What do you think?
Rate this book
Planet Jupiter: A Sweet Story about Cousins, Ethiopian Adoption, and Belonging for Children
Jupiter is used to being a planet of one, and she likes it that way. But then a cousin, who Jupiter never even knew existed, comes from Ethiopia to stay for the summer, and Jupiter is put in charge of taking care of her. A lyrical and memorable story of family, friendship, and community—perfect for fans of Katherine Hannigan’s Ida B and Holly Goldberg Sloan’s Counting by 7s.
Jupiter and her family have spent their lives on the road, moving from town to town in a trusty old van and earning their living by playing music for tourists. But when their van breaks down, Jupiter’s mother rents an actual house in Portland for the summer so Jupiter’s annoying cousin Edom, recently adopted from Ethiopia, can stay with them. Luckily, Edom doesn’t want to be in Portland any more than Jupiter wants her there, and the two hatch a Grand Plan to send Edom back to her mother. In the process, Jupiter learns that community and family aren’t always what you expect them to be.
A sweet, genuine story with themes of community, immigration, finances, family, and taking care of the environment that will appeal to fans of Cynthia Lord and Lynda Mullaly Hunt.
Jupiter and her family have spent their lives on the road, moving from town to town in a trusty old van and earning their living by playing music for tourists. But when their van breaks down, Jupiter’s mother rents an actual house in Portland for the summer so Jupiter’s annoying cousin Edom, recently adopted from Ethiopia, can stay with them. Luckily, Edom doesn’t want to be in Portland any more than Jupiter wants her there, and the two hatch a Grand Plan to send Edom back to her mother. In the process, Jupiter learns that community and family aren’t always what you expect them to be.
A sweet, genuine story with themes of community, immigration, finances, family, and taking care of the environment that will appeal to fans of Cynthia Lord and Lynda Mullaly Hunt.
293 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2017
5 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
About the author
Jane Kurtz
700 books50 followersJane Kurtz was born in Portland, Oregon, but when she was two years old, her parents moved to Ethiopia. Jane grew up in Maji, a small town in the southwest corner of the country.
Since there were no televisions, radios, or movies, her memories are of climbing mountains, wading in rivers by the waterfalls, listening to stories, and making up her own stories, which she and her sisters acted out for days at a time.
That love of nature has recently inspired her to write books about loving the Earth--such as WHAT DO THEY DO WITH ALL THAT POO? and PLANET JUPITER.
Jane has published more than 40 books, fiction, nonfiction, picture books, novels for young readers, and ready-to-reads. Some are based on her childhood in Ethiopia. Some draw on her own children, such as ANNA WAS HERE, a novel for young readers that asks life's big questions about pain and disaster--and offers a few puny answers.
Since her childhood in Ethiopia, Jane has lived in Illinois, Colorado, North Dakota, Kansas and--now--back in Portland, Oregon.
Since there were no televisions, radios, or movies, her memories are of climbing mountains, wading in rivers by the waterfalls, listening to stories, and making up her own stories, which she and her sisters acted out for days at a time.
That love of nature has recently inspired her to write books about loving the Earth--such as WHAT DO THEY DO WITH ALL THAT POO? and PLANET JUPITER.
Jane has published more than 40 books, fiction, nonfiction, picture books, novels for young readers, and ready-to-reads. Some are based on her childhood in Ethiopia. Some draw on her own children, such as ANNA WAS HERE, a novel for young readers that asks life's big questions about pain and disaster--and offers a few puny answers.
Since her childhood in Ethiopia, Jane has lived in Illinois, Colorado, North Dakota, Kansas and--now--back in Portland, Oregon.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 5, 2017
For 11 year-old Jupiter and her teenage brother Orion, life on the road busking is what they know and love, traveling from place to place in their van with their parents, singing, finding whatever they need, and/or trading work for food and shelter. Now, though, dad has struck out on his own, and Jupiter, Orion, and their mom have been staying with Madame Marie’s Rainbow Farm doing chores for far too long, as far as Jupiter is concerned. She is definitely ready to get back to what she loves doing, busking and traveling.
But now, mom has brought home a cousin Jupiter didn’t even know she had - Edom, 7, is a young Ethiopian girl adopted by her Aunt Amy. Aunt Amy has come from Africa after being diagnosed with cancer to receive chemotherapy in Los Angeles. So, rather than getting on the road seeking adventure, Jupiter, Edom and mom will be living in a house in Portland, and Orion will remain at Madame Marie’s. And Jupiter suspects that Topher, an old family friend, is behind everything. Topher has always helped, bailing the family out whenever they needed it, but maybe it’s really because of his feelings for mom.
Needless to say, Jupiter isn’t happy about having Edom around, sharing her with her mother, or the fact that there will be no traveling for a while. However, she is pleased to learn, after getting settled in the Portland house, she and Edom discover they both have something they want to do - for Jupiter, it’s getting out of Portland and busking again; for Edom, it’s getting to Los Angeles to see her adopted mother. And so the girls come up with a plan, and both set about acquiring money any way they can to buy needed bus tickets.
And yet, without their realizing it, they are beginning to feel like part of a family and part of the neighborhood, which consists of a diverse group of kind, caring people who depend on each other in so many ways. But when Jupiter gets mad at Edom, she runs aways with all their savings, and Jupiter knows exactly where she has gone. Will she find Edom in time, or has she taught Edom how to avoid being discovered on the road so well, that even Jupiter won’t be able to find her?
Planet Jupiter is a very sweet story about learning to accept change, and about the importance of family, friends, and community. Jupiter has always prided herself on being like a planet and traveling her own orbit, but when Edom joins the family, all that changes for her.
