Books
The Manifesto of Blair Moon
How to be Cooler than the Moon
You have before you the tale of my adventures. You may laugh, and you may cry. You may not understand some of the bigger words. This is because I am – as they say – much smarter than the average cookie. My Mother says that I am ‘precocious’ which is word meaning ‘very special and intelligent’ and not as my sister Jamie said at the time ‘very irritating.’
Blair Moon’s blissful life in the nursing home is turned upside down when her mother enrols her in the local primary school. Blair isn’t too keen on trading bingo for handball, but she sets her sights on being Class President. However, her new peers respect a higher world order than superior bridge skills – something called being cool…
Kids' Book Review
They say surprises are the spice of life. I say incongruous pairings are equally as stimulating. Blair Moon is both. This debut middle grade novel from Aussie author, Ashleigh Mounser, is a curious beast as is Blair Moon herself...
Reviews & Interviews
Just Write For Kids Interview
It’s such a delight to welcome talented writer and author, Ashleigh Mounser, to the blog to talk about her very ‘cool’ and supremely funny new middle grade title, Blair Moon: How to be Cooler Than the Moon. From nursing home to primary school, Blair Moon is set to trade her presidency with barefoot bowls to presidency of a class of kids! Woah, this sounds exhilarating! Thanks for sharing, Ashleigh!
Illawarra Mercury Interview
Helping lift the lid on a mass wage theft scandal in 2016, where students and international workers were ripped off, built the foundations for Ashleigh Mounser's first published book.
The Book Muse Review
Blair isn’t your typical child, because she has been raised around a lot of adults, which explains her difficulties interacting with children. But what if girls had even a tiny bit of Blair’s confidence at this stage in life in reality? Would they think and act differently?
Just So Stories Review
This would make such a great read aloud for a class around middle/upper primary and at around 200 pages is not a demanding imposition in the classroom schedule.
Reading Time Review
Blair Moon’s voice will ring strongly in your head for days after putting this book down. This is Ashleigh Mounser’s debut children’s novel and has crafted the voice of a precocious, strong-willed 11-year-old with an intensity and verve that children will adore.
ReadPlus Review
Ford Street Publishing focuses on books that allow children to read literary works that explore significant social issues of our time in a fresh, multi-layered and entertaining manner. Thus any book published by Ford Street merits some attention.
Awards Australia Interview
In this week’s episode, Geoff chats with Ashleigh Mounser – 2023 NSWYAA 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards, Semi Finalist – Western Sydney University Academic Achievement Award.
