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Rayana Johnson's Giant Leap
Rayana Johnson always thought that turning thirteen would mean being old enough to stay home alone, go on her first date, and attend Galaxy Camp, a sleepaway camp that’s all about her true passion—space exploration.
But instead of having a blast on flight simulators and multi-axis trainers or learning about what it takes to explore the stars, Ray’s mind is stuck on Earth, wondering why her parents are arguing, why her best friend isn’t acting like herself, and why her totally-crushworthy-counselor keeps treating her like a kid. And even worse,
puberty throws her the ultimate curveball—she has her first period.
In the span of just a few days, Ray’s gone from having total certainty in her universe to barely being able to count on anything—not her parents’ marriage, not Galaxy Camp, and not even her own body. Will she ever feel grounded again, or is the rest of her life destined to be as nebulous as the Milky Way?
But instead of having a blast on flight simulators and multi-axis trainers or learning about what it takes to explore the stars, Ray’s mind is stuck on Earth, wondering why her parents are arguing, why her best friend isn’t acting like herself, and why her totally-crushworthy-counselor keeps treating her like a kid. And even worse,
puberty throws her the ultimate curveball—she has her first period.
In the span of just a few days, Ray’s gone from having total certainty in her universe to barely being able to count on anything—not her parents’ marriage, not Galaxy Camp, and not even her own body. Will she ever feel grounded again, or is the rest of her life destined to be as nebulous as the Milky Way?
288 pages, Hardcover
First published April 21, 2026
About the author
Jill Tew
7 books225 followersJill Tew is the critically-acclaimed author of dystopian romance and middle grade novels that imagine Black girls in exciting new worlds. Her debut novel The Dividing Sky (2024) was a Top 10 Kids Indie Next Pick, and was selected by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Bookshop.org, and Reactor Magazine as one of the Best Young Adult Books of the Year. Her middle grade debut Kaya Morgan’s Crowning Achievement will be available in April 2025.
A graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Jill lives in Atlanta with her family. She is also a co-host of the Afronauts Podcast, which provides writing tips and community for Black aspiring speculative fiction writers. When not writing, she can be found stress baking, gardening, or belting showtunes in the carpool line.
A graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Jill lives in Atlanta with her family. She is also a co-host of the Afronauts Podcast, which provides writing tips and community for Black aspiring speculative fiction writers. When not writing, she can be found stress baking, gardening, or belting showtunes in the carpool line.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What a fun read! I loved Ray. Her anxiety, her lists, her passion for all things space. She was a wonderful main character! I loved the inclusion of Ray experiencing her first period and how she had to navigate that. And the teamwork element was great as well. I loved that Ray was able to learn that people aren't always what they seem and sometimes you just need to get to know someone a little better.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.*
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Rayanna is very excited to attend Galaxy Camp, but concerned about leaving her best friend, Kaya, whose father has recently passed away from cancer. Since Rayanna has very supportive parents in her mother, an accountant, and her father, a professor of paleobotany, she feels like she has to be extra attentive to her friend. She wants to be an astronautical engineer when she grows up, so she hopes the ten days at camp will help her. Rayanna struggles with anxiety, so over plans everything from her packing list to her reminders on her phone to check in with Kaya, so she's dismayed when the camp wants her to turn in her phone. Her cute counselor, Isaiah, allows her to keep the phone as long as she uses it wisely. The other campers in the Armstrong Crew include Fiona McCall, Lily Choi, and Michelle Whitaker. Rayanna would love to earn her own NASA bomber jacket, so she wants to do well in all of the competitions, and gets along with all of the girls. The boys, however, are a different matter, since Travis is not only a bit of a jerk, but wearing his older brother's jacket, which Rayanna thinks is not right. When Rayanna scans an unusually placed QR code with her phone, she gets drawn into a secret scavenger hunt, and she suspects Travis is working on it as well, which further annoys her. Camp does not go as Rayanna wants it to; she gets her period, her team loses several competitions, and Michelle is subjected to prejudice from the director of the school. Michelle is very helpful and supportive when it comes to Rayanna's period, which is especially helpful because Rayanna feels there's something odd going on with her parents when she talks to them. While she keeps in contact with Kaya, Kaya eventually gets annoyed with her friend's attempts to cheer her up when sometimes she just wants to be sad. The Armstrong Crew endures some team building exercises to help them work better together, and this helps quite a bit. Will Rayanna be able to get her jacket, make up with her best friend, figure out what's going on with her parents, and eventually find a boy who likes her?
