Abby wakes the morning after Earth passes through the tail of a comet to pounding on her front door. Pounding that brings ominous news. The adults of this small island community are all dead. It's up to the remaining twenty-some children to learn to survive on their own. As if that wasn't enough, the CDC soon issues a transmission with a dire explanation. The space dust carries a germ that attacks the human hormones after the onset of puberty. We all know puberty is torture, but death? Wow, that just sucks. Now the clock is ticking for Abby, one of the oldest kids in this gang. Can she survive long enough for a cure to be found? Can she survive long enough to ensure the safety of her younger brother and sister? Only time will tell.Abby is a great character. She's sensitive but tough and fair. She takes on the responsibilities of entire island and does it with grace. She often times takes extra measure to guard what the toddlers see and hear, I found the little things like that so endearing. She is surrounded by other characters, equally colorful. Cramer does a great job of giving enough insight to each character for you to care about them. A tricky task when there are so many.The writing is perfect for middle-graders and young adult fans alike. It flows nicely and at a good pace. There is death but it's not graphic enough to scare a younger audience. Yet, the content is enough to keep older audiences 'tuned in'. I found it hard to put down!Night of The Purple Moon is not a supernatural thriller, it's not a blood filled horror story. It is a science fiction/ coming of age story about what a group of young children can accomplish when left with no other options. I loved the realistic line Cramer took with this tale. These kids break down, they cry, they mourn, they suffer but they also come together to survive. Unlike a lot of stories these days, they do it while keeping their humanity. When I was formatting this post, I noticed that this is the first in what is to be a trilogy and got very excited! Can't wait to see the future of these kids!! *A copy of this title was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review*
