UNDER THE LIGHT OF THE MOON

by Laura Michael and Illustrated by Aram Gaboudian

Based on the real experiences of the orphans of the Armenian Genocide, including the author's great-grandparents, Under the Light of the Moon is a story of hope and survival during a dark time in world history. The true events of young Jackie's volunteer work remind us that anyone - no matter how young or old - can make a difference in the world.

It is 1924, the end of the Armenian Genocide in Turkey, and ten-year-old Lucine has found safety at an orphanage in Greece. She doesn't know if her parents have survived and wonders if she'll ever see them again, and she isn't alone: there are hundreds of thousands of orphans just like Lucine struggling to survive, their stories making headlines worldwide. In response, the United States forms a special organization called Near East Relief (NER), which provides food, clothing, shelter and safety for these children.

Jackie Coogan, one of America's most famous child actors, uses his celebrity power to support NER, but soon realizes that there are some things in life that are out of our control. Lucine appreciates the help of these kind strangers, but there's still something missing: more than anything, she wishes to be reunited with her family. As time passes, her future becomes more and more uncertain.

Mascot Books (2018)