Living with Jackie Chan

Jumping Off Swings #2

by Jo Knowles

After fathering a baby, a teenager moves in with his karate-loving uncle and tries to come to terms with his guilt — and find a way to forgive.

This isn’t how Josh expected to spend senior year. He thought he’d be hanging out with his best friends, Dave and Caleb, driving around, partying, just like always. But here he is, miles from home — new school, new life, living with his Jackie-Chan-obsessed uncle, Larry, and trying to forget.

But Josh can’t forget. So many things bring back memories of last year and the night that changed everything. Every day the pain, the shame, and the just not knowing are never far from his thoughts. Why is he such a loser? How could he have done what he did? He finds some moments of peace when he practices karate with Stella, the girl upstairs and his one real friend. As they move together through the katas, Josh feels connected in a way he has never felt before. He wonders if they could be more than friends, but Stella’s jealous boyfriend will make sure that doesn’t happen. And maybe it doesn’t matter. If Stella knew the truth, would she still think he was a True Karate Man?

Readers first met Josh in Jumping Off Swings which told the story of four high school students and how one pregnancy changed all of their lives. In this companion book, they follow Josh as he tries to come to terms with what happened, and find a way to forgive.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Family, Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, Coming Of Age

384 pages, Hardcover

First published September 10, 2013

About the author

Hi! I'm the author of several books for kids and teens. including Ear Worm!,Meant To Be, and See You at Harry's. I'm available for school, library and book club visits either in person or via Zoom. For more info, please visit www.joknowles.com Thanks! :-)

Reviews

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this in one night. It was beautifully written, with a very authentic portrayal of a teenage boy coming to grips with the harsh reality of his thoughtless actions.

Josh cannot stand to stay in his home town after his irredeemable (in his eyes) behaviour, so he moves to his uncle's apartment, (about 4 hours drive away) to finish his senior year in an attempt to get into College.

There was a book previous to this one which deals with the actions, but I hadn't read it, and didn't feel like I missed much by diving straight into this one.

Actually I would be kind of interested to know one thing about the first book ('Jumping off swings'). I cannot imagine how it would have ended, because at the start of this, Josh is barely holding himself together. His anger and hatred of himself is powerfully depicted. So, it must have ended on such a downer.

Fortunately for us, 'Living with Jackie Chan' ends on a whole bunch of positive notes. It takes ages for Josh to really start to make peace with himself, and along the way, he meets a group of people who help him.

First and foremost is the Jackie Chan of the novel - Josh's uncle Larry. I tell you, this man is awesome. He is so upbeat, so funny, and so gentle with Josh (who he calls Samurai Sam) that his role in the book in extremely significant. He never pushes too hard, but when he does, it results in Josh picking up karate again, and partnering the girl-next-door, Stella.

The bad thing is revealed quite early, so I don't know why I am not telling you. It just works really well in the way it is revealed in the narrative.

Such a good book. Highly recommended.

[Gary Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Then you have to claim it, Josh. You have to take ownership of whatever happened and learn how to live with it. And you can start by saying –“

Living with Jackie Chan is another excellent novel from Jo Knowles that begins by drawing readers in with an engaging premise and complex, likeable characters, and ends by presenting those characters with challenges that lead us to question whether we also have the courage to “take ownership of whatever happened and learn how to live with it.”

Josh, the main character of Living with Jackie Chan, was first introduced as one of four primary characters in the 2009 novel Jumping Off Swings. In that book, Josh fathers a child after one brief, insincere sexual encounter with Ellie. Even though Living with Jackie Chan relates to the situation in Jumping Off Swings, readers do not need to know the earlier book to appreciate this one. In Living with Jackie Chan, the focus is solely on Josh as he moves in with Larry, his karate instructor uncle, in another town to distance himself from what happened with Ellie.

