The Moon and I: A Delightful Memoir About Writing, Life Lessons, and a Blacksnake Companion for Kids (Ages 8-12)

Betsy Byars, Newbery Medal-winning author of The Summer of the Swans, presents this delightful and inspiring memoir, which also offers an insightful look at her writing process.

The Moon that inspires this memoir isn't the one found in the night sky, but instead Bety’s eponymous reptile companion—a huge (and harmless) blacksnake that she found in the rafters of her porch.

Using this serendipitous meeting as a springboard for an exploration of her life and her art, Betsy Byar’s memoir is filled with energy, wit, and joy. She shows how "the good scraps" of her life, from a bully named Bubba to a gift-wrapped dime, weave into her work.

An ALA Notable Book

“Pure pleasure.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Extraordinarily skillful. A must.”—Kirkus (stared review)

Betsy Byars is the author of many award-winning books for children, including The Summer of the Swans, a Newbery Medal winner. The Pinballs was an ALA Notable Book. She is also the author of Goodbye, Chicken Little; The Two-Thousand-Pound Goldfish; and the popular Golly Sisters trilogy.