Strengths: Rayanna is a typical thirteen year old who is anxious about a lot of things, deeply devoted to her best friend, and passionate about her interest in space. She is a good kid, but occasionally struggles with the camp rules, and is devastated when things don't go her way. I liked that there was a diverse group of kids who all had to learn to work together; there's a Travis in every group, isn't there? The story ARC concerning Rayanna's parents is very true to life. I was glad to see that Rayanna's anxiety eased up a little the more she got involved with activities. The cover is great and will immediately appeal to STEM oriented readers who have their own dreams of space (or supporting space missions from the ground, which I heartily endorse!).
Weaknesses: While it seems perfectly reasonable that Rayanna wants to find a boyfriend at camp, and even that she has a crush on Isaiah, it seemed odd that she would think about changing her last name. Aren't the days when girls would write out their names if they got married on their notebooks long past? The scavenger hunt was less exciting than I hoped it would be.
What I really think: I just realized that Kaya was the main character in Tew's Kaya Morgan's Crowning Achievement, which also involved a summer camp. Camps revolving around specialized interests seem more common than traditional outdoor summer camps, and space camp sounds really fun! This is a great book to hand to students who want a generally upbeat story, and certainly romance in books is having a bit of a comeback, at least in my library. I'm curious to see if there will be further adventures in Rayanna and Kaya's world.
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
Rayanna is very excited to attend Galaxy Camp, but concerned about leaving her best friend, Kaya, whose father has recently passed away from cancer. Since Rayanna has very supportive parents in her mother, an accountant, and her father, a professor of paleobotany, she feels like she has to be extra attentive to her friend. She wants to be an astronautical engineer when she grows up, so she hopes the ten days at camp will help her. Rayanna struggles with anxiety, so over plans everything from her packing list to her reminders on her phone to check in with Kaya, so she's dismayed when the camp wants her to turn in her phone. Her cute counselor, Isaiah, allows her to keep the phone as long as she uses it wisely. The other campers in the Armstrong Crew include Fiona McCall, Lily Choi, and Michelle Whitaker. Rayanna would love to earn her own NASA bomber jacket, so she wants to do well in all of the competitions, and gets along with all of the girls. The boys, however, are a different matter, since Travis is not only a bit of a jerk, but wearing his older brother's jacket, which Rayanna thinks is not right. When Rayanna scans an unusually placed QR code with her phone, she gets drawn into a secret scavenger hunt, and she suspects Travis is working on it as well, which further annoys her. Camp does not go as Rayanna wants it to; she gets her period, her team loses several competitions, and Michelle is subjected to prejudice from the director of the school. Michelle is very helpful and supportive when it comes to Rayanna's period, which is especially helpful because Rayanna feels there's something odd going on with her parents when she talks to them. While she keeps in contact with Kaya, Kaya eventually gets annoyed with her friend's attempts to cheer her up when sometimes she just wants to be sad. The Armstrong Crew endures some team building exercises to help them work better together, and this helps quite a bit. Will Rayanna be able to get her jacket, make up with her best friend, figure out what's going on with her parents, and eventually find a boy who likes her?
Strengths: Rayanna is a typical thirteen year old who is anxious about a lot of things, deeply devoted to her best friend, and passionate about her interest in space. She is a good kid, but occasionally struggles with the camp rules, and is devastated when things don't go her way. I liked that there was a diverse group of kids who all had to learn to work together; there's a Travis in every group, isn't there? The story ARC concerning Rayanna's parents is very true to life. I was glad to see that Rayanna's anxiety eased up a little the more she got involved with activities. The cover is great and will immediately appeal to STEM oriented readers who have their own dreams of space (or supporting space missions from the ground, which I heartily endorse!).
Weaknesses: While it seems perfectly reasonable that Rayanna wants to find a boyfriend at camp, and even that she has a crush on Isaiah, it seemed odd that she would think about changing her last name. Aren't the days when girls would write out their names if they got married on their notebooks long past? The scavenger hunt was less exciting than I hoped it would be.
What I really think: I just realized that Kaya was the main character in Tew's Kaya Morgan's Crowning Achievement, which also involved a summer camp. Camps revolving around specialized interests seem more common than traditional outdoor summer camps, and space camp sounds really fun! This is a great book to hand to students who want a generally upbeat story, and certainly romance in books is having a bit of a comeback, at least in my library. I'm curious to see if there will be further adventures in Rayanna and Kaya's world.
