LEO GRAY AND THE LUNAR ECLIPSE

Zany boarding school romps dominate
in Kruk’s futuristic middle-grade debut novel about friendship and bravery.

Leo Gray’s family members, who live
in Riverdale, New York, in 2113, love the technology of the past, but their
old-tech ways cause his schoolmates to tease him: “No one else’s
parents that he knew of used a dishwasher, vacuum, or sewing machine.” Still, their steampunk-ish style doesn’t stop Leo from
embracing modern science and dreaming of a more up-to-date way of life. He
competes to win a trip to the Lunar Academy, a new utopian school in Luna City
on the moon. Various obstacles interfere—including his father’s disapproval of
the idea—but Leo finally gets to the moon, where he discovers that he can make
good friends and pursue a future in science. He meets the smart and athletic
Andromeda Groves, her cousin Pavo Digbi,
and the loud but cowardly Gruswaldious Pinwheel, but he also must deal with
his longtime, privileged nemesis, Gavin Jones. The story gets much of its spark
from its bright, exaggerated characters and amusing, glitzy technology, which
includes such imaginative items as “robo-kittens” and “electro-paper,” without
dawdling over technological specifications. The book is definitely a
page-turner; indeed, Leo progresses through his first year at Lunar Academy
almost too quickly, with entire weeks, and even months, compressed into short
paragraphs. This keeps the emphasis on the action, but it sacrifices
opportunities for further character development. When a clear and very
dangerous threat to Earth and the moon is revealed, the friends work well
together as they attempt daring rescues and confrontations. The quick, witty
dialogue will entertain young readers; for instance, when Leo wears his
favorite outfit to a physically demanding new job, his new boss grins and says,
“Good thing you wore some ugly clothes!”