Leo Gray and the Lunar Eclipse
Leo Gray and the Lunar Eclipse is a science fiction, fantasy-adventure novel written by author and illustrator K.J. Kruk.[1][2][3]
The book is intended for middle-grade readers (children ages 8-12[4]), and follows an eleven-year-old protagonist, Leo Gray, who, in the year 2113, enters a rocket-building competition in the attempt to win a ticket to attend the Lunar Academy (a school inside the moon).
Plot[edit]
Despite living in the 22nd century, Leo's family (the Gray's) live as though they were stuck at the end of the 20th century. This propels Leo to seek escape from his abnormal living situation in the Bronx by entering a rocket-building competition (with the help of his robot teacher, Miss Witz), hoping that his talent in science will grant him a better life at the new utopian city inside of the moon, Luna City.
Mr. Gray, however, is highly opposed to his son participating in a government-run competition and immediately punishes Leo once he learns that he had entered the competition behind his back, grounding Leo to tree-patrol (a landscaping job which entails trees being wrapped with futuristic barbwire and laser tape for their security) with the family's weird neighbor, Mr. Dawgspat.
While on tree-patrol, Mr. Dawgspat tells Leo that "aliens" (more specifically "Lunalings" [the indigenous species that once inhabited the moon]) are to blame for the sudden disappearance of trees in their neighborhood, Riverdale. Leo doesn't believe him, but when he arrives at Space Camp he discovers a cryptic note that makes him start to reconsider the validity of his neighbor's tall tale.
When Leo finally gets to Luna City, he is introduced to other talented kids from across the globe. They are each tested and placed into job shadow or apprenticeships groups called "Sectionals" to study their specific/natural talent under world-renowned experts in their field at the Lunar Academy, Ex: science, mathematics, history, theater, art, etc. Leo is quick to befriend Andromeda Groves (a code hacking whiz from Canada), Pavo Digbi (a history buff from Brazil), Grus Pinwheel (a musically gifted kid from Australia), Phoebe Voiles (a theater student from France), Izma Nazari (a microbiology expert from the UAE), and Scotti and Ume Tokage (robotics engineers from Japan).
The action commences when the Leo and his roommates (Pavo and Grus) return one evening after a Gravital Match (an anti-gravity game that consists of 1 gamer, 1 athlete and numerous robots, akin to tennis) to find that Leo's pet mouse, Archimedes, is missing. A trail lead Leo and his friends to discovering a hidden stairwell at the bottom of the city and, later on, a 10,000-year-old baby alien (a Lunaling), named Grimlu. Grimlu informs Leo and his friends of a sinister plot to destroy Earth by an evil alien race called "Mleckorgs." When the friends finally decode the cryptic note, they must fight to find a way to save not only Earth, but Luna City from destruction before the next lunar eclipse.
Themes[edit]
- Adventure - The plot can be summarized as a classical hero's journey focused predominately on one individual's adventure, much like the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling or The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien.[5]
- Mystery - Much of the plot is surrounded by elements of mystery [Ex: trees disappearing, a big unknown event being mentioned without resolve, a character's veins mysteriously glittering, and so on], and weaves in various clues and plot devices, such as Red Herrings, to keep suspense.
- Diversity - The book's characters come from numerous countries, such as the U.S.A., Canada, Brazil, Australia, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Poland, France, and so on. Kruk has made a point to include characters from various walks of life, including a number of characters with special disabilities.
- Linguistics - The author has also left numerous foreign language phrases untranslated throughout the book, including phrases in: Portuguese, German, Chinese, French, Japanese, Italian, Swedish, Polish, Arabic, and a futuristic take on Sign language.
- The Future - The plot is set in the future and includes many elements found in contemporary scifi novels, such as: flying cars, robots, hover boards, futuristic sports, etc.
- School Story - The plot develops a classical school story feel midway through the novel when the protagonist arrives at the moon school.
- Good vs. Evil - The main characters makes numerous moral choices which lead to final battle against a villain.
- STEM - The characters show interest and participate in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math).
Origins[edit]
Kruk has stated that the idea for Leo Gray and the Lunar Eclipse came shortly after relocating to Hawaii, while "looking at the moon glimmering over Diamond Head"[6] from a lanai of a "really crummy" vacation rental.
References[edit]
- ↑ "Kirkus Reviews".
- ↑ "Middle Grade Mafia".
- ↑ "GreenLeaf Book Group".
- ↑ "The Key Differences Between Middle Grade vs Young Adult | WritersDigest.com". WritersDigest.com. 2014-08-07. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
- ↑ "Hero's Journey Lesson Plan". Creative Educator. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
- ↑ "Leo Gray Books | FAQ". Leo Gray Books | The Adventure Begins!. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
External links[edit]
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