Author(s): Shivaun Plozza

Junior Fiction | Claire's Book Talkers

A tender Australian story about searching for the impossible in the places where magic and science meet.For Carina Sugden, there is nothing more special than a moon tree - a tree grown from the seeds taken on the 1971 Apollo mission into space. Her father taught her everything she knows about them. But he passed away before they found one together.When Mum relocates the family to a small town in the Otway Ranges, Carina becomes determined to find a moon tree on her own. Like a scientist, she methodically searches the forest behind her new house. But after a mysterious encounter with a black cockatoo, Carina realises there's magic in this forest. And if magic really exists, anything is possible, like seeing her dad one last time...Meet Me at the Moon Tree is a heart-healing book about believing in magic, in science, and in the power of love.

CONSTANT READER STAFF REVIEW - CLAIRE

A beautiful, gently moving story about the power of love and finding your feet again after your whole world has been upended. Carina always shared a close bond with her father, who nurtured her wonder and curiosity in science. When her dad passes away and her family relocates to a small town fringed by bushland, Carina is determined to continue their search for a rare Moon Tree – with the idea that its magic will let her talk to him one last time. Grief, and the way in which the aftermath of death impacts each person differently, are explored with such tenderness and empathy. Carina’s relationship with her grandfather is particularly touching, along with the support and sense of belonging she finds in several new companions. Whilst it is rooted in sadness, this book grows and flourishes into an ultimately hopeful story about the strength of the bonds holding family and friends together – connections capable of weathering more tempestuous situations than we might think.