The Moonlight School : A Novel

The Moonlight School by Suzanne Woods Fisher has Lucy Wilson traveling to Rowan County, Kentucky to help her cousin, Cora for six months. Her father grew up in the area. Lucy is shocked when she learns that she is expected to travel by horse into the mountains to write and read letters for the mountain people. Lucy thought she would be working in an office. She is unprepared for the living conditions of the people and surprised that many of them cannot read. Lucy meets Brother Wyatt, the singing teacher, who helps her navigate her new environment. Cora comes up with the idea to hold night classes for the adults to teach them to read. The school would be held on moonlit nights so they can find their way to the schoolhouses. Lucy finds herself challenged and questioning everything she had been taught. She gets an opportunity to find a purpose and love. The Moonlight School is an intriguing historical novel. I thought it was well-written and researched. It is a gently paced novel with developed characters. The story is a slow starter, but I soon found myself engrossed. I thought the author captured the time-period, the area, and the mountain people. The authors writing allowed me to imagine the proud mountain people, their homes, and their accent. I enjoyed learning about Cora Wilson Stewart and the work she did to help educate the people in the Appalachian Mountains. I liked the author's historical notes at the end of the book along with the fact and fiction section. There are also discussion questions and suggested reading to learn more about Cora. It was great learning about Cora Wilson Stewart who worked tirelessly to bring education to people who truly needed it. I would have loved an epilogue that went forward a few years to show us how Angie, Lucy, Fin, and Wyatt were faring. The Moonlight School is heartwarming and inspiring tale that will transport you to another time and place.