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ג'יני מון
כל מה שג'יני מון בת ה�13 רוצה הוא למצוא את הבובה התינוקת שלה ולטפל בה. זה מה שהיא מנסה להגיד לכולם, אבל אף אחד לא מקשיב - לא פטריס הפסיכולוגית, לא המורות שלה בבית הספר, ובמיוחד לא הוריה שאימצו אותה לפני חמש שנים אחרי שהתגלגלה בין ארבע משפחות אומנה. כיום נדמה לה שעסוקים יותר בתינוקת שנולדה זה עתה. פעם היא קראה להם "אמא ואבא לנצח", אבל היום היא כבר לא כל כך בטוחה. האם הבית הכחול הוא עדיין הבית של ג'יני מון, או שמא היא צריכה למצוא בית אחר, שבו היא תוכל להיות מי שהיא באמת, ולהציל את בובת התינוקת מהסכנות האורבות לה? איפה אימה הביולוגית גלוריה, ואיפה הבובה התינוקת? ומה באמת קרה שם, בבית הקודם שלה, שממנו יצאה בגיל תשע? המונולוג הסוחף והצלול של ג'יני מון נותן קול לילדים השקופים, הנשכחים, האחרים, אלה שהחברה ניסתה לשים מאחור או להכניס לתבניות קבועות, מבלי לראות מי הם באמת. המילה "אוטיזם" מקבלת כאן משמעות חווייתית ונוגעת ללב, שלא תשאיר את הקורא אדיש - וכל זאת תוך כדי סיפור מסע מותח וצבעוני, עם לא מעט רגעים משעשעים. בנג'מין לודוויג, מורה לאנגלית מניו המפשייר, הוא אב מאמץ לילדה אוטיסטית. ג'יני מון הוא ספרו הראשון.
358 pages, Paperback
First published May 2, 2017
738 people are currently reading
15.3k people want to read
About the author
Benjamin Ludwig
2books288followersBenjamin Ludwig is a school librarian and a reviewer for School Library Journal. He is the author of Ginny Moon, published by HarperCollins | Park Row Books in 2017. The book, inspired by his experience adopting a teenager with special needs, was a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers selection, and one ofAmazon.com’s20 Best Books of 2017. To date it has been published in 19 countries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,507 reviews
May 28, 2017
Benjamin Ludwig has written a remarkable novel that almost doesn't feel like fiction at all. I suspect that is because he adopted an autistic girl and that experience has critically informed his creation of the one and only Ginny Moon. I have read a number of books with autistic boys, this is my first with a teenage girl. It is written from the perspective of Ginny and Ludwig does a superb job in revealing her interior world, a world that otherwise be difficult to unlock for most of us. Ginny adores Michael Jackson, has 9 grapes for breakfast, takes things literally, and has a need for routines, lists and rules. At the age of 9, she was removed from Gloria, her mother, after a catalogue of horrors, and placed in foster homes by social services. At 14, she is now with her forever family, Brian and Maura Moon, who have adopted her and are keen to prepare Ginny for the upcoming birth of their child.
However, the coming baby has triggered some desperately deep anxieties in Ginny and a driving need and obsession to retrieve her Baby Doll from Gloria. At school, she gets Larry to help her get in touch with Gloria online, and this triggers a set of events that shake her world to the core. Ginny does not always understand the implications of her actions and behaviour. She fails to get others to comprehend why she must do what she does, and when they do, it lifts the curtain to reveal precisely who Ginny Moon is. She really is something else, just absolutely incredible. We glimpse the stresses, despair, fears, and concerns of Brian and Maura and their failure to connect with Ginny. It is a realistic portrayal of what can be the tremendous complications and struggles that adoption can bring to a family.
This is a story of love, family, communication problems, secrets, and the heartbreaking world of the inimitable Ginny Moon. The character of Ginny and her development is stellar, complex, feels completely authentic and is utterly compelling. The quirky, intelligent, brave and courageous Ginny will worm her way into your heart and stay for a long time. A brilliant and outstanding read. Highly recommended!! Thanks to Harlequin for an ARC.
However, the coming baby has triggered some desperately deep anxieties in Ginny and a driving need and obsession to retrieve her Baby Doll from Gloria. At school, she gets Larry to help her get in touch with Gloria online, and this triggers a set of events that shake her world to the core. Ginny does not always understand the implications of her actions and behaviour. She fails to get others to comprehend why she must do what she does, and when they do, it lifts the curtain to reveal precisely who Ginny Moon is. She really is something else, just absolutely incredible. We glimpse the stresses, despair, fears, and concerns of Brian and Maura and their failure to connect with Ginny. It is a realistic portrayal of what can be the tremendous complications and struggles that adoption can bring to a family.
This is a story of love, family, communication problems, secrets, and the heartbreaking world of the inimitable Ginny Moon. The character of Ginny and her development is stellar, complex, feels completely authentic and is utterly compelling. The quirky, intelligent, brave and courageous Ginny will worm her way into your heart and stay for a long time. A brilliant and outstanding read. Highly recommended!! Thanks to Harlequin for an ARC.
April 21, 2017
4.5 stars
We often hear children who have a disability of some kind, be it physical or mental or emotional, referred to as special. Fourteen year old Ginny Moon is indeed special but not because she's autistic. Ginny Moon is more special than I can describe. She's a heroine, a brave young girl who survives the unimaginable until she was nine years old, when she is taken from her mother. Social Services tries to find Ginny a "Forever" home with a "Forever" Mom and Dad. When the story begins, she has been adopted by a family and things seem good for Ginny until their child is born.
I'm at a loss for how to describe her wherewithal to endure and how she managed to know what to do without giving away some of the plot, so I'll just tell you a little about Ginny. She loves Michael Jackson, has to have "exactly" nine grapes with her breakfast. She doesn't fully understand some of the things she does and the possible consequences, but she is consumed with carrying out what she believes is her responsibility. She carries a burden which she just can't get anyone to understand. When they do, Ginny reveals to them who she really is.
It's just not possible to read this book without having your heart broken multiple times. It wasn't possible for me to feel relaxed at any point in this story - I couldn't stop reading. So why would I recommend this? Because Ginny Moon healed my heart. Because in her naïveté, she is wise beyond her years and we can all benefit from that wisdom. How can Benjamin Ludwig know what is in the heart and mind of a fourteen year old autistic girl? I'm not really sure but I suspect it's what is in his heart as the adoptive father of an autistic teenager who loves Michael Jackson. Thank you Mr. Ludwig for giving us a part of your heart.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Park Row Books through NetGalley.
We often hear children who have a disability of some kind, be it physical or mental or emotional, referred to as special. Fourteen year old Ginny Moon is indeed special but not because she's autistic. Ginny Moon is more special than I can describe. She's a heroine, a brave young girl who survives the unimaginable until she was nine years old, when she is taken from her mother. Social Services tries to find Ginny a "Forever" home with a "Forever" Mom and Dad. When the story begins, she has been adopted by a family and things seem good for Ginny until their child is born.
I'm at a loss for how to describe her wherewithal to endure and how she managed to know what to do without giving away some of the plot, so I'll just tell you a little about Ginny. She loves Michael Jackson, has to have "exactly" nine grapes with her breakfast. She doesn't fully understand some of the things she does and the possible consequences, but she is consumed with carrying out what she believes is her responsibility. She carries a burden which she just can't get anyone to understand. When they do, Ginny reveals to them who she really is.
It's just not possible to read this book without having your heart broken multiple times. It wasn't possible for me to feel relaxed at any point in this story - I couldn't stop reading. So why would I recommend this? Because Ginny Moon healed my heart. Because in her naïveté, she is wise beyond her years and we can all benefit from that wisdom. How can Benjamin Ludwig know what is in the heart and mind of a fourteen year old autistic girl? I'm not really sure but I suspect it's what is in his heart as the adoptive father of an autistic teenager who loves Michael Jackson. Thank you Mr. Ludwig for giving us a part of your heart.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Park Row Books through NetGalley.
August 22, 2018
5 Stars.
Ginny Moon is an extremely special fourteen year-old girl. She is brave, kind and incredibly smart. Now, Ginny thinks she finally has a chance at happiness. She has found her “forever home� with her “forever mom� and her “forever dad�: Brian and Maura Moon. Ginny is autistic and until she was 9 years old she lived with her mother Gloria, whose home she was removed from. Gloria abused her, both physically and mentally. Yet every second of every day Ginny wants to go back there: she needs to go back there, she must go back there, as she wants to be with her “baby doll,� who she left stuffed in a suitcase under her bed, to keep her safe. Unfortunately, this is not something she can easily explain to her forever family. They cannot understand her as she has trouble voicing what she thinks and feels. Therefore, Ginny keeps her mouth closed “tight, tight, tight� so her thoughts and feelings don't escape. Once Maura Moon becomes pregnant things go from bad to worse for Ginny as her forever family becomes fearful as to how she will treat the baby. Thereafter, Ginny starts acting out and it is clear that neither Ginny or her forever family understand each other.
“Ginny Moon� is one of the most lovable, sweet and remarkable young women I have ever had the privilege to “meet.� This is a novel that made me feel anxious and to be frank, stressed out. I was sick to my stomach, heartbroken for Ginny throughout most of the novel. I loved her from the get go, but was worried about her up until the very end. The author, Benjamin Ludwig, did a stellar job portraying Ginny Moon and it is my understanding that this novel was inspired by the adoption of his own daughter. It is utterly brilliant and is a novel that captures your heart and soul.
Published on ŷ, Amazon and Twitter on 1.14.17.
Ginny Moon is an extremely special fourteen year-old girl. She is brave, kind and incredibly smart. Now, Ginny thinks she finally has a chance at happiness. She has found her “forever home� with her “forever mom� and her “forever dad�: Brian and Maura Moon. Ginny is autistic and until she was 9 years old she lived with her mother Gloria, whose home she was removed from. Gloria abused her, both physically and mentally. Yet every second of every day Ginny wants to go back there: she needs to go back there, she must go back there, as she wants to be with her “baby doll,� who she left stuffed in a suitcase under her bed, to keep her safe. Unfortunately, this is not something she can easily explain to her forever family. They cannot understand her as she has trouble voicing what she thinks and feels. Therefore, Ginny keeps her mouth closed “tight, tight, tight� so her thoughts and feelings don't escape. Once Maura Moon becomes pregnant things go from bad to worse for Ginny as her forever family becomes fearful as to how she will treat the baby. Thereafter, Ginny starts acting out and it is clear that neither Ginny or her forever family understand each other.
“Ginny Moon� is one of the most lovable, sweet and remarkable young women I have ever had the privilege to “meet.� This is a novel that made me feel anxious and to be frank, stressed out. I was sick to my stomach, heartbroken for Ginny throughout most of the novel. I loved her from the get go, but was worried about her up until the very end. The author, Benjamin Ludwig, did a stellar job portraying Ginny Moon and it is my understanding that this novel was inspired by the adoption of his own daughter. It is utterly brilliant and is a novel that captures your heart and soul.
Published on ŷ, Amazon and Twitter on 1.14.17.
May 24, 2017
Yes, Yes, Yes......"Ginny Moon", is as wonderful as people are saying!!!!
