Ashleigh is having difficult time with her parents and when she gets into trouble at school she is required to do community service at a workshop for people with intellectual disabilities. There she meets Joyous: a “huge bloke, big as a truck, with hair the colour of cornflakes and boggley eyes and hands that don’t always do what he wants them to do”. Joyous calls Ashleigh “Moonbeam” and they develop an unlikely friendship in which it is Joyous, with his own special philosophy about life, who helps Ashleigh, rather than the other way around.
The chapters are told alternatively from the viewpoints of Joyous, Moonbeam/Ashleigh, and Joyous’ mother, each with their own unique voice. Although dealing with sad and difficult situations, it is ultimately a heartwarming story about friendship, love and the power of having a positive attitude.
I would recommend it for mature readers who are in the mood for a realistic story with some depth to it.
The chapters are told alternatively from the viewpoints of Joyous, Moonbeam/Ashleigh, and Joyous’ mother, each with their own unique voice. Although dealing with sad and difficult situations, it is ultimately a heartwarming story about friendship, love and the power of having a positive attitude.
I would recommend it for mature readers who are in the mood for a realistic story with some depth to it.