothers house and this is where the adventure begins.
I love Ginny, she is an amazing teen who is finally in her forever home but all she wants to do is get out of the house and get her baby doll back. So this crafty girl will lie, cheat and steal to exploit the good intention of others so she can get back what is missing from her life.

This story is extraordinary! Benjamin did an amazing this amazing, quirkily and big hearted Ginny Moon! Her story is so heartbreaking at times, but her journey is something that needs to be told! Benjamin Ludwig should be applauded for writing this touching story. His writing and character Ginny Moon will stay in my heart long after today!

This book is so timely and important in a world with so many foster children who are dealing with attachment issues and recovering from abuse; add autism to the equation and it becomes even more traumatic. We all need this story. Being aware of the special needs of these special people helps to decrease the amount of stress felt by all of the people in their lives. I will not forget Ginny Moon and her big heart and quirky personality. If you are a teacher, a parent, a care-giver, a coach, or just a human wanting to read a heartfelt story of an unforgettable girl, you will love this book!