Oh my gosh -- Ginny Moon, is a "smart cookie"....and if you don't believe me...
ask Ginny Moon yourself!!
Forever Blue
Forever Home
Forever Ginny!!!
Thanks to the many people who read it before me - your wonderful reviews and recommendations.
Thanks to the Saratoga library for the 'same day' ebook Kindle delivery... from the moment I requested it.
Note: it's interesting, once again, that books fine us at the most appropriate time.
A 13 year old teenage boy -tall & skinny - from India - living in Fremont - Highly Austistic has started coming to our warm saline pool ( with his mom or dad), for 5 hours once a week. He LOVES the water more than life itself. However, he can't be in a chlorine cold pool -or around many people. His parents home school him. Our poo, yard, and privacy is working perfect for his needs. Its turning out to be his favorite day of the week.
After they have gone home.....
I find 'cute' treasure designs after he leaves behind. He has OCD, also. He often re-arranges things in the guest room next to the pool. He lines up toilet paper roles from the cabinet. Or silverware or cups. I like to believe it's his way of saying he had a nice stay here.
Reading Ginny Moon came at a perfect time for me.
Oh my gosh -- Ginny Moon, is a "smart cookie"....and if you don't believe me...
ask Ginny Moon yourself!!
Forever Blue
Forever Home
Forever Ginny!!!
Thanks to the many people who read it before me - your wonderful reviews and recommendations.
Thanks to the Saratoga library for the 'same day' ebook Kindle delivery... from the moment I requested it.
Note: it's interesting, once again, that books fine us at the most appropriate time.
A 13 year old teenage boy -tall & skinny - from India - living in Fremont - Highly Austistic has started coming to our warm saline pool ( with his mom or dad), for 5 hours once a week. He LOVES the water more than life itself. However, he can't be in a chlorine cold pool -or around many people. His parents home school him. Our poo, yard, and privacy is working perfect for his needs. Its turning out to be his favorite day of the week.
After they have gone home.....
I find 'cute' treasure designs after he leaves behind. He has OCD, also. He often re-arranges things in the guest room next to the pool. He lines up toilet paper roles from the cabinet. Or silverware or cups. I like to believe it's his way of saying he had a nice stay here.
Reading Ginny Moon came at a perfect time for me.
September 29, 2017
I’m somewhere between 3-3.5 stars for this novel. I thought that I would really love this book, but the storyline disappointed me.
I fell in love with the main character, Ginny Moon! Ginny is a thirteen-year-old girl who has autism. The author, Benjamin Ludwig, does a fantastic job with Ginny’s character and narrative. We get an inside glimpse of Ginny’s life, routine and thoughts. It was very interesting to be inside her head and I commend Ludwig on his delivery of her characters� viewpoint.
My main issue with this novel was the actual storyline itself which was so outrageous and absurd. Had it been a more believable and less dramatic storyline, I would have enjoyed the book so much more. For me, Ginny’s character was done so well, that all the major craziness surrounding her was unnecessary and took away from my enjoyment.
I also had a hard time with some of the parental figures in Ginny’s life. I won’t go into detail so as not to spoil anything, but these parental figures were not people I viewed as having a positive impact on Ginny’s already stressful and confusing upbringing. It just didn’t sit well with me and I found myself frustrated more than a few times throughout the book.
Overall, I enjoyed getting a glimpse into Ginny Moon’s mind and thoughts. Ludwig does an outstanding job with the narrative. I just wish the storyline itself would have been different. I am definitely in the minority on this, so please read other reviews before making a decision on this book.
I fell in love with the main character, Ginny Moon! Ginny is a thirteen-year-old girl who has autism. The author, Benjamin Ludwig, does a fantastic job with Ginny’s character and narrative. We get an inside glimpse of Ginny’s life, routine and thoughts. It was very interesting to be inside her head and I commend Ludwig on his delivery of her characters� viewpoint.
My main issue with this novel was the actual storyline itself which was so outrageous and absurd. Had it been a more believable and less dramatic storyline, I would have enjoyed the book so much more. For me, Ginny’s character was done so well, that all the major craziness surrounding her was unnecessary and took away from my enjoyment.
I also had a hard time with some of the parental figures in Ginny’s life. I won’t go into detail so as not to spoil anything, but these parental figures were not people I viewed as having a positive impact on Ginny’s already stressful and confusing upbringing. It just didn’t sit well with me and I found myself frustrated more than a few times throughout the book.
Overall, I enjoyed getting a glimpse into Ginny Moon’s mind and thoughts. Ludwig does an outstanding job with the narrative. I just wish the storyline itself would have been different. I am definitely in the minority on this, so please read other reviews before making a decision on this book.
February 14, 2020
Ginny Moon is fourteen and finally living with her forever parents in a safe home. Her forever mom is pregnant and Ginny is getting a sister soon and so her forever parents get her an electronic baby to get used to the baby coming. When Ginny shakes the electronic baby and shuts it up in a suitcase her forever parents begin to worry about what this means for the real baby on the way. Meanwhile Ginny won't stop asking after her baby doll whom she hasn't seen since she was taken away from her mom. No one can seem to understand Ginny's obsession with baby doll and when Ginny reaches out to her mom to find out about baby doll even though she isn't supposed to things between her and her forever family get tense.
I really enjoyed this book. I'm not sure if it's an accurate portrayal of someone with autism but I did enjoy being in Ginny's head and the way she thought was great. It was really frustrating at some points because of Ginny's inability to communicate led to so many problems which didn't make me mad at Ginny but her forever parents. I know they can't read her mind but I couldn't help but hate the forever mom and the way she was treating Ginny. I'm also ambivalent about the ending of the book but I loved the story line a lot especially the growth we see in Ginny and how hard she tries to make sure her baby doll is okay it was really heartening.
I really enjoyed this book. I'm not sure if it's an accurate portrayal of someone with autism but I did enjoy being in Ginny's head and the way she thought was great. It was really frustrating at some points because of Ginny's inability to communicate led to so many problems which didn't make me mad at Ginny but her forever parents. I know they can't read her mind but I couldn't help but hate the forever mom and the way she was treating Ginny. I'm also ambivalent about the ending of the book but I loved the story line a lot especially the growth we see in Ginny and how hard she tries to make sure her baby doll is okay it was really heartening.
May 20, 2017
Oh, Ginny Moon.
You have captured my heart......."not approximately, but exactly."
Ginny, a fourteen year old autistic girl, has covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time. After suffering emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her drug-dependent mother, Ginny has been placed in multiple foster homes by Social Services. The fit just never seems to be there. But, as you will come to know, the remnants of this trauma will slowly tighten day after day. Ginny exhibits a definitely worrisome behavior far beyond her special needs.
Soon Ginny is placed in the home of Brian and Maura Moon who live in what will come to be known as the Blue House. The Blue House environment, with the support of the Moon couple, provide Ginny with a blossoming sense of safety. They become her Forever Mom and Forever Dad and she will be called Forever Girl. Ginny is taken with the exactness of numbers (9 grapes every morning), her watch for keeping exact time, and the comfort of a precise routine. She also has a special fondness for all things Michael Jackson.
A drastic shift takes place when Maura gives birth to a baby girl. The arrival of this child triggers profound and unsettling memories for Ginny and takes her back to when she was nine years old and living with her birth mother. She now obsesses over her Baby Doll that she left behind in her mother's apartment. Unbeknown to her parents, Ginny finds a way to contact her birth mother on a computer at school. It is this innocent action that will turn Ginny's world upside down throughout the rest of the storyline.
Benjamin Ludwig creates such remarkable insight into the multi-faceted inner world of Ginny. He chooses Ginny, herself, as the lead voice of his story. Through beautifully complicated, indepth dialogue, we settle into the precious gem of Ginny's daily life as she works through situations as only she can. As readers, we come to understand more fully how Ginny interprets the predicaments and challenges presented to her and her frustration at misreading social cues. "I am fourteen years old and still on the wrong side of the equal sign."
I highly recommend Ginny Moon to all readers as a tribute to those of us in this world whose footsteps may vere off the beaten path and to those who see and experience life through spectrums of breathless colors of a different hue.
Bravo, Benjamin Ludwig.
You have captured my heart......."not approximately, but exactly."
Ginny, a fourteen year old autistic girl, has covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time. After suffering emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her drug-dependent mother, Ginny has been placed in multiple foster homes by Social Services. The fit just never seems to be there. But, as you will come to know, the remnants of this trauma will slowly tighten day after day. Ginny exhibits a definitely worrisome behavior far beyond her special needs.
Soon Ginny is placed in the home of Brian and Maura Moon who live in what will come to be known as the Blue House. The Blue House environment, with the support of the Moon couple, provide Ginny with a blossoming sense of safety. They become her Forever Mom and Forever Dad and she will be called Forever Girl. Ginny is taken with the exactness of numbers (9 grapes every morning), her watch for keeping exact time, and the comfort of a precise routine. She also has a special fondness for all things Michael Jackson.
A drastic shift takes place when Maura gives birth to a baby girl. The arrival of this child triggers profound and unsettling memories for Ginny and takes her back to when she was nine years old and living with her birth mother. She now obsesses over her Baby Doll that she left behind in her mother's apartment. Unbeknown to her parents, Ginny finds a way to contact her birth mother on a computer at school. It is this innocent action that will turn Ginny's world upside down throughout the rest of the storyline.
Benjamin Ludwig creates such remarkable insight into the multi-faceted inner world of Ginny. He chooses Ginny, herself, as the lead voice of his story. Through beautifully complicated, indepth dialogue, we settle into the precious gem of Ginny's daily life as she works through situations as only she can. As readers, we come to understand more fully how Ginny interprets the predicaments and challenges presented to her and her frustration at misreading social cues. "I am fourteen years old and still on the wrong side of the equal sign."
I highly recommend Ginny Moon to all readers as a tribute to those of us in this world whose footsteps may vere off the beaten path and to those who see and experience life through spectrums of breathless colors of a different hue.
Bravo, Benjamin Ludwig.
October 31, 2018
Ginny Moon = 5 STARS!!!
This book truly took special hold of me. You know the kind of book that makes you forget everything you "must" do. The kind of book that when you finally look up from reading you realize hours have passed by and you didn't even realize it. The kind of book you just can't stop reading because you don't want to leave the characters behind. That's the kind of book Ginny Moon was for me. Ginny swept into my heart from the very first pages and persistently tugged at my heart strings throughout. This book was highly recommended to me by numerous readers that I trust. Now I have wholeheartedly joined the Ginny Moon fan club. Without hesitation or reservation, I recommend Ginny Moon to everyone near & far! <3
A bit about the book:
Benjamin Ludwig did an amazing job of bringing us right into Ginny's mind/inner world. Ginny is an autistic teenager who has had a heart-wrenching childhood. At age 9, she was taken away from her abusive, drug-addict mother. The descriptions of the state she was in when they found her had me in tears. After bouncing from one foster home to another, at age 14 Ginny has finally found her "forever home" with Brian and Maura Moon who have adopted her.
