I am really enjoying reading middle grade historical fiction! And this Newbery Award winning book captured my imagination and stole my heart, all while I learned a lot about the 2 time periods it alternated between.

First of all, the author captures the respective eras perfectly. There are two timelines, the first in 1918 follows a young boy nicknamed Jinx who comes upon the town of Manifest and befriends a 17 year old orphan named Ned. The two become friends and some of the folks from the small town, which already considers Ned an adopted son to all, takes a liking to Jinx as well. 

The second timeline is in 1936. A young girl named Abilene Tucker has been sent to Manifest by her young father, who has decided that his lifestyle on the road is no longer suitable for a young girl. Abilene is upset but believes that she'll only be there for the summer. Still, she meets a couple of friends and uncovers a bit of a mystery early on, and she starts learning the backstory of the town of Manifest, and what potential ties her father had to the town.

Manifest is a mining town made up of immigrants from Europe who came to the US for a better life. It's just as important part of the story as the characters and plot. I've been reading a lot Newbery contender books this year, and in thinking through the selection criteria, I think Moon Over Manifest is one of the finest examples I've seen of delineation of setting. Manifest is such a unique setting and so important to both storylines and moving the overall plot forward. I really commend the author on this.

Full of twists and turns and hijinks and good old fashioned wholesome fun, this is a must read!