I found this book to be a slightly uncomfortable read but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I know these books are very popular with older Primary School children but I am not sure how relatable Clover Moon is to the children in my class. I think the reason for this is the time period that the book is set in. 

Clover herself is a character who is interesting and engaging but I couldn't help but feel that we only ever really skimmed her life. Yes, we learnt that her Mother was dead and that her father had remarried and that she was bringing up her younger siblings but we didn't find out why her mother died, or how this had effected her. Her relationship with the doll maker was beautifully portrayed though. I felt that after she runs away and goes to the home for girls I felt that things were a little forced and all a little convenient. 

There were some genuinely beautiful and heart wrenching moments in this book and for that reason I chose to give it 4 stars - but I am not sure that many children would feel a connection to Clover Moon in the same way as they do to some other Jacqueline Wilson characters.

I haven't read many books by Jacqueline Wilson but I enjoyed this title. She does a good job of evoking Victorian London. I was somewhat perplexed at the ease with which Clover walks out of one life into another but I guess back then there were no safeguards for children. Education was also a hit and miss affair for the poor. 
There was a nice link to another book by the author when Clover meets the title character. I wonder if there will be a sequel to this story too, as the ending was in new setting and a little abrupt.

Jacqueline Wilson was one of my favourite authors when I was a child, and my favourite book of hers (at the time) was The Lottie Project, with half of the novel set in Victorian England. So it was with no small amount of childlike excitement that I set about reading ‘Clover Moon’, a novel set in the Victorian slums about a plucky young girl with a lucky name. Clover’s imagination is her best escape from her poverty-stricken life, but when tragedy strikes she realises that everything she once loved about her home is gone, and her abusive step-mother and indifferent father loom large in her life. She’s heard of a place that girls like her can run to, but can she find the courage (and the opportunity) to break free and find a new home? 

Wilson excels when she’s writing about hardship, never shying away from the details – a skill that I think is the reason why she is so beloved as a children’s author. In Clover, we have a brave and brilliant heroine that you will root for from the very first page, and despite the moments of darkness, there is a huge amount of hope within this book – again, a typical feature of Jacqueline Wilson. Clover encounters some real characters on her travels, including the kindly Mr Dolly, a hunchbacked doll-maker who will bring tears to your eyes, and Hetty Feather, the eponymous heroine of another of Wilson’s books. Whilst the happy ending might not be realistic for most children in Victorian England, this heart-warming tale has all of the elements of the perfect story. There’s a reason why Jacqueline Wilson is a national treasure, and I’ve yet to read one of her books that proves otherwise. I hope to be able to read many more of her books in years to come!

I was a huge Jacqueline Wilson fan when I was younger, but had not read any of her books for many years. Reading Clover Moon took me right back to being 11 years old again.

Jacqueline Wilson has always excelled at wonderfully imaginative storytelling, and Clover Moon is no different. She introduces children to hard-hitting issues in a non-patronising way and allows her characters to be complex and genuine, providing excellent role models for her young (predominantly female) readers.

Clover herself is a strong character, capable of fending for herself as well as caring for her younger siblings. She is fiercely independent and is not afraid of speaking her mind. When she is devastated by a death, her abusive step-mother forbids her to attend the funeral, so she decides to leave in search of a better life. Her journey gives us glimpses of life in Victorian London, from the very poorest areas to the very wealthy, and she makes unlikely friendships along the way.

Although this story could be labelled "historical fiction", its themes are universal and resonate with young people's lives today. Familial abuse, unfortunately, still happens, and poverty still exists. Escaping both of these situations is as significant today as it was 150 years ago.

My only criticism of Clover Moon is that the ending came rather suddenly and felt somewhat lacking. Certain issues (especially legal ones) had not been resolved, although I this leaves it open for a sequel and there was a nice link with one of the characters from Wilson's other books.

I will definitely look into getting this in to my library, as I know lots of students who will love it!

Ever since I can remember, Jacqueline Wilson's books have been part of my life. When it came to writing book reviews at school, Jacqueline's 'The Lottie Project' was usually the first book that I chose, and, 19 years on, it still remains one of my most favourite books. As a lot of you are aware, Jacqueline writes books aimed at children and young adults. However, given the topics her books cover, I am sure a lot of adults would still appreciate the literary genius that is Ms.Wilson.

As soon as I was given the opportunity to read 'Clover Moon', I grabbed it with both hands and snuggled up on the sofa with copious amounts of excitement bubbling as I began to read. 'Clover Moon' is set in London during the Victorian era; the poverty end in particular. Clover Moon is just a young girl. A young girl that has a lot of responsibility looking after her younger brothers and sisters, as well as the neighbours children. Before you even add poverty to the equation, Clover's life seems very hectic already. In the Victorian era, people didn't have the luxuries that we take for granted now; things like clothes, hot water, food and even medicines. Reading about Clover Moon's life and the struggles that she had to face, opened my eyes in more ways than one.

Don't get me wrong, I knew that life was very different back then, but when you're focusing on one or two families, the reality of the situation becomes even more clear. When Clover faced grief head on, my heart went out to her. The little girls safety net and best friend was gone, and the only thing that poor Clover could guarantee now was pain.

Jacqueline Wilson has taken yet another harrowing topic, built a story with that topic in mind based on events from our history, and has written it in such an easy to understand way. Not only that, Jacqueline Wilson has kept the gritty reality at the forefront of the story, whilst explaining what younger children had to face and the options that they had.

I found a lot of the storyline quite hard to read in terms of emotion behind the powerful truth, yet it was delivered brilliantly.

Yet another exceptional book from the highly talented Jacqueline Wilson. In the 19 or so years that I have read Jacqueline's books, I have never come across one that I didn't like. Absolutely fantastic. Roll on her next book!

Thank you Random House Kids UK