Maura becomes unexpectedly pregnant and the family wants to prepare Ginny for the baby's arrival. They give Ginny an "electronic" baby to care for which triggers anxiety in Ginny and sparks an obsession with her "baby doll" from when she was 9. No one understands Ginny's obsession and she is unable to express herself. Soon her actions seem reckless and dangerous to those trying to help her. As the reader - it was amazing to see Ginny's thought process through out the story. The plans she concocts, the deliberation, the manipulation - she is truly one "smart cookie".
Ginny's relationships with those around her begin to crumble as she lies, steals and manipulates in futile attempts to get what she so desperately wants. Unfortunately they simply can not understand her actions or the motivation behind them. I won't explain the "why?" because it's filled with spoilers. You simply owe it to yourself to read this book and let it unfold with Ginny the way Ludwig meant for it to happen.
The bottom line - This book gave me all the feels! I cried and felt heartbroken, I laughed out loud & was filled with hope. Ginny may be a fictional character but she now holds a special place in my reader heart.
This book truly took special hold of me. You know the kind of book that makes you forget everything you "must" do. The kind of book that when you finally look up from reading you realize hours have passed by and you didn't even realize it. The kind of book you just can't stop reading because you don't want to leave the characters behind. That's the kind of book Ginny Moon was for me. Ginny swept into my heart from the very first pages and persistently tugged at my heart strings throughout. This book was highly recommended to me by numerous readers that I trust. Now I have wholeheartedly joined the Ginny Moon fan club. Without hesitation or reservation, I recommend Ginny Moon to everyone near & far! <3
A bit about the book:
Benjamin Ludwig did an amazing job of bringing us right into Ginny's mind/inner world. Ginny is an autistic teenager who has had a heart-wrenching childhood. At age 9, she was taken away from her abusive, drug-addict mother. The descriptions of the state she was in when they found her had me in tears. After bouncing from one foster home to another, at age 14 Ginny has finally found her "forever home" with Brian and Maura Moon who have adopted her.
Maura becomes unexpectedly pregnant and the family wants to prepare Ginny for the baby's arrival. They give Ginny an "electronic" baby to care for which triggers anxiety in Ginny and sparks an obsession with her "baby doll" from when she was 9. No one understands Ginny's obsession and she is unable to express herself. Soon her actions seem reckless and dangerous to those trying to help her. As the reader - it was amazing to see Ginny's thought process through out the story. The plans she concocts, the deliberation, the manipulation - she is truly one "smart cookie".
Ginny's relationships with those around her begin to crumble as she lies, steals and manipulates in futile attempts to get what she so desperately wants. Unfortunately they simply can not understand her actions or the motivation behind them. I won't explain the "why?" because it's filled with spoilers. You simply owe it to yourself to read this book and let it unfold with Ginny the way Ludwig meant for it to happen.
The bottom line - This book gave me all the feels! I cried and felt heartbroken, I laughed out loud & was filled with hope. Ginny may be a fictional character but she now holds a special place in my reader heart.
February 10, 2017
Be still my heart, Ginny Moon, unforgettable. She is a young thirteen year old autistic girl, now living in the blue house her new forever home, with her new forever mom and dad. But...... she keeps asking for her baby doll, which five years ago she left in a suitcase, under her bed, in the home of her birth mother, Ginny. So the story begins.........
I don't pretend to be an expert, though I do know a few children with autism. This sounded and felt so authentic, Ginny's voice so special and unique. When I first started reading I was a little skeptical, wondering how this book would progress, would it become too many pages of the same thing. Instead I fell in love with this young girl, how she thought, things she couldn't relate but only think, her plans and the reasons for them. Her insecurities and fears. Her need for a routine and her quest to recover her baby doll. Trying to fit into a new home and the struggles she has doing so. By book's end I was sad it was over, knew this was a character and book I would long remember. So very touching and different. Ultimately a feel good book. So glad I decided to read this book, everyone needs a little dose of Ginny Moon.
ARC from publisher.
Publishes May 2nd by Park Row books.
I don't pretend to be an expert, though I do know a few children with autism. This sounded and felt so authentic, Ginny's voice so special and unique. When I first started reading I was a little skeptical, wondering how this book would progress, would it become too many pages of the same thing. Instead I fell in love with this young girl, how she thought, things she couldn't relate but only think, her plans and the reasons for them. Her insecurities and fears. Her need for a routine and her quest to recover her baby doll. Trying to fit into a new home and the struggles she has doing so. By book's end I was sad it was over, knew this was a character and book I would long remember. So very touching and different. Ultimately a feel good book. So glad I decided to read this book, everyone needs a little dose of Ginny Moon.
ARC from publisher.
Publishes May 2nd by Park Row books.
June 12, 2017
10� Utterly FANTASTIC- if there is one book to read this year then let it be Ginny Moon!!
I want to start by saying Ginny Moon is absolutely fantastic!
I also want to applaud Benjamin Ludwig for he's creative, inspiring, beautiful and honest writing.
I want to also mention that I have worked with children with Autism so for me this book was very special and much needed. I am so glad Ginny Moon had been written and it swells my heart.
Benjamin creates the inner most thoughts feelings and confusion Ginny faces on a regular basis. Her need for routine and time keeping and her need to express her self when she goes into Ginny's brain is cleverly written.
The way Ginny reacts to change and the understanding of the world is beautifully written.
Ginny Moon is now living in her forever home with adoptive parents.
After several attempts to settle in with other homes she has finally found a home she is comfortable and feels Safe with.
However a massive change is about to rock Ginny's world and spiral her into a change she may not be ready for
Ginny is lucky, she has a great support worker who works with her family and Ginny. Ginny has built up a close bond with her and she trusts her which is so very very important.
Ginny' s forever Mother is about to give birth and Ginny is having a tough time adjusting as it is unearthing some memories for Ginny, that her family don't understand.
Ginny's Mum was abusive and had alot of issues. So she is no longer aloud to ever see Ginny.
However Ginny is desperate to 're connect with her mother. These reasons will be explained. I can't divulge these as it will ruin the fantastic story line.
But Ginny becomes very artful and clever in finding ways to contact her mother. But her actions have consequences which Ginny is unable to understand as she just has one goal and one goal only!
I absolutely loved Ginny, she is a little star and her journey throughout this book is incredible.
Her forever parents, particularly the Dad was so understanding and patient. He really was the glue that held he's family together.
Ginny's forever Mum could come across as selfish and irrational. But I could feel her pain. She was sinking into depression of being a new Mum and a Adoptive parent.
But please stick with her because she will surprise you.
For me the shock twist was really intriguing and kept me guessing. But I had my suspicions. Due to the way this book is written you are literally hanging on right till the end to get answers!
Ginny Moon is written entirely as Ginny's point of view. There is no other way this emotional, captivating, beautiful book could of been written.
You are literally going to experience what it is like for Ginny and the reasons behind her thoughts and actions.
I really can't put this into words to say how brilliant and clever this book is.
If there is one book you read this year.... let it be Ginny Moon!!!
I received this book from the Publisher in exchange for a honest and fair review via Netgalley.
I want to start by saying Ginny Moon is absolutely fantastic!
I also want to applaud Benjamin Ludwig for he's creative, inspiring, beautiful and honest writing.
I want to also mention that I have worked with children with Autism so for me this book was very special and much needed. I am so glad Ginny Moon had been written and it swells my heart.
Benjamin creates the inner most thoughts feelings and confusion Ginny faces on a regular basis. Her need for routine and time keeping and her need to express her self when she goes into Ginny's brain is cleverly written.
The way Ginny reacts to change and the understanding of the world is beautifully written.
Ginny Moon is now living in her forever home with adoptive parents.
After several attempts to settle in with other homes she has finally found a home she is comfortable and feels Safe with.
However a massive change is about to rock Ginny's world and spiral her into a change she may not be ready for
Ginny is lucky, she has a great support worker who works with her family and Ginny. Ginny has built up a close bond with her and she trusts her which is so very very important.
Ginny' s forever Mother is about to give birth and Ginny is having a tough time adjusting as it is unearthing some memories for Ginny, that her family don't understand.
Ginny's Mum was abusive and had alot of issues. So she is no longer aloud to ever see Ginny.
However Ginny is desperate to 're connect with her mother. These reasons will be explained. I can't divulge these as it will ruin the fantastic story line.
But Ginny becomes very artful and clever in finding ways to contact her mother. But her actions have consequences which Ginny is unable to understand as she just has one goal and one goal only!
I absolutely loved Ginny, she is a little star and her journey throughout this book is incredible.
Her forever parents, particularly the Dad was so understanding and patient. He really was the glue that held he's family together.
Ginny's forever Mum could come across as selfish and irrational. But I could feel her pain. She was sinking into depression of being a new Mum and a Adoptive parent.
But please stick with her because she will surprise you.
For me the shock twist was really intriguing and kept me guessing. But I had my suspicions. Due to the way this book is written you are literally hanging on right till the end to get answers!
Ginny Moon is written entirely as Ginny's point of view. There is no other way this emotional, captivating, beautiful book could of been written.
You are literally going to experience what it is like for Ginny and the reasons behind her thoughts and actions.
I really can't put this into words to say how brilliant and clever this book is.
If there is one book you read this year.... let it be Ginny Moon!!!
I received this book from the Publisher in exchange for a honest and fair review via Netgalley.
July 3, 2017
Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig is a 2017 Park Row Books publication.
This is one of those rare novels that everyone should read, no matter which way your tastes in books may run.
I realize the author has some experience dealing with special needs children, which gives him a great deal of personal insight. However, climbing inside the mind of an autistic fourteen year old girl and giving her a voice that is so realistic, is quite a feat.
Ginny will touch your heart in so many ways. She will break it, warm it, and steal it all in one sitting.
Maura and Brian adopted Ginny, an autistic child, who has lived through a disgusting level of abuse. While Ginny is challenging under normal circumstances, the impending birth of the couples� first biological child, brings about an entirely new set of concerns.
But, what no one seems to recognize is that Ginny has a secret locked inside of her, and it’s ripping her apart. What she knows, and feels, no matter how many ways she attempts to voice it, does not seep into the consciousness of the adults in her life.
She is desperate to find her ‘baby doll�, and no one understands why her quest is so important to her, which explains so much about why she keeps trying to find her birth mother.
I can’t praise the writing enough. The author has done a fantastic job of breathing life into such a precious girl, while highlighting the inward struggle those with autism live with. I felt as though all the characters were well drawn, and very credible.
I admit I have no first -hand experience with autism, but I trust the author’s, and as such, I believe this book is a fine representation of what it might be like to live with the disorder, not only from Ginny's perspective, but also examines the challenges parents and caregivers face.
It is frustrating on one hand, because I knew what was in Ginny’s mind and couldn’t understand why no one else picked up on it, but I could also understand how exhausting it must be, especially with so many other factors involved. I tried not to pass judgement, and understood the feelings of the adults involved were very raw and quite feasible and honest.
Although it is a slow and ‘tedious� journey, not only for Ginny, but also for her ‘Forever� family, the rewards made it all worthwhile.
I am so glad I discovered this book! It’s an awesome portrait of a very special young lady, and is a very affecting story that had a big impact on me.
4.5 stars
This is one of those rare novels that everyone should read, no matter which way your tastes in books may run.
I realize the author has some experience dealing with special needs children, which gives him a great deal of personal insight. However, climbing inside the mind of an autistic fourteen year old girl and giving her a voice that is so realistic, is quite a feat.