Josh leaves behind his parents, friends, dog, and school. His new life is soon filled with karate, Jackie Chan movies, his uncle, his uncle’s girlfriend, new school acquaintances, and an awkward friendship with Stella, the girl who lives upstairs. And this is what I admire most about Jo Knowles novels: The characters are appealing but quirky and trying really hard to navigate their ways through school, or romance, or addiction, or whatever individual murkiness is giving them trouble. Readers can always find something to admire in these characters, even as we see them make bad choices. As Josh and the other characters struggle with finding the strength to do what needs to be done, anyone who has ever felt even a little bit lost can empathize with them.

Teen pregnancy stories from a male perspective are rare, and welcome. (Angela Johnson’s The First Part Last and Nick Hornby’s Slam also provide teen father protagonists.) Living with Jackie Chan will appeal to both males and females as it blends action and romance, humor and emotion.

In her acknowledgements, Jo Knowles says that Living with Jackie Chan came about from readers wondering what happened to Josh after reading Jumping Off Swings. That’s not a surprise. In each of her books—Lessons from a Dead Girl, Jumping Off Swings, Pearl, See You at Harry’s, and now Living with Jackie Chan--Jo Knowles gives life to characters so compelling that we can’t help caring about them. When her books end, those lives and our care continue. What greater testament to the power of a writer’s imagination, skill, and heart?

Living with Jackie Chan will be published in September, 2013 by Candlewick Press.

Cross-posted on What's Not Wrong?

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved JUMPING OFF SWINGS and had been looking forward to this companion novel for a long time. You might think that build-up would be tough for a book to live up to, but nope - I loved LIVING WITH JACKIE CHAN just as much if not a little more. On the surface, this is a story about a teenaged boy running away from a mistake - after a one night stand that resulted in a pregnancy, Josh goes off to live with his martial arts loving uncle where he won't have to face his classmates - or her - and be reminded of what happened. He just wants to forget. But life has a way of giving you what you need, rather than what you want, and Josh finds that his new living situation - a crazy uncle, a new friend, and a commitment to finding out who he really is - makes it possible to think about facing his past.

This is one of those books that felt like it was just me and the characters - the author and her craft were invisible, which might feel effortless, but as a writer, I know it's one of the hardest things to pull off. Jo Knowles always manages to make me cry with her books, and this one is no exception. But it made me laugh just as often. It's a beautiful story about family and second chances that would make a great read for high school book clubs or literature circles, too.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I really loved this book. The writing itself is beautiful, and the story is incredibly compelling - I started reading my e-ARC last night and ended up staying up far too late and finishing the book this morning, because I just couldn't stop reading! This is a followup to an earlier novel (Jumping Off Swings, which I also loved), but it stands alone perfectly. It had been so many years since I'd read Jumping Off Swings, I really didn't remember any of the characters or details from that book, but I didn't need to remember anything in order to love this novel - and people could easily read Living With Jackie Chan without ever having read Jumping Off Swings at all.

The real issue at the heart of this book is: how can a basically decent person really come to terms with the fact that he did something awful he can never take back? - especially when that thing that he did not only hurt other people, but it also lost him something irreplaceable, forever.

Which makes it sound like it could be a really depressing novel, couldn't it? But the great thing is, it's really not. This book is about Josh's senior year at a new school (having fled his hometown and all the bad memories there), and it's filled with quirky, wonderful characters, humor and fun, despite the real pain that Josh is suffering and his desperation to somehow make amends. It's full of imperfect people with serious issues - but it's also full of joy and love and the struggle to do better.

Really, this is a book about the richness of life. That makes it wonderfully uplifting - and along with several bits that were incredibly funny, there were some moments near the end where my eyes stung with tears as I read, because I was so moved.

I read an e-ARC of this (gotten through Netgalley) but will definitely buy a final, published copy for myself as well. Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, or just anyone who loves great characters, heartfelt stories, and a strong narrative voice.

[Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have rarely enjoyed an author's work as much as I enjoy Jo Knowles's writing. It seems that every book she writes is so full of emotion and, more importantly, humanity. Her characters are always so well-defined and she is a master at getting the reader invested in the plot's outcome.

