The Star of Moon Village by Jennifer Ann Richter: Review

Welcome to my review of The Star of Moon Village by Jennifer Ann Richter! I’m trying to read a few Middle Grade books a year, and this is my first one of 2026!

Title: The Star of Moon Village
Author: Jennifer Ann Richter
Genre: MG Sci-fi
Publisher: Holiday House
Pub Date: 01/27/2026

Description

Even in outer space there are frenemies.

Priscilla Cobb has spent her whole life dreaming of space. The underground scientific labs on the Moon are the stuff of legend. So when an international student research voyage to the Moon is announced, Priscilla trains day in and day out.

But as Priscilla discovers, research will not be the priority of the trip. In fact, the whole trip starts to feel like a vacation for the ultrarich and famous. And when a surprise secret guest is revealed (someone Priscilla hoped to never cross paths with again), she decides enough is enough. It’s time for science to fight back.

Combining classic middle school growing pains with a near-future space setting, The Star of Moon Village is a smart and empathetic read perfect for fans of Stacy McAnulty’s The Miscalculations of Lightning, Jennifer L. Holm’s The Lion of Mars, and Jasmine Warga’s A Rover’s Story.

Review

The Star of the Moon Village was so fun. What I loved most was how much detail the author put into the descriptions. Every scene I could visualize, and it really felt like I was on a trip to the moon. The book’s set in the future, and I enjoyed the mentions of how earth and humans had changed, although I’ll never be prepared for robots. There were also plenty of humorous moments, like a Priscilla and Aquila joke and timeshare presentations on the moon.

Priscilla’s pettiness was relatable, because who amongst us hasn’t been unimpressed by someone everyone is impressed by. Or had a history with someone that no one knows about but it shades your entire view of the person. I loved Priscilla’s journey on that front. This would be a great read for kids to see a science-loving Black girl on the moon coming to realizations about friendship and understanding others.

*Thank you to Holiday House for the finished copy. All opinions are my own.*

Author

Jennifer Ann Richter is a former diplomat, teacher, investment representative, editorial assistant, voice captioner, and video description writer (with a few odd jobs in between). Somehow she managed to focus long enough to get serious about her writing—a love that had always been simmering in the background. Her big break came after novel attempt number four.

Jennifer’s interests are as varied as her employment history, and they often find their way into her poetry, short stories, and novels. Her debut novel, BIRD NERD, was inspired by the birding hobby she picked up as an adult. Astronomy, space travel, and her experiences living and working in Germany have also featured prominently in her writing.