Ginny will touch your heart in so many ways. She will break it, warm it, and steal it all in one sitting.
Maura and Brian adopted Ginny, an autistic child, who has lived through a disgusting level of abuse. While Ginny is challenging under normal circumstances, the impending birth of the couples� first biological child, brings about an entirely new set of concerns.
But, what no one seems to recognize is that Ginny has a secret locked inside of her, and it’s ripping her apart. What she knows, and feels, no matter how many ways she attempts to voice it, does not seep into the consciousness of the adults in her life.
She is desperate to find her ‘baby doll�, and no one understands why her quest is so important to her, which explains so much about why she keeps trying to find her birth mother.
I can’t praise the writing enough. The author has done a fantastic job of breathing life into such a precious girl, while highlighting the inward struggle those with autism live with. I felt as though all the characters were well drawn, and very credible.
I admit I have no first -hand experience with autism, but I trust the author’s, and as such, I believe this book is a fine representation of what it might be like to live with the disorder, not only from Ginny's perspective, but also examines the challenges parents and caregivers face.
It is frustrating on one hand, because I knew what was in Ginny’s mind and couldn’t understand why no one else picked up on it, but I could also understand how exhausting it must be, especially with so many other factors involved. I tried not to pass judgement, and understood the feelings of the adults involved were very raw and quite feasible and honest.
Although it is a slow and ‘tedious� journey, not only for Ginny, but also for her ‘Forever� family, the rewards made it all worthwhile.
I am so glad I discovered this book! It’s an awesome portrait of a very special young lady, and is a very affecting story that had a big impact on me.
4.5 stars
May 6, 2017
Well darn! I enjoyed this book! Ginny, an autistic child was taken from her abusive parent, and we first meet her at her third forever home. She has been through a lot and is fixated on her "baby doll" that she was forced to leave behind when she was taken from her birth mother.
Most of this book takes place when Ginny is 14 yrs old, and even though there was a lot of sadness in her past, you will find yourself laughing out loud, often, at her thoughts and the things that she does!!
Most of this book takes place when Ginny is 14 yrs old, and even though there was a lot of sadness in her past, you will find yourself laughing out loud, often, at her thoughts and the things that she does!!
January 14, 2024
4.5 Stars
Poignant. Unique. Unforgettable. Heartbreaking. Heart-mending. Inspired. Lovely.
I was captivated by Ginny Moon’s delightful character, her inner dialogue, her view of her world, her abilities despite her disability. She charmed me right into her world.
Ginny Moon wasn’t always Ginny Moon, but she’s been with her newest set of Forever Parents living in the Blue House for a while. It isn’t her first Forever family, but the last two didn’t, well, last. She was nine years old when they removed her from Gloria’s home, her birth mother, and now she’s thirteen years old. Almost fourteen. Her Forever Mother is going to have a baby relatively soon, and the more they focus on the coming baby, the more Ginny can’t forget her Baby Doll that she had to leave behind the night they took her away from Gloria, her Baby Doll left behind in a suitcase under her bed. She doesn’t understand, can’t really believe that no one ever found her there.
With a new baby coming, these thoughts are ever-present, and she needs to find her, the need becomes compulsive. The more adults want to talk to her about the soon-to-arrive baby, the more Ginny struggles to be heard, understood. The plastic electronic baby they’ve given her to prepare for having a new baby in the house is definitely not helping. As the crying gets louder and louder it triggers anxiety for Ginny, reminders that somewhere out there is her Baby Doll.
I am in my room holding my quilt and crying. Because I am fourteen years old. Right this minute. Right now. And I’m not supposed to be. I’m supposed to be nine years old and keeping my Baby Doll safe. I’m not supposed to be here. I’m supposed to be nine years old.
She was so young, they think, they searched and never finding a baby doll, they simply offered to buy her a new one.
Things are not going as smoothly as hoped for.
The struggle to understand another human being, the struggle to be understood creates frustration on both sides, and as time passes and the more she tries to find where her Baby Doll is, the more dismissive the adults in her life become. The more dismissive they become, the more Ginny feels she has no place that she can calls her own, there’s no place where she feels she belongs.
We are all so far from perfect, we all have our own strengths, our own disabilities. Yet, we can’t really get through this life alone, we need each other.
But that’s what families are for, that is what we are supposed to do. We’re perfectly imperfect. It doesn’t seem to matter much if those families are bonded by blood, or simply by love and circumstance, it is love that is the key to that bond. Love, by definition, must be accepting and nurturing of our differences.
Benjamin Ludwig’s The Original Ginny Moon is an outstanding debut! I couldn’t put it down.
Pub Date: 02 May 2017
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Harlequin � Park Row
January 14, 2024
Why I chose to listen to this audiobook:
1. I added this one to my WTR list a few years ago after seeing it promoted on GR;
2. even though I bought a hardcopy on sale at a bookstore, I also borrowed the audiobook on Hoopla; and,
3. January 2024 is my "Celestial Titles" Month!
Praises:
1. author 's personal experiences with children on the Spectrum and his extensive research (see his Author's Note) really hit the ball out of the park with this debut! His depiction of every character was so incredibly realistic! While listening to this audiobook, the characters, especially Ginny, had me feeling anxious, frustrated, angry, frightened, exhausted; even sympathetic and hopeful. Ginny's obsessive fixation on her "Baby Doll" and her eventual growth to self-advocate, were so lifelike. And even though she was quite the "handful" for many of her caregivers, Ludwig successfully gave Ginny her dignity;
2. I always had such a powerful need to get back to the story whenever life called me away. At one point, I even began having suspicions about Ginny's "Baby Doll", but I was wrong (naturally!) In hindsight, I'm glad that the author didn't go in that direction! and,
3. narrator Em Elridge does such a convincing job for all of the characters, especially Ginny! I love how a narrator, like Elridge, doesn't distract me from the story and its personalities.
Niggles: None!
Overall Thoughts:
This story brought back several memories from my teaching career.
Over the years, I've taught a handful of students on the Spectrum, and even though they each had their own unique traits (don't we all?), they all had a great need for rules, schedules, and structure.
I also taught a 7-year-old boy who, along with his younger brother, would hoard food under their beds in their foster home as they were taken from an extremely neglectful environment.
Several years ago, I recall having a discussion with a colleague in that no matter how abusive and/or neglectful a birth parent is, most children removed by Social Services from such environments want to go back. So frustratingly sad.
Hats off to those wonderful people who take on the extremely challenging task of raising, caring for, teaching, and loving these special people. You are truly heroes!
1. I added this one to my WTR list a few years ago after seeing it promoted on GR;
2. even though I bought a hardcopy on sale at a bookstore, I also borrowed the audiobook on Hoopla; and,
3. January 2024 is my "Celestial Titles" Month!
Praises:
1. author 's personal experiences with children on the Spectrum and his extensive research (see his Author's Note) really hit the ball out of the park with this debut! His depiction of every character was so incredibly realistic! While listening to this audiobook, the characters, especially Ginny, had me feeling anxious, frustrated, angry, frightened, exhausted; even sympathetic and hopeful. Ginny's obsessive fixation on her "Baby Doll" and her eventual growth to self-advocate, were so lifelike. And even though she was quite the "handful" for many of her caregivers, Ludwig successfully gave Ginny her dignity;
2. I always had such a powerful need to get back to the story whenever life called me away. At one point, I even began having suspicions about Ginny's "Baby Doll", but I was wrong (naturally!) In hindsight, I'm glad that the author didn't go in that direction! and,
3. narrator Em Elridge does such a convincing job for all of the characters, especially Ginny! I love how a narrator, like Elridge, doesn't distract me from the story and its personalities.
Niggles: None!
Overall Thoughts:
This story brought back several memories from my teaching career.
Over the years, I've taught a handful of students on the Spectrum, and even though they each had their own unique traits (don't we all?), they all had a great need for rules, schedules, and structure.
I also taught a 7-year-old boy who, along with his younger brother, would hoard food under their beds in their foster home as they were taken from an extremely neglectful environment.
Several years ago, I recall having a discussion with a colleague in that no matter how abusive and/or neglectful a birth parent is, most children removed by Social Services from such environments want to go back. So frustratingly sad.
Hats off to those wonderful people who take on the extremely challenging task of raising, caring for, teaching, and loving these special people. You are truly heroes!
February 7, 2023
4.5�
“Nine years old is how old I was when the police came. It’s how old I was before Forever started.�
You’d like to give Ginny Moon a hug, except she’d probably ”rǾ�, as she is fond of saying. Ginny is an adopted, autistic 14-year-old who tells the story in her own words, which are unusual, to say the least.
She was taken from her abusive, drug addict mother and fostered out. Then she had a Forever Home, where she would live forever. But, for one reason and another, it didn’t work out. She did some pretty dreadful things, but to be fair, she was provoked. So she was moved, more than once. Hence, “forever� is just a word.
She has an understanding that some phrases are just phrases, and she knows people say them but she doesn’t always know what they mean. And she doesn’t ask. She reminds me of someone who’s hard of hearing who misses part of the conversation but isn’t sure what they’ve missed and isn’t game to ask. She’s not embarrassed to ask � she simply has no desire to lengthen a conversation.
“So I don’t say anything. Instead I make my shoulders go up and down. Sometimes that means I don’t know. And sometimes it’s just your shoulders going up and down.�
And
�‘R?�
‘R,� I say because when someone says Right? they always want you to say the same thing right back to them.�
She tries hard to follow rules and accept all the changes as much as she’s able.
“It’s like I left the original me behind when I came to live with my new Forever Parents. With Brian and Maura Moon. My name is Ginny Moon now but there are still parts of the original me left.�
The book opens with her freaking out because the plastic electronic baby doll she’s been given keeps crying loudly and she can’t get it to be quiet so she packs it into a suitcase under her bed. Her very pregnant Forever Mother is horrified when she discovers this, because of course, the doll was to help Ginny get ready for her Forever Parents� first baby.
So now what? Ginny just keeps asking for her own Baby Doll that she left at her Birth Mother Gloria’s house when the police came and took her away. She didn’t have time to get it. They can’t seem to please her, although they promise trips to the toy store.
Because she won’t answer more than one question at a time, and she won’t volunteer information, nobody really knows what to do with her. She goes to school, mixes a bit with the special kids, and hatches a plan to escape. But she can’t tell lies, so she doesn’t.
“I keep my new secret plan in my brain and shut my mouth so no one will see it.
. . .
I make sure my mouth is closed so no one can see what I’m thinking.�
She doesn’t consider it lying to nod or shake her head No to answer a question she doesn’t want to answer truthfully.
� 'You know that, don’t you?'� I’m not sure if I know that so I make sure my mouth is shut and nod.�
Or a trick many of us are guilty of:
“I don’t want to answer so I wait. Because sometimes if you don’t answer then someone will answer for you or someone will say something else to help you know what to say.�
She likes her therapist, Patrice, who’s been working with her all these years, but she’s wary.
“Patrice understands mostly everything that I tell her. She even understands some things that I don’t say. I like her a lot but she knows how to see into my brain. I have to be careful around her and keep my mouth closed when I’m not talking.�
Inside, she’s still 9 years old and wants to stay that way.