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
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April 2, 2026Thank you to #NetGalley, Jill Tew, and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rayana Johnson has always imagined that turning thirteen would be awesome. She thought it meant staying home by herself, maybe going on her very first date, and—best of all—finally getting to go to Galaxy Camp, the sleepaway camp all about her favorite thing in the universe: space.
But once she gets there, things aren’t as simple as she hoped. Instead of focusing on cool space stuff like flight simulators and spinning in crazy training machines, Ray can’t stop thinking about what’s happening back home. Her parents keep arguing, her best friend is acting totally different, and the counselor she has a huge crush on treats her like she’s still a little kid. And then, just to make everything even more confusing, she gets her first period.
In just a few days, Ray goes from feeling like she understands her whole world to wondering what she can count on anymore—not her parents, not camp, and not even her own body. She has to figure out if she can find her balance again or if growing up is always going to feel a little bit like floating through outer space.
I LOVED this book! I loved the STEM aspect especially with the main character being a girl. This book is heartfelt, funny, and totally relatable story about what it feels like when growing up hits faster than a rocket launch.
What makes this book shine is how honestly it shows the messy, confusing parts of being a girl heading into her teen years. Ray’s first period arrives at the worst possible moment, and the author handles it in a way that feels real and reassuring. Ray’s emotions are so real that you can’t help rooting for her.
The story balances big feelings with big fun. Galaxy Camp is full of cool space activities, and Ray’s curiosity about the universe makes the book feel exciting and inspiring. Even when things get tough, Ray’s determination to figure out who she is and what she wants makes the journey worth it.
This book is perfect for kids who love space, friendship stories, or characters who feel like real people. It’s a reminder that growing up can be confusing, but it can also be a really fun adventure.
Rayana Johnson has always imagined that turning thirteen would be awesome. She thought it meant staying home by herself, maybe going on her very first date, and—best of all—finally getting to go to Galaxy Camp, the sleepaway camp all about her favorite thing in the universe: space.
But once she gets there, things aren’t as simple as she hoped. Instead of focusing on cool space stuff like flight simulators and spinning in crazy training machines, Ray can’t stop thinking about what’s happening back home. Her parents keep arguing, her best friend is acting totally different, and the counselor she has a huge crush on treats her like she’s still a little kid. And then, just to make everything even more confusing, she gets her first period.
In just a few days, Ray goes from feeling like she understands her whole world to wondering what she can count on anymore—not her parents, not camp, and not even her own body. She has to figure out if she can find her balance again or if growing up is always going to feel a little bit like floating through outer space.
I LOVED this book! I loved the STEM aspect especially with the main character being a girl. This book is heartfelt, funny, and totally relatable story about what it feels like when growing up hits faster than a rocket launch.
What makes this book shine is how honestly it shows the messy, confusing parts of being a girl heading into her teen years. Ray’s first period arrives at the worst possible moment, and the author handles it in a way that feels real and reassuring. Ray’s emotions are so real that you can’t help rooting for her.
The story balances big feelings with big fun. Galaxy Camp is full of cool space activities, and Ray’s curiosity about the universe makes the book feel exciting and inspiring. Even when things get tough, Ray’s determination to figure out who she is and what she wants makes the journey worth it.
This book is perfect for kids who love space, friendship stories, or characters who feel like real people. It’s a reminder that growing up can be confusing, but it can also be a really fun adventure.
April 26, 2026
It’s so fun revisiting the middle grade genre as an adult, especially when it’s written by someone as awesome as Jill Tew!
Rayana Johnson’s Giant Leap is all about 13-year-old Rayana’s first time at Galaxy Camp, where she will be surrounded by everything related to space exploration. This is her biggest passion, and she is so excited to learn, have fun, and hopefully have a successful mission simulation. However, so many curveballs get thrown her way: she gets her first period, her parents are acting weird, she’s worried about her best friend who recently lost her dad, and there’s a boy on her crew that she can’t stand. The story follows all the ups and downs that Rayana faces during her ten days at Galaxy Camp.
I loved Rayana’s character. She deals with some extreme anxiety that leads to a strong need to feel in control and make sure everything goes right (which was very relatable). This is very difficult in the situation she’s in, where she has to trust her crew and properly collaborate with them. She takes all the camp challenges very seriously, and panics under the pressure. I really enjoyed Ray’s development and seeing her learn many lessons that would help her moving forward.
This is truly such a fun story with great friendships, a strong storyline, and messages about making the most of every situation and finding your people to go through those things with.
