Keeping the Moon is a young adult novel by author Sarah Dessen. It is her third novel and was first published in 1999.
While her mother, a famous television fitness coach, is on promotion tour in Europe, fifteen-year-old Colie has to spend the summer holidays with her aunt Mira in Colby, North Carolina. Having endured a tough time at school, Colie is not looking forward to Colby. In her hometown Charlotte, Colie is an outsider as she used to be very overweight and, after losing weight, mean rumors about her being easy to get were spread.
After Colie arrives at the train station in Colby, she is picked up by Norman, Mira’s subtenant. Soon after her arrival Colie gets to know Morgan and Isabel who serve as waitresses in the Last Chance Diner where Norman is working as cook. At first, Colie is very dismissive but later regularly helps out in the restaurant. Over time, her initial defensiveness vanishes and they become friends. Also, she enjoys staying with her eccentric but warm-hearted aunt.
In the course of a painting project, she and Norman get closer. During the festivities for the Fourth of July, Colie encounters the girl which spread the rumors at her school. She is able to stand up to her and gets the number of her handsome cousin.
In the end, Colie falls in love with Norman and while watching the eclipse of the moon they try to help Morgan to get over the break-up from her long-time boyfriend.