“in the mirror I see my face but it isn’t the face I want to see. I scowl.�
She likes numbers and equations and tries to figure herself out.
“Nothing is the same as it used to be. I am not Ginny anymore. I am not Ginny. I am (-Ginny). And that scares me, scares me, scares me. Because I don’t know that girl.�
Numbers and dates and birthdays and lists keep her a bit grounded.
“Sometimes I wonder if I love dates and numbers because when I’m deep in my brain they help me remember where I really am. They are like handles I can use to pull myself back up.�
She remembers so much of when she was little and she frequently kind of disappears into her brain, avoiding interacting with people. Mostly she manages at school (not always!), but she needs those “handles� sometimes when she’s alone at home.
“I don’t know if I’m in my room. I am awake but it’s dark out and it’s dark inside my brain. When I’m deep inside there it’s all the same place. All the houses I’ve ever been in are still in my head and so when I wake up at night with my eyes open I can still fall into any of them by accident.�
I haven’t discussed the story, which unfolds slowly, with a kind Forever Father and an increasingly frustrated and impatient Forever Mother (partly hormones, partly terror, I think). At one point, Maura loses the plot:
“She makes a loud breathing sound and hits her hand on the counter. I jump. 'Why do you have to pull something like this? Don’t you have any control over yourself at all? Don’t you know right from wrong? We’ve taught you to have good habits and to respect other people.'�
Okay, there’s three questions in a row, none of which can be answered, certainly not by an autistic teenager who already thinks she’s (-Ginny).
Ginny has some real adventures, tries to figure out how to get back to Gloria. I’ve read many times that almost no matter how abusive a mother is, most children are terrified to be separated from them and will choose to go back.
I suspect what they really want is for that mother to fix herself. Ginny thinks often to herself that Gloria is “unreliable, impulsive, violent�, quoting words and phrases she’s heard social workers use. She keeps hoping she's improved.
So we tag along with her, heart in mouth, wishing she would speak up, explain herself, do what we know she really isn’t capable of doing.
The author explains later:
“We tend to listen to people who shout the loudest, who demand our attention. With all the noise, it’s easy to forget that others aren’t capable of making their needs known. Some people� displaced children, and children in the system, especially—often don’t believe that their needs matter at all. How could they, considering what society has taught them by their experiences?�
Ludwig has certainly given Ginny a wonderful voice. Thanks so much. And thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for a preview copy from which I’ve quoted (so quotes may have changed). This should probably be required reading for anyone dealing with children, so we understand when to cut them some slack!
And thanks to Ludwig's adopted autistic daughter who inspired Ginny's love of Michael Jackson. :)
“Nine years old is how old I was when the police came. It’s how old I was before Forever started.�
You’d like to give Ginny Moon a hug, except she’d probably ”rǾ�, as she is fond of saying. Ginny is an adopted, autistic 14-year-old who tells the story in her own words, which are unusual, to say the least.
She was taken from her abusive, drug addict mother and fostered out. Then she had a Forever Home, where she would live forever. But, for one reason and another, it didn’t work out. She did some pretty dreadful things, but to be fair, she was provoked. So she was moved, more than once. Hence, “forever� is just a word.
She has an understanding that some phrases are just phrases, and she knows people say them but she doesn’t always know what they mean. And she doesn’t ask. She reminds me of someone who’s hard of hearing who misses part of the conversation but isn’t sure what they’ve missed and isn’t game to ask. She’s not embarrassed to ask � she simply has no desire to lengthen a conversation.
“So I don’t say anything. Instead I make my shoulders go up and down. Sometimes that means I don’t know. And sometimes it’s just your shoulders going up and down.�
And
�‘R?�
‘R,� I say because when someone says Right? they always want you to say the same thing right back to them.�
She tries hard to follow rules and accept all the changes as much as she’s able.
“It’s like I left the original me behind when I came to live with my new Forever Parents. With Brian and Maura Moon. My name is Ginny Moon now but there are still parts of the original me left.�
The book opens with her freaking out because the plastic electronic baby doll she’s been given keeps crying loudly and she can’t get it to be quiet so she packs it into a suitcase under her bed. Her very pregnant Forever Mother is horrified when she discovers this, because of course, the doll was to help Ginny get ready for her Forever Parents� first baby.
So now what? Ginny just keeps asking for her own Baby Doll that she left at her Birth Mother Gloria’s house when the police came and took her away. She didn’t have time to get it. They can’t seem to please her, although they promise trips to the toy store.
Because she won’t answer more than one question at a time, and she won’t volunteer information, nobody really knows what to do with her. She goes to school, mixes a bit with the special kids, and hatches a plan to escape. But she can’t tell lies, so she doesn’t.
“I keep my new secret plan in my brain and shut my mouth so no one will see it.
. . .
I make sure my mouth is closed so no one can see what I’m thinking.�
She doesn’t consider it lying to nod or shake her head No to answer a question she doesn’t want to answer truthfully.
� 'You know that, don’t you?'� I’m not sure if I know that so I make sure my mouth is shut and nod.�
Or a trick many of us are guilty of:
“I don’t want to answer so I wait. Because sometimes if you don’t answer then someone will answer for you or someone will say something else to help you know what to say.�
She likes her therapist, Patrice, who’s been working with her all these years, but she’s wary.
“Patrice understands mostly everything that I tell her. She even understands some things that I don’t say. I like her a lot but she knows how to see into my brain. I have to be careful around her and keep my mouth closed when I’m not talking.�
Inside, she’s still 9 years old and wants to stay that way.
“in the mirror I see my face but it isn’t the face I want to see. I scowl.�
She likes numbers and equations and tries to figure herself out.
“Nothing is the same as it used to be. I am not Ginny anymore. I am not Ginny. I am (-Ginny). And that scares me, scares me, scares me. Because I don’t know that girl.�
Numbers and dates and birthdays and lists keep her a bit grounded.
“Sometimes I wonder if I love dates and numbers because when I’m deep in my brain they help me remember where I really am. They are like handles I can use to pull myself back up.�
She remembers so much of when she was little and she frequently kind of disappears into her brain, avoiding interacting with people. Mostly she manages at school (not always!), but she needs those “handles� sometimes when she’s alone at home.
“I don’t know if I’m in my room. I am awake but it’s dark out and it’s dark inside my brain. When I’m deep inside there it’s all the same place. All the houses I’ve ever been in are still in my head and so when I wake up at night with my eyes open I can still fall into any of them by accident.�
I haven’t discussed the story, which unfolds slowly, with a kind Forever Father and an increasingly frustrated and impatient Forever Mother (partly hormones, partly terror, I think). At one point, Maura loses the plot:
“She makes a loud breathing sound and hits her hand on the counter. I jump. 'Why do you have to pull something like this? Don’t you have any control over yourself at all? Don’t you know right from wrong? We’ve taught you to have good habits and to respect other people.'�
Okay, there’s three questions in a row, none of which can be answered, certainly not by an autistic teenager who already thinks she’s (-Ginny).
Ginny has some real adventures, tries to figure out how to get back to Gloria. I’ve read many times that almost no matter how abusive a mother is, most children are terrified to be separated from them and will choose to go back.
I suspect what they really want is for that mother to fix herself. Ginny thinks often to herself that Gloria is “unreliable, impulsive, violent�, quoting words and phrases she’s heard social workers use. She keeps hoping she's improved.
So we tag along with her, heart in mouth, wishing she would speak up, explain herself, do what we know she really isn’t capable of doing.
The author explains later:
“We tend to listen to people who shout the loudest, who demand our attention. With all the noise, it’s easy to forget that others aren’t capable of making their needs known. Some people� displaced children, and children in the system, especially—often don’t believe that their needs matter at all. How could they, considering what society has taught them by their experiences?�
Ludwig has certainly given Ginny a wonderful voice. Thanks so much. And thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for a preview copy from which I’ve quoted (so quotes may have changed). This should probably be required reading for anyone dealing with children, so we understand when to cut them some slack!
And thanks to Ludwig's adopted autistic daughter who inspired Ginny's love of Michael Jackson. :)
March 18, 2023
3.5 stars
Most people probably don't understand how an autistic person thinks or what goes through her mind. In this fictional story about an autistic girl named Ginny Moon, the author - who adopted an autistic teenager - seems to unravel the mystery a little bit.
The story: When Ginny LeBlanc was 9-years-old the police tore her away from her drug-addicted, abusive birth mother, named Gloria. The autistic girl - who was neglected, bruised, undernourished, and seriously injured - didn't have time to retrieve her baby doll from the suitcase under her bed.....and she's been trying to get it back ever since.
Ginny is now 14-years-old and living with her third 'Forever Family', Maura and Brian Moon, in the 'Blue House.'
Maura is pregnant with the couple's first baby, so Ginny is given a plastic electronic doll to prepare her for the birth.
When Ginny is unable to make the doll stop crying, she treats it roughly, covers it with blankets, and stashes it in a suitcase under the bed. Of course this alarms the Moons, who fear Ginny might hurt a real infant.
Ginny organizes her life around numbers. She eats nine grapes with breakfast every day; goes to bed at nine o'clock every night; counts off the seconds when something makes her anxious; is always aware exactly what time it is; and will only respond when asked a single question at a time. In addition, Ginny meticulously differentiates between 'exact' situations and 'approximate' situations. If Ginny needs a break from her surroundings - or has to figure something out - she 'goes into her brain.' And when Ginny wants to keep something secret she clamps her lips tightly shut and covers her mouth with her hands.
Ginny likes puzzles, coloring books, movies, and bacon and onion pizzas - but her favorite thing in the world is Michael Jackson. Ginny listens to the singer's music, decorates her bedroom with his posters, wears Michael Jackson T-shirts, and so on.
Ginny is not allowed to use telephones or computers. That's because Ginny is constantly trying to contact her birth mom. The autistic teen is determined to go back to Gloria's apartment so she can retrieve her baby doll and 'take excellent care of it.' The Moons fear that - if Gloria learns of Ginny's whereabouts - she'll come by and make a huge scene (or worse).
Thus Ginny is monitored constantly, but - being exceptionally clever and devious - manages to contact Gloria on Facebook. This leads to all kinds of trouble since Ginny will do anything - even engineer her own abduction - to get her baby doll.
Ginny's conduct - which includes fighting, sneaking out, and stealing - greatly disturbs the Moons, and things get even worse when Baby Wendy is born. Ginny becomes so obsessed with the infant that Maura has to hide in the bedroom with the newborn.
That leaves Brian to take care of the teenager, and he gives it his absolute best.
Ginny's counselor, Patrice, tries to help the autistic girl follow the rules, but can't always fathom what Ginny is thinking.
At school, Ginny attends special education classes, plays basketball on a Special Olympics team, and eats lunch with her special ed classmates. One student, Larry - who has a crush on Ginny - is an accomplice in some of the girl's misbehavior. The author doesn't specify that Larry is autistic, but he expresses himself through music - singing songs to convey his thoughts and feelings. (I think a book about Larry would be very interesting.)
It's fascinating to watch Ginny try to accomplish her goal, which she describes as follows: When Ginny was nine-years-old and had her baby doll she was (Ginny). Now she's (-Ginny).