Rayana Johnson’s Giant Leap is all about 13-year-old Rayana’s first time at Galaxy Camp, where she will be surrounded by everything related to space exploration. This is her biggest passion, and she is so excited to learn, have fun, and hopefully have a successful mission simulation. However, so many curveballs get thrown her way: she gets her first period, her parents are acting weird, she’s worried about her best friend who recently lost her dad, and there’s a boy on her crew that she can’t stand. The story follows all the ups and downs that Rayana faces during her ten days at Galaxy Camp.
I loved Rayana’s character. She deals with some extreme anxiety that leads to a strong need to feel in control and make sure everything goes right (which was very relatable). This is very difficult in the situation she’s in, where she has to trust her crew and properly collaborate with them. She takes all the camp challenges very seriously, and panics under the pressure. I really enjoyed Ray’s development and seeing her learn many lessons that would help her moving forward.
This is truly such a fun story with great friendships, a strong storyline, and messages about making the most of every situation and finding your people to go through those things with.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
ARC read - What an absolutely adorable adventure that tween readers will find out of this world!! First, I'd like to establish my bona fides for writing this review - I watched Space Camp so many times on WPIX growing up that I legit thought I'd be able to pilot a shuttle back to earth as a teen because that seemed as much a possibility as having to deal with quicksand at the time. I also unironically drank Tang. So believe me when I say that Rayana Johnson's week at camp where she trains for an epic mission simulation and engages in a huge scavanger hunt is an absolute blast. I love the way this story seamlessly weaves in real-life issues like anxiety, friendship and family challenges, and the pain, frustration, and logistics of getting your first period away from home during your dream camp. Rayana and her friends are so funny, interesting, supportive, and resilient that I think young readers will truly connect with them and reflect on how they're dealing with some of the same challenges in their own lives. Highly recommend this fab book! See you in the stars my friends!!!
April 26, 2026
Thank you to @freedomfirebooks for the eARC! All thoughts are my own.
Growing up in Florida I was big into all things space! We’d go watch the shuttle launches and sometimes would hear the sonic boom as the shuttle reentered the atmosphere and crossed over the state. Reading this book reopened a part of my brain that I’d forgotten about. From shuttle names and mission numbers to different historical astronauts it was like refinding an old hyperfixation. I’ll never not be fascinated by space and Rayana Johnson’s Giant Leap just got me even more hyped about it again - especially with of the recent Artemis II mission!
This book will get you in your feels in all the best ways possible. It’s a book about a girl at space camp with big dreams and bigger anxiety and how she is able to deal with stressful new situations and changes with herself, her family, and her best friends. And the ending is just so beautiful 😭
Ray is learning all of the time still in this story and while she is confused about how to handle a lot of things happening around her, especially with her best friend’s dad dying and getting her first period, she learns so much and learns to enjoy the adventures along the way. This is one not to miss not only for your Middle Grade readers, but anyone looking to experience the joys of space camp.
Growing up in Florida I was big into all things space! We’d go watch the shuttle launches and sometimes would hear the sonic boom as the shuttle reentered the atmosphere and crossed over the state. Reading this book reopened a part of my brain that I’d forgotten about. From shuttle names and mission numbers to different historical astronauts it was like refinding an old hyperfixation. I’ll never not be fascinated by space and Rayana Johnson’s Giant Leap just got me even more hyped about it again - especially with of the recent Artemis II mission!
This book will get you in your feels in all the best ways possible. It’s a book about a girl at space camp with big dreams and bigger anxiety and how she is able to deal with stressful new situations and changes with herself, her family, and her best friends. And the ending is just so beautiful 😭
Ray is learning all of the time still in this story and while she is confused about how to handle a lot of things happening around her, especially with her best friend’s dad dying and getting her first period, she learns so much and learns to enjoy the adventures along the way. This is one not to miss not only for your Middle Grade readers, but anyone looking to experience the joys of space camp.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rayana is pumped to finally be able to go to Galaxy Camp and complete a mission simulation. Rayana is hesitant to leave her best friend, Kaya, behind as she worries her friend won't be able to get through the grief of her father without Rayana. Mother Nature throws Rayana a huge curveball as she gets her first period while at camp and her crew doesn't get always get along. This book is great for middle grade readers as it deals with working together as a team, divorce, loss of a parent, cultural disparities, and anxiety while following along the adventure of Galaxy Camp and learning more about space.
I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
April 19, 2026
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this one! I’ve never read a MG book that talked about experiencing your first period in such a relatable way. I also loved the friendship and family themes and the space camp setting!
I really enjoyed this one! I’ve never read a MG book that talked about experiencing your first period in such a relatable way. I also loved the friendship and family themes and the space camp setting!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Complete RTC.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews