Lunar Boy

Starred review from February 26, 2024
Transgender, brown-skinned Indu has always weathered big changes with his adoptive hijabi mother, who found him alone on an outlying moon during a space mission. Now, socially anxious Indu faces a move from their beloved community spaceship to neo-Indonesian New Earth, and while opportunities for connection abound—Indu must improve his Bahasa Indonesia with an after-school tutor,
navigate living with a new parent and siblings, and correspond with a school-mandated pen pal, who is queer—he worries that New Earth society, while racially diverse, lacks consideration for his gender identity. Feeling isolated, Indu accepts when delegates from the moon of his origin offer to retrieve him on the night of the new year. But as the date approaches, and as Indu’s new friends and family make him feel more at home, he’s forced to consider where he belongs. Twin creators the Wibowos compose characters with striking light and shadow; this cinematic interplay intensifies moments of clarity and connection for Indu and others, while a radiant palette of warm, sun-drenched pinks and oranges underscore the vibrant community of care and support that envelop Indu. Reminiscent of Le Petit Prince, this lustrous debut graphic novel signals a much brighter future for its protagonist and those who relate to him. Ages 8–12. Agent: Britt Siess, Britt Siess Creative Management.

April 1, 2024
A child found living alone on the Moon is brought to live among humans but struggles with his identity. The child, who has dark brown skin and wavy white hair, lives happily with his adoptive hijabi mother and her loving spaceship community. When he becomes confused about his identity, his unconditionally loving mother suggests he start by choosing a new name, since the old one doesn't fit. Now Indu Wulandari Muliadi and his mom are moving to New Earth, where his mom is getting married. Indu struggles with having a stepfather and stepsiblings and feels isolated because he doesn't know Bahasa Indonesia well. A school pen pal assignment matches him with Chinese Indonesian Noah Wong, a bisexual 12-year-old, and they become friends. Indu, who's gay, might even have a crush on him--but then Noah suddenly stops talking to him. A devastated Indu feels hopelessly alone. When the Moon hears his cries and offers Indu a chance to come home on New Year's and leave the pain behind, he decides to go. Knowing that he's leaving, Indu tries to make his remaining months on New Earth different, which opens him up to unexpected friendships and places and the beauty of his new home and family. This luminously illustrated graphic novel offers readers a lovely story of change, understanding, identity, and belonging. Indu meets other trans people and discovers an incredible queer community. Indonesian culture is woven throughout the text and the stunning artwork. Stellar: both heartbreaking and heartwarming. (Graphic fantasy. 9-13)

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Starred review from June 1, 2024

Gr 6 Up-Indu is discovered on the moon by his adoptive mother Dariya, who picks him up during a space mission. Indu spends much of his childhood onboard the spaceship Eyesun, which houses an entire community. Indu comes out as trans to his mother at a young age and is easily accepted. However, he has to endure many changes when it is time for them to depart for New Earth-a futuristic, neo-Indonesian planet. Upon arrival on New Earth, Indu is immediately faced with several social challenges. He struggles with a language barrier, transphobia at school, and conflict with his older brother Alon. He is relieved when he starts to receive messages from the moon, which offer to take him back on the night of the New Year, but over time, Indu finds solace in a new pen pal and in the connections he makes at a queer community center. With a renewed sense of belonging, Indu regrets his decision to return to the moon and must decide to stay or go. References to Indonesian queer history emphasize that queer people have existed throughout time and in all cultures. Shifting color palettes set the tone, with warmer colors on New Earth and cooler ones in space. The authors seamlessly weave the lore of New Earth into the story, making it easy to understand without over-explaining. Themes of acceptance and the importance of community make this a great pick for readers who are coming-of-age or struggling with identity. While marketed toward middle grades, this book would be appealing for high school students as well. VERDICT This heartwarming story about found family and finding yourself is an immersive and refreshing shift from traditional science fiction.-Jillian Girardeau

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2024
Set on an Indonesian-inspired New Earth, this graphic-novel space fantasy explores themes of love and forgiveness, growth and identity. A young, white-haired, brown-skinned child is found living alone on a moon by hijab-wearing astronaut Dariya Muliadi. Promising loving care and companionship, Dariya encourages the child to join her on the spaceship Eyesun; they do -- despite a foreboding warning from the moon about change and heartbreak. The child, referred to at first with a redacted name and they/them pronouns, eventually confesses to Dariya that they want to change their name: "I don't think I'm...whoever it is everyone thinks I'm supposed to be." That change is a good one, but when Dariya and Indu (the child's chosen name) leave the Eyesun and relocate to New Earth, Indu feels overwhelmed by terrestrial life, a new stepfamily, a new school, and the need to learn a new language. A tutor who is transgender and a special bond with a pen pal who is bisexual and Chinese Indonesian help Indu feel a sense of community and connection. The panel and full-page digital illustrations incorporate nods to past and present Indonesian culture, dress, and architecture. The large cast features Indonesian characters of different ethnicities, skin tones, body sizes, and beliefs. Indonesian language, comprehensible in context, is integrated throughout the text in this heartwarming story whose protagonist finds understanding with friends, family, and a broader community. Ariana Hussain

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2024
Set on an Indonesian-inspired New Earth, this graphic-novel space fantasy explores themes of love and forgiveness, growth and identity. A young, white-haired, brown-skinned child is found living alone on a moon by hijab-wearing astronaut Dariya Muliadi. Promising loving care and companionship, Dariya encourages the child to join her on the spaceship Eyesun; they do -- despite a foreboding warning from the moon about change and heartbreak. The child, referred to at first with a redacted name and they/them pronouns, eventually confesses to Dariya that they want to change their name: "I don't think I'm...whoever it is everyone thinks I'm supposed to be." That change is a good one, but when Dariya and Indu (the child's chosen name) leave the Eyesun and relocate to New Earth, Indu feels overwhelmed by terrestrial life, a new stepfamily, a new school, and the need to learn a new language. A tutor who is transgender and a special bond with a pen pal who is bisexual and Chinese Indonesian help Indu feel a sense of community and connection. The panel and full-page digital illustrations incorporate nods to past and present Indonesian culture, dress, and architecture. The large cast features Indonesian characters of different ethnicities, skin tones, body sizes, and beliefs. Indonesian language, comprehensible in context, is integrated throughout the text in this heartwarming story whose protagonist finds understanding with friends, family, and a broader community.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)