Walk Two Moons

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

Newberry Medal Book

Never judge a man before you’ve walked two moons in his moccasins.”

Evaluation of Book

Walk Two Moons won the Newberry Medal in 1995. It tells the story of Sal’s road trip with her grandparents as she shares the story of her friend Phoebe. Sal travels with her grandparents from Ohio to Idaho in hopes of arriving in time for her mother’s birthday. She wants to bring her mother back home. On the trip she tells her grandparents the story of Phoebe whose mother has also left her family. In sharing this story Phoebe learns about herself and she is also reminded of the love her grandparents have for each other. It’s a story of grief and love and finding your own way through the world.

The characters developed by Creech in this story are relatable and believable. The situations that the main character, Sal, faces are ones readers can understand. The concepts of love, loss, death and gender roles are subtly addressed. Through Phoebe’s story the expectations and roles of mothers and wives are shown in how they affect the lives of all those around them.

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Response

Sal and her grandparents trace the journey of Sal’s mother on her way to Idaho. In their journey they visit the Black Hills. I’m from South Dakota and I loved the imagery Creech uses to describe this famous landmark. On page 166 Creech states, “The Black Hills were not really black. Pines covered the hills, and maybe at dusk they looked black, but when we saw them at midday, they were dark green. It was an eerie sight, all those rolling dark hills.” The Black Hills are a stark contrast to the flat roads of South Dakota.

Creech continues with her thoughts of Mount Rushmore. She speaks about the sacredness of this hill to the Sioux Indians and asks a question that I had never thought of even though it’s where I spent most of my life. She says, “I wonder why whoever carved them couldn’t have put a couple Indians up there too” (p.167). I just found that fascinating that no one had ever brought up that possibility or discussed this when I was in school.

Conclusion

Walk Two Moons shows two families react to similar circumstances. It is full of feeling and readers will be moved by Sal’s experiences. Walk Two Moons made me laugh and cry and is definitely one that I would recommend.

Citation

Creech, S. (1994). Walk two moons. New York: Harper Collins.