(Ginny) � (-Ginny)
So Ginny has to go back across the equal sign to make things right.
It's also interesting to see Ginny interact with her Forever Parents, teachers, friends, grandparents, and others. At one point Ginny tries to gouge out someone's eyes, so they can't see her anymore.....and this type of conduct is seriously alarming. It's understandable that Ginny's Forever Parents would be at their wits end.
This well-written, compelling story leads to a dramatic climax, but the finale is somewhat unrealistic (to me). I feel like the actions of the characters don't completely fit with what's gone on previously (though I can understand why the author went in this direction). Of course, other readers may feel differently.
This is a very good book, highly recommended.
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January 17, 2023
This book told me what I always have known but have not thought about much until now. I read a lot of books written by journos, doctors, psychiatrists, and this always tells me the subject matter is always heartfelt and known.
Ginny is a young girl, a tiny little innocent, scarred but mightily strong who, like so many harmed children we read about lacks the love of a parent and is left unmoored while always hoping to have a forever home. This isn’t rind to us in a child like flowery or sentimental way, Ginny’s way is different.
Written by an author who is an adoptive parent himself, we have insights to a complex and fictional story of Ginny, left to burden the world on her shoulders, while trying to understand the world around her, what is expected of her, and how to exist in the rituals and vagrancies that make up what it takes to be her.
Ginny runs away from a couple of ‘forever families� and ends up being placed in her current home. The parents are for the most, caring, especially dad who takes a lot of time with Ginny. Enter new baby and things do not progress swimmingly. Ginny’s past murky situation engulfs every waking moment, and she is spinning out of control. She is not great with people at all, and she is alienated from the mother who is absolutely caught up with baby Wendy. The father works so hard with Ginny his health suffers, he is a patient man but even he begins to waver. He has stopped working for the time being, he’s a good guy.
Tragically she overhears conversations she should not, hearing ‘send her away she is too hard� comments from mum, and this makes her feel continually unwanted.
Ginny’s self-worth plummets, this is obvious when she plans to cause such dangerous trouble that will send her away.
This gem of a book shows the best of human kindness, with some special characters. I particularly liked the psychologist who worked very closely with Ginny. She performed her job wonderfully (although, like all others, missed one vital aspect of Ginny’s story) often tearing up and always being available to her young charge. A main player, although given back seat status through no fault of his own, was also wonderful.
It was sad to see how undervalued she was by those around her, when all of the troublemaking was for a reason, she was constricted and placed under so many layers of rules, but as the story neared the end I sensed those close to her were finally glimpsing the real girl that deservedly needing to be seen.
Ginny Moon was a unique and nicely crafted story with an interesting take on what happens to children when not nourished or looked after, and the possibility of that being turned around. This is a hopeful and stirring read, provoking many emotions as I flew through.
Ginny is a young girl, a tiny little innocent, scarred but mightily strong who, like so many harmed children we read about lacks the love of a parent and is left unmoored while always hoping to have a forever home. This isn’t rind to us in a child like flowery or sentimental way, Ginny’s way is different.
Written by an author who is an adoptive parent himself, we have insights to a complex and fictional story of Ginny, left to burden the world on her shoulders, while trying to understand the world around her, what is expected of her, and how to exist in the rituals and vagrancies that make up what it takes to be her.
Ginny runs away from a couple of ‘forever families� and ends up being placed in her current home. The parents are for the most, caring, especially dad who takes a lot of time with Ginny. Enter new baby and things do not progress swimmingly. Ginny’s past murky situation engulfs every waking moment, and she is spinning out of control. She is not great with people at all, and she is alienated from the mother who is absolutely caught up with baby Wendy. The father works so hard with Ginny his health suffers, he is a patient man but even he begins to waver. He has stopped working for the time being, he’s a good guy.
Tragically she overhears conversations she should not, hearing ‘send her away she is too hard� comments from mum, and this makes her feel continually unwanted.
Ginny’s self-worth plummets, this is obvious when she plans to cause such dangerous trouble that will send her away.
This gem of a book shows the best of human kindness, with some special characters. I particularly liked the psychologist who worked very closely with Ginny. She performed her job wonderfully (although, like all others, missed one vital aspect of Ginny’s story) often tearing up and always being available to her young charge. A main player, although given back seat status through no fault of his own, was also wonderful.
It was sad to see how undervalued she was by those around her, when all of the troublemaking was for a reason, she was constricted and placed under so many layers of rules, but as the story neared the end I sensed those close to her were finally glimpsing the real girl that deservedly needing to be seen.
Ginny Moon was a unique and nicely crafted story with an interesting take on what happens to children when not nourished or looked after, and the possibility of that being turned around. This is a hopeful and stirring read, provoking many emotions as I flew through.
March 15, 2018
This was my first non-mystery audio book and I was concerned about whether it would engage me. No worries. The narrator, Em Eldridge, did a superb job of channeling Ginny’s voice. And I was amazed at how quickly Ludwig managed to define Ginny’s perception of the world, so that I understood the black and white rules she used to navigate her surroundings. You see, Ginny is autistic. She’s fourteen and after being taken away from her mom, is on her fourth forever family. She doesn’t open her mouth when she doesn’t want people to see what she’s thinking. If you ask her more than one question at a time, she won’t answer because she doesn’t know which one to answer.
I immediately loved Ginny. My heart just went out to her; her story is so heartbreaking. It would appear that Ginny finally has a family that loves her. But her forever parents are now expecting their own child and that is spurring real anxiety in both Ginny and them. And let me tell you, as much as I loved Ginny, she would have exasperated me beyond my limits. I was always surprised at how the parents were able to show such patience and totally understanding when they didn’t.
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that brought out so many conflicting emotions in me. This book is totally engrossing. Ludwig could teach some thriller writers a thing or two about suspense. It’s all about communication and understanding and how sometimes we just can’t get others to see our truth. There are also some moments of humor. Times when you can just see how things are going to go wrong. (scrambled eggs, anyone?) I don’t think I’ve ever gasped so much while “reading� a book.
Learning that Ludwig had adopted an autistic child provided a whole level of understanding about how he could get it all so right. I would love to hear an interview with him to find out his reasons for taking on an autistic child.
Fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine will love this.
All the stars! One of my favorites of 2018.
August 15, 2017
Lack of clear communication is often at the heart of most misunderstandings and thus the cause of most friction and problems between people.
Take that a step further, into the world of an autistic young teenager, where keeping silent and/or not saying what she thought or learning how to self-advocate (as the term is used in this book) and the problems and friction multiply.
Ginny’s story is told in her own voice so we do get to understand � and empathize with � more thoughts and feelings inside her than her caregivers are able to. Her parents, teachers, and therapist are trying their best but they are also shut out from Ginny’s inner world to a large degree. So they continue trying to connect to Ginny’s world based on assumptions and guesses rather than based on Ginny’s inner drives, which she cannot articulate to them.
This theme propels the story and there are many moments of tension, suspense, heartbreak, wanting first this outcome for Ginny, then a different outcome for Ginny � it was like being caught in a whirlwind and not being able to clearly see a way out or through.
This is a very important story as Ginny’s voice is one that speaks for so many others who are unable to speak for themselves. It also holds lessons for all of us to perhaps learn how to listen more carefully and request more clarification when we need it to ensure we understand those communicating with us. Whether we are communicating with ‘special� people, or with family, or with neighbours or friends, one of the lessons I received from this book is that we can all learn more about being clear in both our speech and our listening skills.
I loved every page of this book and recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about autism and how vital clear communication is in our lives.
Take that a step further, into the world of an autistic young teenager, where keeping silent and/or not saying what she thought or learning how to self-advocate (as the term is used in this book) and the problems and friction multiply.
Ginny’s story is told in her own voice so we do get to understand � and empathize with � more thoughts and feelings inside her than her caregivers are able to. Her parents, teachers, and therapist are trying their best but they are also shut out from Ginny’s inner world to a large degree. So they continue trying to connect to Ginny’s world based on assumptions and guesses rather than based on Ginny’s inner drives, which she cannot articulate to them.
This theme propels the story and there are many moments of tension, suspense, heartbreak, wanting first this outcome for Ginny, then a different outcome for Ginny � it was like being caught in a whirlwind and not being able to clearly see a way out or through.
This is a very important story as Ginny’s voice is one that speaks for so many others who are unable to speak for themselves. It also holds lessons for all of us to perhaps learn how to listen more carefully and request more clarification when we need it to ensure we understand those communicating with us. Whether we are communicating with ‘special� people, or with family, or with neighbours or friends, one of the lessons I received from this book is that we can all learn more about being clear in both our speech and our listening skills.
I loved every page of this book and recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about autism and how vital clear communication is in our lives.
August 25, 2017
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Wrong Reader, Party of One??? Yep, that’s me! I put Ginny Moon on hold at the library because every single one of my friends who read it gave it at least 4 Stars. Now that school has started I’m assigned the task of finding stories my book-hating (I know, the hospital obviously gave me the wrong baby, but he’s grown on us over the years) kid might actually want to read without me tying him down and forcing him. One thing I know for certain is it won’t be this one because I pretty much looked like this the entire time I was reading it . . . .
Put your rocks and pitchforks down and give me a second to explain myself.
I’m not even sure if this is a young adult selection or not, but that really doesn’t matter. We’ve discovered the kid succeeds with “contemporary realistic fiction� so as long as I read the book first and make sure it’s not too adult for his developing brain to wrap itself around, it doesn’t really matter if it was marketed for teens or grown-ups. That being said, a lot of parents would be uncomfortable with the content here and obviously that’s totally up to each family to decide for themselves.
I am also not familiar enough with autistic children to determine how accurate Ginny’s voice was. To someone inexperienced such as myself, she seemed very realistic. Again, I’m sure there are others who will bash this character and/or the author and become super “offended� by her portrayal, but since it’s not a trigger for me I can’t participate in that party.
So let’s get to the plot. The story here is of Ginny Moon (you don’t say, huh?). Ginny was taken from her birth mother when she was nine years old due to severe neglect and placed in the foster care program. Fastforward nearly five years to the present and a Ginny who has been adopted by her “Forever Family.� The only problem is that Ginny has more than a bit of a tunnel-vision issue when it comes to a certain Baby Doll that was left behind all those years ago and she is willing to do anything to get back to it.
The above leads to my biggest issue with this book and why I won’t be recommending it to my kid . . . .
Ginny Moon was FIVE HUNDRED PAGES long. I understand the reader kind of has to become part of “the loop� which is Ginny’s thought process, but this thing should have been cut down to half the size. I’m going to try real hard not to spoil things, but let me just say as a grown up, it was 100% clear what was going on with the Baby Doll immediately and it should have been for all of the other adults in Ginny’s life as well which equaled a Kelly and Mitchell who kept getting more and more perturbed.
Leading to the other problem. The “Forever Mother� . . . .
