Weeping Under This Same Moon

"We all shine on, like the moon, the stars and the sun. We all shine on, everyone, come on, come on." -- John Lennon from "Instant Karma"Set in 1976-77, this important book explores a part of history that has long been overlooked. Mei, a Chinese girl living in post-war Vietnam is forced to leave her home country. Mei, her older brother and younger sister are sent by boat across the world to the United States.Hardship is a constant companion on their journey. These young people have no promise that they will survive the long journey and being uprooted from the only home they have ever known had to be traumatic.Hannah, an 11th grader is living a somewhat parallel life to Mei and her family. Miserable with high school life and often at odds with her younger sister Ruthie, 13 and feeling the painful age difference between herself and youngest sister Joni, 9 has left Hannah feeling every bit as adrift as Mei's family must have felt on that boat. Tired of peers who don't meet her needs intellectually and socially, Hannah lashes out inwardly. She develops an eating disorder right around the time Mei has food issues. Hannah can be viewed as a David fighting the Goliaths of insensitive teachers; distant peers who share no common vision and a world rife with societal ills.Hannah, like Mei is a fighter and a survivor. She threatens to put out a citizen's arrest on a man who is smoking in public. Despite her sisters' outrage at her bravery, Hannah bangs on the drum for social issues. She cares about the fate of sperm whales and young seals; she tries to encourage her sisters to take an interest in the rights and backgrounds of minorities. As it turns out, she is very successful in her endeavors.Hannah's life reaches a turning point in late 1977 when she sees a news segment about the people arriving from Vietnam via boats. For her, this is a pressing need that must be addressed. Hannah enlists the help of her family in collecting items to provide for the newly arrived families; she takes it upon herself to make sure the families she meets have smooth transitions as well as basic necessities.This is an excellent book that I hope will be included in the curriculum of elementary and middle schools. This is a book that will touch hearts as well as raise consciousnesses. This is a book about the far reaching effects of global compassion. It is, in effect a global handshake.As we, as humans hopefully move toward that goal of "living as one [world]," this book is a powerful reminder that we ALL weep under the same moon. We all shine on, like the moon, the stars and the sun.John Lennon said, "I hope someday you'll join us and the world will live as one," from "Imagine" in 1971. "Imagine" and "Give Peace a Chance" could very easily be the soundtracks of this book.

I can honestly say that I was reluctant to dive into this book, for persona reasons. The focus on adolescent and teen girls sparked some painful memories of probably the most difficult transition period of my life. What can I say, except that I was pleasantly surprised at how at ease the author made me feel about reliving some of those traumatic times. How Hannah struggled to fit in, what direction she took when she was cast out by her peers and her ultimate fateful discovery of an entirely new fulfillment that came from the other side of the world. While Hannah's story touched closely on my own experiences throughout adolescence, Mei's life brought a humbling reality check to Hannah and gave her purpose in a life that was so difficult to navigate. Jana Laiz's writing style is mesmerizing. I did not want to put it down and was so satisfied with the outcome and the path it took.

I purchased this book for an assignment for school thinking that I wouldn't really get into it that much. Turns out that I really enjoyed it and found myself reading it much quicker than I predicted. I liked the fact that it was written in two totally different point of views with girls from different areas. It was really informative about what it was like to live in Southern Vietnam after the war. I would definitely recommend this book for others to purchase. I'm a 19 year old boy that doesn't necessarily like reading but this book caught my attention. It's easy to understand and has a great story behind it. All in all, I will say that it's a great book.

"Weeping Under This Same Moon" By Jana Laiz is a really good book! I purchased this book for a class and was a little apprehensive about reading it. I don't usually like assigned reading books, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one! The dialogue is captivating, I found that once I started reading I couldn't stop. Jana Laiz paints such a vivid picture of these two fantastic women and the struggles they went through. I even saw a bit of myself in Hannah, which made it all the more enjoyable!

A wonderful story based on true events about the very different struggles of two teenage girls during the time of the Vietnamese War. One, the eldest daughter of a Vietnamese family, is charged with bringing two of her younger siblings to the US, and the other, an American, searches for a place of belonging. This book is going on the list for my high school World Literature class.

Jana writes a most heart wrenching story about two teenage girls struggling to survive, each in their own way. The story of Mei is enlightening, especially with regards to discussions of refugees today. To hear a story of a young girl and how her life of normality is torn apart because of a war as she is forced to become a refugee--is sure to bring tears to your eyes. On the other hand, Hannah, has such strong conviction, her story is somewhat comical, but at the same time her struggles shine through. I love how she finds purpose in the end through helping others.

I was assigned to read this novel for a class of mine. My first thought being that this isn't typically the type of book I usually read. Much to my surprise I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others for an every day book to read. It was a beautifully written story of how two girls from very different backgrounds come together and make such an impact on one another. It expressed any cultural issues that are seen and how these girls were able to come together and make it through in the end. It was a great book! I definitely recommend it!

Brilliant story.Couldn't put it down