Moorchild

I read a book called Moorchild. It is written by Eloise McGraw and has won a Newberry Award. It’s about a moor folk girl named Moql, who’s half human and half folk. The moor folk think of her as a threat, because she can’t wink out, or in other words disappear, and can’t shape shift. So they send her to live with the humans. As a human, her name is changed to Saaski. When she turns 11, she starts to remember her life in the mound. As she remembers more, she discovers that her human parent’s real daughter is living in the mound. She decides to rescue their child.
Moql, or Saaski, is very mischievous, and loves to go out onto the moor. Everyone in her village picks on her because she’s different. Her eyes change color with her moods, and she loves to play the bagpipes. I think that the author did an amazing job describing Moql.
One of my favorite parts in the book is when Moql learns about being a Folk, and is going home to tell her parents. On her way home, all the people in the village attack her and throw salt and metal at her. Because she is half folk, the salt burns, and the metal makes her small and feel sick. When the author describes this part, he uses words that pull you into Moql’s situation. You can see the blurry images and feel the burning of salt, and the sickness from the metal.
I recommend this book to everyone. It’s a calm book, but holds you in, and is incredibly descriptive. I can see, hear, and smell all that’s happening when I’m reading it. This book is perfect for someone who likes page-turning fantasy books. I couldn’t put it down until I had finished.