Living with Jackie Chan is no exception to this rule. Not having read Jumping Off Swings since it first came out, I was a bit hesitant to dive right into this book. However, I just had to read it and the library didn't have any copies of JoS available, so I just began reading. Josh, who got a girl at his school (Ellie) pregnant in Jumping Off Swings, is now heading into his senior year of high school and has decided to start all over. New town, new school, new life. New everything. He is still recovering from the events of the previous year, but his uncle, a karate master obsessed with Jackie Chan, is determined to help as much as he can. Together, they embark on a journey of self-discovery which can only be described as incredibly moving. Josh comes to appreciate his uncle and understand how to be a 'true karate man'.

While sometimes the karate was a bit much, as some chapters consisted of a lot of exposition describing karate and the moves Josh was doing, it all was tied to the theme and I was willing to read it just to help myself understand Josh better and how he realized the connections between karate and his life. It is karate that truly helps him discover himself. There is something so universal about his realizations through karate...whether you found yourself in theatre, football, poetry, or something else, we have all had that one thing that has helped us through a hard time. And that universality makes you really root for Josh throughout the entire book. The ending is incredibly satisfying, leaving you feeling very content with where everything ended up.

Another wonderful book by Jo Knowles. Highly recommended.

[Cindy Minnich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Jumping Off Swings and was grateful to have an excuse to reread it and revisit the characters before I read Living With Jackie Chan.
I knew I wanted to know what happened to Josh after everything that happened in the first book, but I anticipated that I would hear more about everyone else.
As I started reading, I realized that this really was Josh's book.
Once I started reading and fell in love with these characters, I realized I was grateful for this.
Josh gets his chance to try to stay over and get himself together at his Uncle Larry's for his senior year - for hours away from home and far from his friends, his parents, and the constant reminder of the heartache he has caused Ellie, himself, and everyone else.
Except it's not gone. It shows up every night in the baby cries upstairs, the girl he likes, the definition of what it means to be a true karate man.
This is a book about hope and forgiveness and starting over. I cannot wait to get this book in the hands of my students.
Thank you, Jo Knowles. May you continue to have strong hands that lift up your readers with the stories you tell. <3

[Chris Kervina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jo Knowles had me at hello. Seriously. This is the 3rd book I've read by Knowles, and I have a tough time walking away from the characters.

In this companion to Jumping Off Swings, Knowles tells the story of Josh and the year after the events of the first book. I say it's a companion rather than a sequel because Josh does not share the narration with anyone, which allowed me to be in Josh's head as he went on his own journey living with his uncle to escape his family life and the aftermath his junior year.

However, it's not vital to have read Jumping Off Swings to read Living With Jackie Chan. In fact, it had been long enough since I read the other that I'd forgotten Josh was even a character until most of the way through the book. That oversight doesn't hurt; I think I enjoyed Josh's development even more because I treated his as a completely new story.

I'm so glad I had the chance to read this September 2013 as an ARC. It's one that Knowles fans will love and it's one that will win new fans who will want to check out her other novels, too.

[E. Mellyberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily the best 5☆ book I've ever rated. I've cried and laughed at every page.

Josh's journey is heartbreaking. Jo Knowles is so amazing that she could turn a lost, assholish, cocky boy into a lovable, vulnerable, perfect and true karate man.

Josh and and his uncle Larry are the best main characters here. Sadly, Stella was a bit far behind these guys. Stella felt so contradictory to me, like I was reading two different girls than one. She felt so thin, and fake. But thank goodness, Josh alone, or Larry alone, could pull this book upto 10☆, so at the end Stella didn’t matter.

I love Caleb. Have loved him and still in love with him. I wish there was a book about Caleb. That'd awesome.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves YA and loves deep, meaningful read. Some tears will fall, I guarantee you that, but it's such a sweet journey, I wouldn't want to read it any other way.

♥ Josh
♥ Larry, with all my heart!!!

[Brianne Honda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Josh’s senior year is far from what he would’ve imagined. Instead of living up with his best friends, he’s living with his Uncle Larry at a new high school, where he know no one, leaving behind his estranged parents and the girl who just had his baby. His unknown child haunts him for the entirety of his stay with his uncle, but he refuses to open up about it to anyone, not even his cute neighbor, Stella. While Stella, his uncle, and karate classes he’s been taking seem to keep him busy, his mind constantly travels to the son he will never know and the girl he never got s chance to apologize to.

