Phases of the Moon

The Moon Within by Aida Salazar

"The moon reaches her zenith -
Her glow silvering the world.
Joy sings out
Within every good soul."
"Flower Song for Maidens Coming of Age." From songs of Dzitbalché 7
translated by David Bowles

Recently, several books about menstruation have been published for young readers. Most are collections of information presented in an engaging manner. The Moon Within takes a refreshing approach. Salazar weaves poetry, astronomy, and mythology together with Mexican and Caribbean culture in this intimate view of a young girl anticipating and experiencing her first menses.

The book is divided into sections mirroring the lunar cycle: New Moon, First Quarter Moon, Full Moon, and Last Quarter Moon. This journey from childhood to maidenhood is like the moon: at times dark, at other times shimmering with reflected light. 

Twelve-year-old Celestina Rivera lives in East Oakland with her father of Puerto Rican heritage, mother of Mexican ancestry, and younger brother Juju.

Magda, a drummer in her bomba class is "better than my best friend," and "my best echo." The two are inseparable.  

Celi's mother is thrilled that her daughter will soon have her first period.  She excitedly shares this news with friends and family and begins planning a tradition ancestral celebration to honor her daughter's first menses. Celi is mortified and feels that her privacy has been invaded. A clash between generations, cultures, and expectations leaves both mother and daughter at odds. Celi's internal dissonance extends to relationships with her peers.

She examines her feelings when Magda reveals her gender fluidity, requesting that family and friends refer to her as Mar because "I feel more boy than girl at the moment and because I can be both."  In addition, Celi develops a crush on skate boarder and capoeira dancer Ivan. Sadly, when Ivan and his friends mock Mar, Celi remains silent, refusing to speak in defense of her friend. ​​She finally realizes that she will have to take a stand. She must decide where her loyalties lie.

Salazar lyrically weaves several themes throughout this poetic first-person account. Reading becomes a sensory experience though explorations of rhythm "dancing bomba feels like warm Caribbean water swishing and swaying happiness inside of me," hearts "a locket in my heart ... holds all of the questions that do cartwheels in my mind,' and of course, the moon "I look into the dark and sway with Luna's moonbeams..."

Ultimately, Celi acknowledges that her Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage are an important part of her identity. She accepts and appreciates the biological changes taking place in her body. She celebrates the girl she is and the woman that she is becoming.

A full moon for many cultures
is a time for magic
for healing
for rituals.

Join in the Dance

Meet the Author

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Culture, Identity, and Menstruation

A timely reminder of the universal nature of menstruation and cultural differences:  "Period. End of Sentence" won a 2019 Oscar Award for Best Short Documentary.

​The film explores the stigma attached to menstruation in a rural village in India where girls are prevented from staying in school, worshipping in temples, and having access to basic sanitary products.
​Follow the remarkable story of village women who learn to use a sewing machine, creating biodegradable and affordable sanitary pads for women in the surrounding villages. Their sewing machine was contributed by The Pad Project, a program created by high school girls in a California.

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: February 26, 2019  Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books  ISBN: 978-1338283372