The girl who drank the moon

A fable about acceptance, love, growing up, and the power of memory. From the author of The Witch's Son, named Book of the Year by the Washington Post. Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the Witch who lives in the forest, hoping the sacrifice will prevent her from terrorizing their small town, protected by the walls and the Tower of the Sisters of the Guard. But Xan, the Witch in the forest, contrary to what they believe, is kind. She lives peacefully with a highly intelligent Swamp Thing and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Every year, she rescues the baby left by the Elders and brings it safely to a foster family in one of the Free Cities on the other side of the forest. During the long journey, when food runs out, Xan feeds the babies starlight. On one such occasion, she accidentally offers one of them moonlight, endowing the little girl with extraordinary magic. The witch then decides to raise the "bewitched" girl, whom she names Luna. As Luna's thirteenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to surface—and could endanger Luna and everyone around her. "The Girl Who Drank the Moon is as gripping and intense as the classics Peter Pan and The Wizard of Oz." —The New York Times Book Review