I honestly just picked up this book because it sounded interesting. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as good as I had hoped. Josh is supposed to be a senior in high school narrating the story, but the writing felt more suitable for a middle school kid or even younger. I wanted his struggle to be a little more sophisticated and reflective than what it actually was. I think it teaches good lessons about facing the consequences of decisions and of accepting help, but it could’ve been done in probably 100 pages less.

[Shaeley Santiago · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to get your life back together again during your senior year of high school... go live with your uncle in a different town so you can have a fresh start. While you're there, take karate lessons from your uncle so you stay occupied and out of trouble.

Even though I haven't read the book that comes before this where Josh gets into the trouble that causes him to leave home his senior year, I really enjoyed this story. I am interested to know, though, if high school boys would relate well to the main character. I think the karate connection could be a good hook.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5.

This is a phenomenal look into the life and redemption of a wounded teenager. Your heart will ache for Josh as he deals with his trauma as a teenager does...avoidance, denial, then crash and burn.

He's such a sweet kid, and Knowles, a master at tone and character development, doesn't disappoint. This is a companion book that doesn't waste time retelling...it just goes.

So well done. Perfect for junior high and up.

[Adriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really glad I got to see how Josh's life turned out after Ellie. He was so deeply torn over everything and I wondered how everybody turned out. Knowles stories really depict real life events with perspectives that made me look at life differently.

[katsok · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot adequately express how much I loved this book. Jo Knowles is a true artist.

[Cathy Blackler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Don't miss this one. Review will follow shortly.

[Mary McFarlane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good book, glad we got to see Josh's year after the baby I just wish there would be a 3 books in the series from Ellie's point of year of senior year!

[78sunny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Das Buch hatte ich mir vor 3 Jahren zum Geburtstag gewünscht, weil ich eine Geschichte ala Karate Kid erwartet hatte. Irgendwie bin ich dann aber doch nie zum Lesen des Buches gekommen und jetzt als die Karate Kid als Serie herauskam und ich sie mir ansah, griff ich dann auch endlich zu dem Buch.
Der Anfang hat mich wirklich mitgerissen. Man erfährt nicht alles aber immer kleine Fetzen. So weiß man nicht wirklich was passiert ist, dass Josh zu seinem Onkel zieht und an einer neuer Schule sein Abschlussjahr beginnt. Man weiß aber schon, dass es etwas mir einem Baby zu tun hat und man kann sich dann natürlich einiges denken und zusammenreimen. Nach und nach erfährt man mehr wie alles passiert ist und was in seiner Familie los ist. Josh's Onkel Larry ist ein großartiger, geduldiger Charaktere. Er ist Karatelehrer und daher spielt Karate hier auch eine recht große Rolle. Stella ist ein Mädchen, dass Josh in der Nachbarschaft kennenlernt und die auch auf seine neue Schule geht. Mit ihr baut sich eine etwas komplizierte Freundschaft auf.
Themen wie Erwachsen werden, sich selbst verzeihen und Vertrauen spielen eine große Rolle. Aber auch andere Dinge. Vor allem was eine gesunde Beziehung ausmacht und wie eine Beziehung nicht sein sollte. Alles sehr wichtige Themen, vor allem für eine Jugendbuch.
Leider war es aber auch sehr langatmig. Es wiederholte sich viel, die Handlung kam nur schleppend voran und irgendwann war ich es leid über Josh's Selbstzweifel und Selbstmitleid ohne dass groß etwas spannendes oder unterhaltsames passiert. Zum Ende hin änderte sich das dann noch einmal und da saß sich das Buch dann auch wieder sehr flüssig weg.

