This Moth Saw Brightness

Gr 9 Up–’Wayne (the “D” is invisible) Le has been struggling with school and his relationship with his father since his mother’s abrupt departure eight years earlier. His senior year promises to start off the same as before, until he receives an invitation from John Hopkins University to participate in an adolescent health study. Encouraged by his father (who is Vietnamese), his guidance counselor, his best friend Kermit Shah, and later his crush Jane Gallagher (who is also participating in the study), ’Wayne participates. Because of the study, Jane, who is autistic, wants to “meet up” with ’Wayne to discuss what the study could be about. Before long, the three friends convince themselves that the study is part of conspiracy linked to a government plot. On top of that, ’Wayne receives an email from his long-absent mother (who is white) asking to visit him. The narrative style includes journal entries, emails, asides by the author, and clever footnotes, all of which present realistic thoughts by the protagonist. Readers will wonder in tandem with the hero about the study’s purpose while anticipating his confession of love to Jane and the reunion with his mother.