Reading Metrics
Description
When living with her mother's abusive boyfriend becomes unbearable, fifteen-year-old Selina Kyle, the future Catwoman, runs away and struggles to find her own identity while living on the streets of Gotham. Text contains profanity.
Quick Summary
If you want a fast, gritty origin story that puts a teenage Selina Kyle on the streets of Gotham before she dons the cat ears, Under the Moon delivers a punchy, no-nonsense read that feels like a comic-book panel turned into prose. The short length (about 8,500 words) and a 2.7 AR level make it perfect for reluctant readers or teens who love superhero lore but might shy away from longer novels. You'll watch Selina navigate a harsh urban world scavenging for food, outrunning a not-so-nice boyfriend, and figuring out who she really wants to be, all while tossing in a few clever cat-themed jokes that keep the tone from getting too heavy. Parents should know the book contains profanity and scenes that touch on abuse, so it's best suited for older middle-schoolers or high-schoolers who can handle mature themes in a condensed format. Fans of quick, character-driven comics like Ms. Marvel or Miles Morales will probably enjoy this, and it's a great lead-in to the full Catwoman series.