The author uses several types of narrative tools to reveal the story of Manifest, including Hattie Mae’s News Auxiliary columns, advertisements for healthcare products, news stories and headlines from the newspaper, and letters from Ned to Jinx. What does this approach accomplish that a more standard narrative does not?

One of the motifs occurring throughout the book is the benefit—and, occasionally, the downside—of belonging to a group. This ranges from the Ku Klux Klan, to typical family units, to the Daughters of the American Revolution, to the people who have immigrated to America. Abilene doesn’t have a group, and neither does Jinx. What is the significance of belonging in Moon Over Manifest?

Manifest is an unusual name for a town, which Abilene notices the first time she sees the sign. What do the definitions Abilene finds for the word “manifest” reveal about the town and its citizens?