Story 3,6/5
Schreibstil 3,4/5
Charaktere 4,0/5
Spannung 2,4/5
Gesamt 3,4/5

[Tae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up in the library, thinking it was some sort of an autobiography. Once I took it home I read a few chapters and found myself haunted with it for the next few days. When I finally got a chance to read it I spent three hours crying, staring at the ceiling, laughing and crying some more. Once I put it down I couldn't stop telling my friends to read it. I've absolutely fallen in love with this story and the characters and understand Stella a little bit too much than I would like to. I love how the story ended, perfectly soothing my nerves after a roller coaster of emotions.
Everyone needs an uncle Larry in their life.

[Louise Phinney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another YA book that was new to our library before the holidays. I started this one then stopped so I could read Turtles All The Way Down and Alex Wood Vs The Universe, but got straight back into it again. It is the second part of the story but it can stand alone - I didn't read the first book, but I will read it now because I enjoyed this one. Basically boy makes a mistake, boy moves and tries to start a new life, boy changes, boy tries to fix mistake. Some romance, lots about relationships, guilt and forgiveness.

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living with Jackie Chan is a book that I surprisingly enjoyed. It was a book that I couldn't put down and never stopped reading. It was about a teenager named Josh who spends his senior year at a different school because he cant face what he has done at his old school. He lives with his karate-obsessed uncle who ends up teaching him the values of becoming a man by owning up to what you have done. You get to follow his journey as he tries to get his life on the right path while balancing the hardships of high school.

[Holly DeAngelis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this novel by Jo Knowles. The plot was easy to follow, and the characters had a strong background. I really enjoyed the ending, and I wanted to read more even after this cliff-hanger ending that leave the readers desperate to find out what happens next. Knowles develops Josh as a good protagonist that many people can relate to as far as daily struggles, but most not as far as his current situation throughout the novel. Thus, I rated "Living with Jackie Chan" by Jo Knowles a 5 out of 5 stars.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was book two, but you can read and understand it without reading book one. Josh is dealing with the aftermath of getting a girl pregnant and of giving the baby up for adoption. I liked hearing about his journey, and enjoyed seeing the changes in his character. The author used karate as a way for Josh to grow, and I found that aspect believable. I also liked how the author showed how unhealthy obsessive “love” relationships are. Now I need to read the first book to see how it all started.

[Christina B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded up
•
This was a quick and easy read, but touched on some tough subjects. It definitely has a YA feel, appropriately, but I still enjoyed it even with the MC being younger than my daughter. The author does a good job of capturing the emotions of a teenager learning to be an adult and created characters that felt very real. This isn’t one that was on my radar, so very glad a friend recommended it.

[Capri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, like really enjoyed it. There was so much raw emotion of what it is like to have a baby that you didn’t know you wanted to be taken away from you. The characters were so well built upon and I like ‘Sammy’s’ heartache towards loosing his child. Would recommend and would read again.

[Rylee Hardenbrook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my goodness this book was perfect. I couldn’t put it down!!! Love love love how the story ended and listening to how Josh grew from the beginning to the end. Such a great book. I would recommend it for anyone who is struggling with anything to realize that it takes time to heal. Definitely recommend this book.

[Allison Renner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started so slow that I was wondering why Knowles chose to write about Josh, but I’m glad I stuck with it because it became just as amazing as Jumping Off Swings. I was definitely tearing up by the end and wish there were more in this series to see how the characters grow during college and beyond!

[Alexandria G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have just started this book and so far it has been very interesting. Sam, whose real name is Jake, moved because of a bad situation that had happened. He lives with Larry and he made Sam take a karate class with himself.

[isabela ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Saying good-bye to them was like saying good-bye to some people who used to know me when I was a little kid. Like saying good-bye to zombies. Good-bye to a memory. Good-bye to dust. The real good-bye happened a long, long time ago.”

[Keira Pringle · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been years since I've read this book but it's the only one that has always stuck with me. It's the first book I think of when asked "what's your favorite book?" It was such a good and easy read that it easily bonded with me. I recently found it packed away and can't wait to read it again.

[Angela Tramel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it , I would like that in the end Ellie and josh talk more but it still a great end.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 2nd book in the Jumping Off Swings series is better than the 1st.