I'm Being Stalked by a Moonshadow

Lighthearted and sweet, not to mention hilarious, this book takes place in a small Australian community where kooky characters abound and poor Seth, wannabe-playwright, knows them all. In fact, he's one of them. Though I'm no longer an awkward teenager, I could relate to Seth's discomfort with his first real-life crush (as opposed to his poster-on-the-wall crush), the embarassment he feels for his family which directly contradicts the love he also feels for them and the sometimes-loathing of an attention-seeking younger sibling. Though I did not have to deal with a father who waged war on a town council member, I do remember neighbors that we never really liked. Of course, we never blew up each other's mailboxes. The lessons learned in the novel are delivered gently, with humor and in a non-preachy fashion. While they may not be overly-deep lessons, they are, nonetheless, important I really enjoyed this book and laughed loudly throughout. Highly recommended.

This is a captivating novel, by one of Australia's finest authors for adolescent readers, or for those adult readers who remain 'young at heart.' It is strongly recommended as a gift, during the forthcoming Festive Season!

Weird cover, weird title, good book. I am an American living in Australia. I don't always enjoy Young Adult novels, even though there are some fantastic local authors, including Markus Zusak and Isobel Carmody. But this book kept me laughing from start to finish. It also has a valuable moral at its center. It's not as good as McLeod's previous book Tumble Turn, but still funny and moving. Recommended for ages 12 and up. Don't be surprised if you find yourself humming Cat Stephens.