Clare Vanderpool‘s Moon over Manifest immerses readers in a small town where a new girl is discovering herself and her roots all at once.

Abilene Tucker wants to ride the rails with her father. Unfortunately, he has sent her to Manifest for the summer (or maybe longer). He seems to think she needs something more than a transient life now that she’s twelve.

In this town she’s heard about all her life, Abilene discovers a story from years before her birth. This story teaches her about not only the town, but also herself.

Moon over Manifest is a book rich in details and full of heart. I strongly recommend it for anyone who likes immigrant stories, historical fiction, or explorations of inter-generational friendships.

Interested in another middle grade historical fiction title: try Dead End in Norvelt