Under the Crescent Moon

Abstract

Under the Crescent Moon is a historical fiction children's novel set in the Texas Hill Country in 1918. As WWI rages in Europe, Americans on the home front fear German invasion. The County Councils of Defense warn Americans that German spies are everywhere, and in the town of New Siegen, Texas, people are watching and listening for neighbors who may sympathize with the enemy. Eleven-year-old Klara Bauer searches for her own place to belong and struggles to keep her siblings safe in the face of increasing threats and prejudice against German-Americans, and her older sister has made a decision that puts the family in greater danger. However, Klara's efforts will be futile unless she contends with the fear that has taken ahold of the town.