I can’t remember the last time a character infuriated me this much. I mean I was literally screaming at my Kindle at one point. As the story developed, the less believable it was that this woman would have ever went along with adopting a special needs child to begin with. I mean, I know first-hand that pregnancy/new baby/postpartum can make you go a little batshit, but Ginny was a child with serious issues even before the “miracle pregnancy� happened just like the “Forever Mother� was probably a giant bitch way before then too. Ginny came into their lives looking like she “came out of a concentration camp.� She was a child with severe food issues (up to the point where a lock had to be put on the refrigerator to stop her from gorging herself and vomiting every day). She had been removed from another foster home due to an “incident� with the family cat. She had impulse control problems to the point of putting herself in harm’s way repeatedly. There is not one part of me that believes this woman would have adopted this child and when the whole point of the story is how realistic it is supposed to be, it becomes a glaring neon sign. But like I said, everyone else loved it, so you probably will too. 2.5 Stars for me : (
Wrong Reader, Party of One??? Yep, that’s me! I put Ginny Moon on hold at the library because every single one of my friends who read it gave it at least 4 Stars. Now that school has started I’m assigned the task of finding stories my book-hating (I know, the hospital obviously gave me the wrong baby, but he’s grown on us over the years) kid might actually want to read without me tying him down and forcing him. One thing I know for certain is it won’t be this one because I pretty much looked like this the entire time I was reading it . . . .
Put your rocks and pitchforks down and give me a second to explain myself.
I’m not even sure if this is a young adult selection or not, but that really doesn’t matter. We’ve discovered the kid succeeds with “contemporary realistic fiction� so as long as I read the book first and make sure it’s not too adult for his developing brain to wrap itself around, it doesn’t really matter if it was marketed for teens or grown-ups. That being said, a lot of parents would be uncomfortable with the content here and obviously that’s totally up to each family to decide for themselves.
I am also not familiar enough with autistic children to determine how accurate Ginny’s voice was. To someone inexperienced such as myself, she seemed very realistic. Again, I’m sure there are others who will bash this character and/or the author and become super “offended� by her portrayal, but since it’s not a trigger for me I can’t participate in that party.
So let’s get to the plot. The story here is of Ginny Moon (you don’t say, huh?). Ginny was taken from her birth mother when she was nine years old due to severe neglect and placed in the foster care program. Fastforward nearly five years to the present and a Ginny who has been adopted by her “Forever Family.� The only problem is that Ginny has more than a bit of a tunnel-vision issue when it comes to a certain Baby Doll that was left behind all those years ago and she is willing to do anything to get back to it.
The above leads to my biggest issue with this book and why I won’t be recommending it to my kid . . . .
Ginny Moon was FIVE HUNDRED PAGES long. I understand the reader kind of has to become part of “the loop� which is Ginny’s thought process, but this thing should have been cut down to half the size. I’m going to try real hard not to spoil things, but let me just say as a grown up, it was 100% clear what was going on with the Baby Doll immediately and it should have been for all of the other adults in Ginny’s life as well which equaled a Kelly and Mitchell who kept getting more and more perturbed.
Leading to the other problem. The “Forever Mother� . . . .
I can’t remember the last time a character infuriated me this much. I mean I was literally screaming at my Kindle at one point. As the story developed, the less believable it was that this woman would have ever went along with adopting a special needs child to begin with. I mean, I know first-hand that pregnancy/new baby/postpartum can make you go a little batshit, but Ginny was a child with serious issues even before the “miracle pregnancy� happened just like the “Forever Mother� was probably a giant bitch way before then too. Ginny came into their lives looking like she “came out of a concentration camp.� She was a child with severe food issues (up to the point where a lock had to be put on the refrigerator to stop her from gorging herself and vomiting every day). She had been removed from another foster home due to an “incident� with the family cat. She had impulse control problems to the point of putting herself in harm’s way repeatedly. There is not one part of me that believes this woman would have adopted this child and when the whole point of the story is how realistic it is supposed to be, it becomes a glaring neon sign. But like I said, everyone else loved it, so you probably will too. 2.5 Stars for me : (
May 29, 2017
This is a very special book about a very special girl. Ginny Moon is 13 and autistic. Taken away from an abusive home at the age of 9, Ginny has been adopted by her Forever family and lives in the Blue House where she attends an understanding school along with a group of other special kids. She adores Michael Jackson, plays the flute in the school orchestra and loves playing special Olympics basketball. All seems to be going well for Ginny until her adoptive parents tell her they are having a baby. This sparks off Ginny's anxiety about her baby doll that she left behind in a suitcase at her birth Mum's when she was taken away by social services and she starts hatching plans for somehow getting her baby doll back.
Benjamin Ludwig has done a stunningly good job of getting inside the head of an autistic teenager. An adoptive parent of an autistic child himself and an avid special Olympics basketball fan, he has great insight not only into how the autistic child's brain works but also the hoops that parents looking after these children must go through. It takes a lot of love, patience and empathy to understand a normal child and a bit extra for a special child like Ginny, which must be so hard when parents are tired or sick. Ginny is a lovely character with a unique take on the world and the people around her. She's also brave and determined and fights for what she knows is right. Highly recommended!
Link for the book at Harlequin:
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Harlequin Australia for a copy of the book to read and review.
Benjamin Ludwig has done a stunningly good job of getting inside the head of an autistic teenager. An adoptive parent of an autistic child himself and an avid special Olympics basketball fan, he has great insight not only into how the autistic child's brain works but also the hoops that parents looking after these children must go through. It takes a lot of love, patience and empathy to understand a normal child and a bit extra for a special child like Ginny, which must be so hard when parents are tired or sick. Ginny is a lovely character with a unique take on the world and the people around her. She's also brave and determined and fights for what she knows is right. Highly recommended!
Link for the book at Harlequin:
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Harlequin Australia for a copy of the book to read and review.
June 13, 2017
This is a very hard review for me to write. Many of my reading friends who have tastes similar to mine *loved* this book, so if you are considering this book, I'd urge you to read reviews other than mine for some other perspectives. I'll explain why this book didn't really work for me.
Ginny Moon is a 14-year old autistic girl who is living at her third "forever" home after being removed from her neglectful birth mother (note: there is some insinuation of other abuse). The story is largely told from her point of view, in the way that she would speak. Ginny is trying to make sense of a world that rarely makes sense, and that hasn't really been good to her. She wants to do the right thing -- sometimes she knows how to do that, and other times she does not.
Here are a few issues I had with the book:
1) A major plot point (and significant part of the book) deals with Ginny trying to communicate something to the adults in her life (her "forever" parents, teachers, social worker, police, etc.) over the course of many years. They do not understand what she is trying to say, and dismiss her pleas. Even though I initially didn't know what she was attempting to communicate, I kept saying to myself, "For Godsakes, people! Would you *please* just go and...(not putting this in because it would be a spoiler)" It just didn't seem realistic at all to me that she would be ignored by so many people for so many years, and yet the plot was contingent on this.
2) Related to the above, but also an issue in its own right, was the repetitveness of the book. To borrow a phrase from Ginny, it is "tedious." We hear the story from Ginny's point of view, and I believe the author is perhaps trying to be authentic to the way some people with autism would communicate. We quite literally hear the same words and phrases over, and over, and over again. I think listening to this on audio made it particularly grating (I am still in the phase where my own children say "Mom!" "approximately, not exactly" 8 billion times per day. I turn to audio books for an escape. This book was not an escape.)
Ginny Moon is a 14-year old autistic girl who is living at her third "forever" home after being removed from her neglectful birth mother (note: there is some insinuation of other abuse). The story is largely told from her point of view, in the way that she would speak. Ginny is trying to make sense of a world that rarely makes sense, and that hasn't really been good to her. She wants to do the right thing -- sometimes she knows how to do that, and other times she does not.
Here are a few issues I had with the book:
1) A major plot point (and significant part of the book) deals with Ginny trying to communicate something to the adults in her life (her "forever" parents, teachers, social worker, police, etc.) over the course of many years. They do not understand what she is trying to say, and dismiss her pleas. Even though I initially didn't know what she was attempting to communicate, I kept saying to myself, "For Godsakes, people! Would you *please* just go and...(not putting this in because it would be a spoiler)" It just didn't seem realistic at all to me that she would be ignored by so many people for so many years, and yet the plot was contingent on this.
2) Related to the above, but also an issue in its own right, was the repetitveness of the book. To borrow a phrase from Ginny, it is "tedious." We hear the story from Ginny's point of view, and I believe the author is perhaps trying to be authentic to the way some people with autism would communicate. We quite literally hear the same words and phrases over, and over, and over again. I think listening to this on audio made it particularly grating (I am still in the phase where my own children say "Mom!" "approximately, not exactly" 8 billion times per day. I turn to audio books for an escape. This book was not an escape.)
August 19, 2017
4.5 stars. What a wonderful book. I loved that the author portrayed Ginny as a real person, not as an autistic person. We get to see her doing everyday normal activities like school, playing the flute and basketball practice. But we also get to see her unique thought-processes and emotional issues. Unlike other books with autistic characters, Ginny is not cute and sweet, she is sometimes very difficult to deal with. Her new adoptive parents sometimes struggles to understand and connect with her - a very sad, but authentic situation. Every single character in the book is flawed, and even her abusive birth-mom has redeeming qualities. I will remember Ginny for a very long time - she is such a brave little girl, even though her world is so confusing. Her worries about her baby doll broke my heart. This novel was partially inspired by Ludwig's adoption of a teenager with autism, and that's probably why it feels so genuine. A complex, touching, honest debut novel. One of my favorites for the year.
The Story: We meet 14-year-old Ginny, who has autism, as she settles into life with a new “forever family� and unexpectedly reconnects with Gloria, the abusive, drug-addicted mother from whom she was taken away at the age of nine—and Rick, the father she never knew. The rediscovery unsettles the tentative bond Ginny’s forged with adoptive parents Maura and Brian, exacerbates the teen’s heartbreaking fears for the “baby doll� she left behind, and ultimately triggers a wildly heroic, secret plan to run away to Canada with Gloria and Rick.
The Story: We meet 14-year-old Ginny, who has autism, as she settles into life with a new “forever family� and unexpectedly reconnects with Gloria, the abusive, drug-addicted mother from whom she was taken away at the age of nine—and Rick, the father she never knew. The rediscovery unsettles the tentative bond Ginny’s forged with adoptive parents Maura and Brian, exacerbates the teen’s heartbreaking fears for the “baby doll� she left behind, and ultimately triggers a wildly heroic, secret plan to run away to Canada with Gloria and Rick.
February 17, 2017
I was totally, completely, wholeheartedly won over by this book.
I usually have a problem with quirky fiction, and I think there's a special circle of hell reserved for authors who use precocious child narrators as a crutch. So I approached this title with great trepidation, but as I got a few pages into it, I was thrilled to see that there was more here than just a socially awkward teen saying blunt truths. There's real depth here, an unblinking look at the challenges of adopting, the way a disability can lead to self-esteem and confidence issues, and the struggles of being a parent. It's brilliant and moving and full of life.
And don't get me wrong: Ginny Moon is totally winsome, precocious and quirky, but she's also strong and determined and unforgettable. She's a hero we need right now. And I can't wait for others to discover her.
I usually have a problem with quirky fiction, and I think there's a special circle of hell reserved for authors who use precocious child narrators as a crutch. So I approached this title with great trepidation, but as I got a few pages into it, I was thrilled to see that there was more here than just a socially awkward teen saying blunt truths. There's real depth here, an unblinking look at the challenges of adopting, the way a disability can lead to self-esteem and confidence issues, and the struggles of being a parent. It's brilliant and moving and full of life.
