Starred Review ALA Booklist (Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 1996)

Starred Review Half-fairy and half-human, Moql grew up with the fairy folk and learned their ways until they discovered that she couldn't wink out (disappear at will), making her a danger to the folk. Changing her into a baby, they switched her with a human infant. Now named Saaski, she grows up again, a changeling who endures the taunts and teasing and eventually the danger of being different in a village that hates and fears her strangeness. Detailing Saaski's struggles with her nature, her memories, and the ties that bind her to both worlds, McGraw creates an unusual and absorbing story. Rooted in legend, the story features fantasy elements that are convincing, partly because nothing here is solved by magic, but by hard-won understanding of uncomfortable truths, understanding that leads to courageous action. With its convincing medieval setting and characters, this engrossing novel will be an excellent choice to read aloud, beginning with its dedication: To all children who have ever felt different (Reviewed March 1, 1996)

Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 1996)

Saaski, a half-human, half-Moorfolk child, is banished from the Mound and placed as a changeling in a human village, where she is regarded with suspicion and treated with scorn. Saaski is a sympathetic character, and McGraw's is an original tale, yet true to the classic portrayals of the amoral 'sidhe' by writers such as Katharine Briggs and Mollie Hunter.

Kirkus Reviews

Moql's father is human and her mother one of the Moorfolk, who live beneath the moor. Moql belongs to neither world, but her human blood, which prevents her from changing shape or disappearing at will, makes her dangerous to the Folk. An exchange is made; they have a human child to train as a slave and Moql becomes Saaski, a village child unaware of her origins. As a changeling in the human world, Saaski is regarded as a freak. The concepts of hate and love initially elude her—the Folk are essentially amoral—but she learns about one at the hands of vigilantes and about the other when she makes peace with herself and returns her new mother's love with the perfect gift. A complex and finely drawn character, Saaski undergoes a gradual awakening to her true nature that readers will find intriguing and poignant. McGraw (Tangled Webb, 1993, etc.) makes of Saaski's struggles an emotionally satisfying story; the moor, where Saaski's two lives intersect, is an especially evocative setting. (Fiction. 9-12)"

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Incorporating some classic fantasy motifs and icons, McGraw (A Really Weird Summer) conjures up an appreciably familiar world that, as evidence of her storytelling power, still strikes an original chord. Elves, an invented vocabulary with Anglo-Nordic roots, medieval folk elements, herbalism, gypsies-all contribute to the atmosphere of mysticism and magic that suffuses the story of the changeling Saaski. The misbegotten offspring of a moorfolk (small, elf-like beings) and a human, Saaski is secretly switched with a human baby when the moorfolk discover she lacks certain powers. But she is not an ordinary mortal, either; her eyes, for example, change color with her mood, and, as she gets older, the local villagers view her as an outsider. Rather than a typical fantasy adventure, this is a saga of self-discovery as Saaski learns to cope with the pain, often physical, of not fitting in and as she learns her true heritage. Transcending genre, these themes will likely resonate with a wide audience. Ages 9-12. (Apr.)

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6--This well-written novel incorporates elements of folklore into an examination of society's response to those who are perceived as different. The plot centers on the experiences of Saaski, a changeling who was cast out by the "Folk" because of her human father. While she does not initially recall her past life, persecution by the villagers eventually rekindles her memories and fires her resolve to rescue the human child for whom she was exchanged. Aided in her quest by Tam, an orphan who accepts her oddness and cherishes her friendship, Saaski is ultimately successful and thus repays the kindness of her "foster" family by returning their daughter to them. Some readers may find Saaski's cruel treatment by the villagers upsetting and her future with Tam unsettlingly vague, but both are consistent with McGraw's clear intention of using her novel to expose peoples' prejudices and emphasize the importance of being true to oneself. While this unusual blend of fantasy and contemporary concerns may not find a wide audience, the quality of McGraw's writing ensures that for those, like Tam, who can appreciate the unusual, The Moorchild will truly be a magical find.--Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh