On the same day as the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, 250 miles away in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, there was an even more devastating fire. Twelve-year-old Ailis and her younger brother, Quinn, survive, but their family does not. Ailis and Quinn are taken by a family acquaintance to live in a boarding house in Chicago, where they meet six-year-old Nettie, an orphan displaced by Chicago's fire. But, the woman who runs the boarding house makes their lives miserable, and Ailis vows to find a way for the three of them to leave. Ailis finds a job at a millinery shop and Quinn plays his fiddle on the streets so they can save money. Then Nettie disappears, and Ailis and Quinn discover she's been kidnapped by a group that forces children to work in the sewers killing rats. Can they find a way to rescue her? CINNAMON MOON is Tess Hilmo's riveting story of friendship and finding home.
"The relationships between characters subtly highlight themes such as overcoming discrimination, handling grief, and being true to oneself. Hilmo's setting abounds with historically rich details that give depth to the characters and keep the plot moving quickly."
School Library Journal
"The mystery surrounding Nettie's disappearance makes for compelling reading, as does the story's historical backdrop. . .A good mix of history and mystery enlivened with interesting, likable characters."
Kirkus
"The many realistic details of [the characters'] daily lives will help draw readers into the story. Whether woven into the novel or included in the appended author's note, the Peshtigo and Chicago fire-related information is intriguing. A well-researched and well-imagined historical novel."
