The Moon by Night facts for kids
dust jacket to the hardcover edition
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| Author | Madeleine L'Engle |
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| Cover artist | H. Lawrence Hoffman |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Austin family |
| Subject | Camping, relationships |
| Genre | Young Adult |
| Publisher | Farrar, Straus & Giroux |
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Publication date
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1963 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback) |
| Pages | 218 pp |
| ISBN | 0-374-35049-3 |
| OCLC | 16691018 |
| LC Class | PZ7.L5385 Mo. |
| Preceded by | Meet the Austins |
| Followed by | The Young Unicorns |
The Moon by Night (ISBN: 0-374-35049-3) is an exciting young adult novel written by Madeleine L'Engle. It was published in 1963. This book is the second story about Vicky Austin and her family. It happens between the events of Meet the Austins (1960) and The Young Unicorns (1968). In this book, you'll meet Zachary Gray for the first time. He becomes an important character in Vicky's life.
Contents
Discover the Story: A Family Road Trip
In The Moon by Night, Vicky and her family go on a big cross-country camping trip. This journey is a way for them to change from their quiet life in Thornhill, Connecticut, to a new one in New York City. Vicky's father, Dr. Wallace Austin, will be doing research there.
Another big change for Vicky is that Maggy Hamilton, an orphan who lived with the Austins, moves to live with her guardian, Elena. Elena is marrying Vicky's uncle, Douglas Austin. Uncle Douglas and his new family move to Laguna Beach, California. The Austin family plans to visit them during their trip. The story starts with Elena and Douglas's wedding.
Adventures on the Road: Challenges and Growth
The Austin family's adventures show how they are different from others. Along their journey, they meet a group of teenagers in Tennessee. They also help rescue children from a flood in Texas. Later, they find an abandoned baby at a campsite in Utah.
Vicky's younger sister, Suzy, grows a lot during the trip. At the start, she wants to adopt a baby deer. Later, she quickly and calmly helps a child who is hurt, even when adults around her are confused. The family sees bears several times. They always act safely, but sometimes other campers do not, which leads to dangerous situations.
Meeting Zachary Gray: A New Friend
Early in the trip, at a campground in Tennessee, Vicky meets Zachary Gray. He arrives with his parents in a fancy tent trailer. Vicky thinks he is charming, handsome, and smart. But she also finds him a bit scary because he seems cynical and reckless.
Zachary follows Vicky to other campgrounds across the country and even to Laguna Beach. Vicky likes the attention, but her family does not like Zach. This makes Vicky feel torn between listening to her family and wanting to be more independent.
Vicky's father, who is a doctor, notices that Zachary looks pale and has trouble breathing. He figures out that Zach has a heart problem from a past illness. Dr. Austin tells Zach to avoid hard exercise when he is with Vicky and her family.
Yellowstone and a Mountain Accident
Later in the trip, at Yellowstone National Park, Vicky meets Andy Ford. Andy is another boy who likes her. He is calmer and happier than Zachary, but not as exciting.
Zachary shows up again at the Austins' next stop in Wyoming. He seems jealous of Andy. A game of hide and seek ends with Zachary missing. As the Austins look for him, Zachary leads Vicky to a quiet mountainside to talk about Andy. Vicky decides to go back to her family, but she can't. An earthquake causes an avalanche on her side of the mountain. Zachary gets stuck between two large rocks and breaks his wrist. Vicky stays with Zachary until help arrives.
Meet the Austin Family and Friends
Vicky Austin: The Main Character
- Vicky Austin is the main character and tells the story. She is fourteen years old. Vicky is starting to become more independent from her family. She likes to go off by herself to think. She questions her beliefs and learns that the world is much bigger than she thought.
John Austin: The Smart Older Brother
- John Austin is Vicky's older brother. He is about 17 and loves science, especially astrophysics. He finished high school early and got into M.I.T.. John is very curious and thoughtful. He is usually loyal and kind, but he doesn't like Zachary very much.
Suzy Austin: The Helpful Sister
- Suzy Austin is often seen as the most beautiful in the family. She has wanted to be a doctor since she was very young. At age eleven, she knows a lot about first aid. She uses her knowledge calmly and without fuss. Suzy loves animals and keeps lists of all the animals they see on their trip.
Rob Austin: The Youngest Brother
- Rob Austin is the youngest of the Austin children. He is curious and loving. He often asks smart questions and sometimes says funny things by accident.
Dr. Wallace Austin: The Caring Father
- Dr. Wallace Austin, or "Wally," is the father of the four Austin children. He is a "country doctor" who also does research. For a year, he has given his practice to another doctor so he can do research at a hospital in New York City.
Victoria Austin: The Talented Mother
- Victoria Austin is Vicky's mother and shares her name. She used to sing professionally and even made an album. She met Wallace Austin while singing to injured soldiers.
Zachary Gray: The Mysterious Friend
- Zachary Gray is a student from a very rich family. He is charming, exciting, and unpredictable. He has a damaged heart from a past illness. Zachary is very knowledgeable about anthropology but doesn't want to make it his job.
Awards for the Book
The Moon by Night won the Austrian State Literary Prize in 1969.
Behind the Story: Real-Life Inspiration
This novel is based on a real camping trip that Madeleine L'Engle and her family took in 1959. Just like the Austins, the Franklins (L'Engle's family) went on a long trip as they moved from their Connecticut farmhouse to New York City. L'Engle herself said that the Austin family books are very much like her own family's experiences.
Other Stories Connected to This Book
In The Moon by Night, Suzy Austin makes a joke about "tessering." Vicky's thoughts tell us this refers to the story of Meg and Charles Wallace Murry. This means the Austins might know about the Murrys' adventures.
The Moon by Night takes place about two years after Meet the Austins, where Vicky is twelve. In this book, Vicky is fourteen, almost fifteen. After the camping trip, the Austins live in New York City for about a year. During this time, the events of The Young Unicorns happen. The next summer, in A Ring of Endless Light, Vicky meets Adam Eddington and sees Zachary again.
The Austins' camping trip starts in the spring before school ends. This means it happens just before the events of The Arm of the Starfish. In that book, Adam Eddington works with Calvin O'Keefe for the summer.
Images for kids
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dust jacket to the hardcover edition