And don't get me wrong: Ginny Moon is totally winsome, precocious and quirky, but she's also strong and determined and unforgettable. She's a hero we need right now. And I can't wait for others to discover her.
May 27, 2017
Ginny Moon is the tender, heartwarming story of a fourteen-year-old, autistic girl.
Ginny has had a tough life, being raised and abused by her addict mother and her boyfriends. At age nine she was taken away from Gloria and put into foster homes. But Ginny kept running away.
Now, she's with the Moon's, who've adopted her. They are kind and especially her forever father, Brian, tries his best to understand Ginny, who sometimes behaves strangely.
As it's common with many autistic children, Ginny's communication skills are not the best.
Because we're hearing Ginny's inner thoughts though, her opinions and behaviours make sense, but outwardly she's challenging.
Benjamin Ludwig did a great job with this debut novel. Ginny's story feels authentic and is written in a matter-of-fact way. It reminds us about the importance of being patient and trying to understand and really listen.
Recommended
I've received this novel via NetGalley. Many thanks to Harlequin for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
Ginny has had a tough life, being raised and abused by her addict mother and her boyfriends. At age nine she was taken away from Gloria and put into foster homes. But Ginny kept running away.
Now, she's with the Moon's, who've adopted her. They are kind and especially her forever father, Brian, tries his best to understand Ginny, who sometimes behaves strangely.
As it's common with many autistic children, Ginny's communication skills are not the best.
Because we're hearing Ginny's inner thoughts though, her opinions and behaviours make sense, but outwardly she's challenging.
Benjamin Ludwig did a great job with this debut novel. Ginny's story feels authentic and is written in a matter-of-fact way. It reminds us about the importance of being patient and trying to understand and really listen.
Recommended
I've received this novel via NetGalley. Many thanks to Harlequin for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
February 13, 2018
O. M. G!!! What an emotional, endearing, and bittersweet book!! I loved it. Loved it. Ginny has got to be one of my all time favorite characters. A must read.
May 27, 2017
Ginny Moon is a 14 year old adoptee with autism who has a fair understanding of how things work, all things considered; and also no understanding at all. The adults in her life are sympathetic and patient, until they're no longer patient at all. Mostly they're good people doing good things, except for Ginny's birth mother, who I wished would just stay away. Ginny is torn between staying with her adoptive parents and running away to her birth mom. As Ginny Moon would say, it was tedious. She's cute and all, but it became very repetitive for me. And the repeated improper usage, by all characters, of the word bring really stood out for me as something that should have been corrected in editing.
3 stars. I'm thinking it was probably more annoying to me due to listening to the audio version, like another reviewer pointed out.
3 stars. I'm thinking it was probably more annoying to me due to listening to the audio version, like another reviewer pointed out.
August 21, 2017
Words to describe this book:
***Wonderful***
***Fantastic***
***Spot On***
***A must read***
*** Puts you right there in the mind of an autistic person***
Essential if you are a parent, a teacher, a grandparent, a psychologist, a doctor, nurse or anyone who comes into contact with a child or an adult who is autistic. Someday, if not already, we will all have an autistic child within our sphere of influence.
Ginny Moon is a revelation and gives such an all encompassing picture of what it is like to be a person with autism. Mr Ludwig gets is so right, and I was super surprised that a man was so able to see inside the workings of autism in such a compassionate and remarkable way. You can't not fall into Ginny's brain with the way the novel is constructed. You see the repetitive nature, the focusing on one issue, the acting out, the compulsion with numbers, and the non ability to allow emotional contact and comfort that so often accompanies autism.
A huge thanks to Mr Ludwig for writing a book that put autism in the forefront and shows not only the person who has it, but also the care workers, the social workers, psychologists , and in Ginny's case the foster parents who so endeavor to help Ginny and truly learn in effect to help themselves.
This book's a must for those who have had and will have autism touch a part of their lives.
***Wonderful***
***Fantastic***
***Spot On***
***A must read***
*** Puts you right there in the mind of an autistic person***
Essential if you are a parent, a teacher, a grandparent, a psychologist, a doctor, nurse or anyone who comes into contact with a child or an adult who is autistic. Someday, if not already, we will all have an autistic child within our sphere of influence.
Ginny Moon is a revelation and gives such an all encompassing picture of what it is like to be a person with autism. Mr Ludwig gets is so right, and I was super surprised that a man was so able to see inside the workings of autism in such a compassionate and remarkable way. You can't not fall into Ginny's brain with the way the novel is constructed. You see the repetitive nature, the focusing on one issue, the acting out, the compulsion with numbers, and the non ability to allow emotional contact and comfort that so often accompanies autism.
A huge thanks to Mr Ludwig for writing a book that put autism in the forefront and shows not only the person who has it, but also the care workers, the social workers, psychologists , and in Ginny's case the foster parents who so endeavor to help Ginny and truly learn in effect to help themselves.
This book's a must for those who have had and will have autism touch a part of their lives.
July 13, 2017
"I am still stuck at the wrong side of forever in the aftermath and I'm still negative Ginny."
YOU GUYS SHOULD FUCKING READ THIS BOOK ALREADY.
There. I said it. Ginny Moon is a book that needs to be read by everyone. I'm puzzled how this book is not getting the attention and hype that it deserves because this book is amazing. I fucking fell in love with this from start to end.
This book broke my fucking heart. I just cannot deal with the fact that a kid would go through so much trauma and deal with its aftermath for years. I just cannot even� I have now words. I'm still not even sure how this review will end up�
SO IF YOU VALUE MY OPINION, AT ALL, IN BOOKS, YOU SHOULD ADD THIS ON YOUR TBR NOW. I'M NOT KIDDING.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS BOOK:
A girl
Autism
Abuse
Baby Doll
Forever homes and forever parents
Grapes
Running away
Stealing
MEET THE CHARACTERS
Ginny Moon - our 14 year old narrator with autism
Baby Doll - someone, or something, Ginny took care of when she was 9
Gloria - Ginny's abusive biological mother
Forever Mom and Forever Dad - Ginny's adoptive parents
Patrice - the psychologist working with Ginny after she's been taken out of Gloria's home
WHAT I LIKED
There are a lot of things I found good in this book. I'm not even sure I'll be able to enumerate them all, but here it goes.
1. Ginny's voice sounds really authentic. I'm not just talking about the narrator on the audiobook I'm reading, but really the way she thinks and talks. Ginny has autism. I felt that the author was able to show us that without even constantly mentioning it. We see how Ginny thinks as she tells us about what was happening to her every day. She consistently looks at her clocks and tells you exactly what time and date significant things happened to her life. I've said this before but I can't help but not say it again. Authors who intend to write about mental illness, needs to convince the readers that the character in their book has it. The readers should be able to figure it out on their own without being constantly told about it. I think Benjamin Ludwig did an amazing job with that in Ginny Moon.
2. I believe the reason why Ginny's voice sounds authentic is because of Ludwig's writing. It's often a difficult task for authors, who are older, to write about someone younger in first person without sounding like an adult. There was never a point in the book where I thought an older man wrote it. All throughout the book, I believed it was Ginny telling me her story, welcoming me and drawing me to the chaos that are her thoughts.
3. The characters were all developed and well placed within the story. All of them were flawed. I liked that. They were there to support Ginny, but like normal people, they do make mistakes too. You see those mistakes scattered throughout the book as we slowly discover what was really going on with Ginny and why she has been going on about her "Baby Doll". I liked that the author did not make the characters nice. These characters had their fair share of stupidity - that's reality though. The characters show genuine reaction and emotion, especially Maura and Brian, Ginny's Forever parents.
4. The way Ginny always starts a new chapter with the date and time. It stays true to her habit of always looking at the time and knowing when stuff happens.
5. All the characters in this story had their arcs, Ginny, most especially. These character arcs were not rapid though, it took time for the character to ease in to some of the things that happened all throughout the book. It was a beautiful thing to read about. Ginny, having autism, would not ease into things right away, and the book did just that. It showed us how hard it was for her to accept change. We follow her journey, and her Forever parents, to discovering who she really is and her true purpose.
6. I liked that this book ended in an open one. In real life, I'm sure someone like Ginny would not magically be a normal teenager. It takes, and will take, time and work from both Ginny and her Forever parents for their relationship to return back to the way it has been prior to the baby that Ginny's Forever parents have.
7. The author obviously knows his shit because he and his wife became foster parents to a teenager with autism. He knows what it's like to live with a teenager with this condition and the effect it has on the people who adopt or foster them. I wish more authors would write about something that they know or, at least, have some background about the topic that they are writing about. I hate it when authors try to use a condition as a plot point but is not, at all, expounded throughout the story. *ahem* EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING *ahem*
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
1. I really liked Ginny's biological dad. He did make a short appearance in this book. I just felt that he should have gotten more to do with Ginny.
2. There was a big plot twist here where Ginny has been telling something to the adults but the adults doesn't fucking believe her. They believe she was making that something up in her head, which turns out was really true. I just found it quite hard to believe that no one, not even the police, knew about it. It puzzles me how Gloria, Ginny's biological mom, could have hidden the secret for as long as she did.
FINAL JUDGEMENT
I loved this book. I wish more people would read, or listen, to this book.
Ginny Moon is a story that needs to be told and was told in such an amazing way. I really wish more people read this book because I feel that this deserves more hype than what it's getting. I'll definitely be reading more books from Benjamin Ludwig.
January 15, 2018
Five stars way up for 'Ginny Moon' by Benjamin Ludwig. For tugging at my heartstrings the beautiful character of Ginny Moon wins first place, this year at least. The story is heartfelt to me because I have a five year old grandson with Williams Syndrome whom we suspect will fall somewhere on the autism spectrum. He is due to start kindergarten within the next month, so all the old issues of how different your child is, have arisen like dark spectors waiting to fall upon his parents. His name is Ethan and he is one of the most beautiful children I have ever met (of course, being his grandmother I'm a little prejudiced.) Spending lots of time with Ethan, I know just how credible Ginny Moon's characterization is, and I am just thrilled with her wonderfulness and her humanity. You can read hundreds of papers on autism (and they do help) but the bottom line is you've got a unique individual who's brain tends to go in a different direction than most. They're not typical and you have to learn to respect them and try to figure out how they think. Ethan teaches me something new most days....like looking at things upside down. An upside down look is sure to give you a new appreciation of spinning objects. The hardest thing is definitely that he isn't crazy about hugs, just like Ginny Moon, and you just love um so much, you want to squeeze um, but mostly, you can't. Believe me, this is the hardest thing as a grandmother. If Ginny Moon's story had ended any differently I would have been VERY upset, because I had an emotional investment in how things were going to turn out for Ginny. Was she going to stay with her forever parents or run away to live with her birth mom? Ginny's early childhood, one of neglect and abuse, compounded her difficulties. Pay attention to all the references to Ginny's Baby Doll. They're important and it's a long time before Ginny can get people to understand what she's really trying to say. I love how Ludwig let us live inside Ginny's mind and follow her ways of thinking. Wow! I love this book!!!
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