Jupiter is also still dealing with the fact that her father left and her mother may have a new love interest, who seems to be the recipient of the anger she should be directing at her father. Yet, perhaps because her mother has accepted her father’s leaving as though it is perfectly understandable, given who he is, Jupiter never really seems to comes to term with her father, but does learn to accept Topher.
I thought it was interesting that Edom was from Africa, and yet, nothing was made of the fact that she is black. There is not crisis or conflict about it, and the people that the family comes into contact with just accept who they all are, and that’s it.
The story is told in the first person from Jupiter’s point of view. She’s experienced at living a nomadic life and really knows how to get along with people when she wants to, but because all of it is unfamiliar to Edom, it is a opportunity to go into detail about the life of a traveling performer for the benefit of young readers without sounding didactic. Interestingly enough, not much performing is done in the novel, but one of the things I really liked is that each chapter begins with the words to a song that is a foreshadowing of what is to come.
Planet Jupiter is funny, sad, and poignant about an appealing family living a life very different from most of its readers, the themes are familiar and will definitely appeal to young reader.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was provided to me by the publisher, Greenwillow Press
But now, mom has brought home a cousin Jupiter didn’t even know she had - Edom, 7, is a young Ethiopian girl adopted by her Aunt Amy. Aunt Amy has come from Africa after being diagnosed with cancer to receive chemotherapy in Los Angeles. So, rather than getting on the road seeking adventure, Jupiter, Edom and mom will be living in a house in Portland, and Orion will remain at Madame Marie’s. And Jupiter suspects that Topher, an old family friend, is behind everything. Topher has always helped, bailing the family out whenever they needed it, but maybe it’s really because of his feelings for mom.
Needless to say, Jupiter isn’t happy about having Edom around, sharing her with her mother, or the fact that there will be no traveling for a while. However, she is pleased to learn, after getting settled in the Portland house, she and Edom discover they both have something they want to do - for Jupiter, it’s getting out of Portland and busking again; for Edom, it’s getting to Los Angeles to see her adopted mother. And so the girls come up with a plan, and both set about acquiring money any way they can to buy needed bus tickets.
And yet, without their realizing it, they are beginning to feel like part of a family and part of the neighborhood, which consists of a diverse group of kind, caring people who depend on each other in so many ways. But when Jupiter gets mad at Edom, she runs aways with all their savings, and Jupiter knows exactly where she has gone. Will she find Edom in time, or has she taught Edom how to avoid being discovered on the road so well, that even Jupiter won’t be able to find her?
Planet Jupiter is a very sweet story about learning to accept change, and about the importance of family, friends, and community. Jupiter has always prided herself on being like a planet and traveling her own orbit, but when Edom joins the family, all that changes for her.
Jupiter is also still dealing with the fact that her father left and her mother may have a new love interest, who seems to be the recipient of the anger she should be directing at her father. Yet, perhaps because her mother has accepted her father’s leaving as though it is perfectly understandable, given who he is, Jupiter never really seems to comes to term with her father, but does learn to accept Topher.
I thought it was interesting that Edom was from Africa, and yet, nothing was made of the fact that she is black. There is not crisis or conflict about it, and the people that the family comes into contact with just accept who they all are, and that’s it.
The story is told in the first person from Jupiter’s point of view. She’s experienced at living a nomadic life and really knows how to get along with people when she wants to, but because all of it is unfamiliar to Edom, it is a opportunity to go into detail about the life of a traveling performer for the benefit of young readers without sounding didactic. Interestingly enough, not much performing is done in the novel, but one of the things I really liked is that each chapter begins with the words to a song that is a foreshadowing of what is to come.
Planet Jupiter is funny, sad, and poignant about an appealing family living a life very different from most of its readers, the themes are familiar and will definitely appeal to young reader.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was provided to me by the publisher, Greenwillow Press
Read
April 29, 2017Jupiter, her brother Orion and their mom lead a very unconventional life. They make their money busking and doing odd jobs and they tend to leave when the mood takes them. And then Jupiter learns that her couson Edom is going to live with them while her mom (Aunt Amy) is going through chemo. Even worse, they have to live in one place while this happens. And worst of all, Orion isn't coming with them.
Edom isn't a good replacement, either. She's adopted (from Ethiopia) and takes everything literally. She won't talk about her past at all, and she won't share. Any money she earns is her money.
I enjoyed this story, which felt like something I would've read and loved as a child (it has a touch of The Great Gilly Hopkins) and I think middlegrade readers will enjoy a glimpse into two very different lifestyles.
It's sweet and surprisingly funny, too. Obviously there are sad parts, but on the whole, I don't think anything would upset young readers. It's clear that Aunt Amy is going to survive, for example.
Recommended.
Edom isn't a good replacement, either. She's adopted (from Ethiopia) and takes everything literally. She won't talk about her past at all, and she won't share. Any money she earns is her money.
I enjoyed this story, which felt like something I would've read and loved as a child (it has a touch of The Great Gilly Hopkins) and I think middlegrade readers will enjoy a glimpse into two very different lifestyles.
It's sweet and surprisingly funny, too. Obviously there are sad parts, but on the whole, I don't think anything would upset young readers. It's clear that Aunt Amy is going to survive, for example.
Recommended.
May 11, 2017
I have the unexpected, great pleasure to participate in the Planet Jupiter blog tour. I've been a fan of Jane's writing for years (since she lived Kansas, a lot closer to my home in Oklahoma, and we presented together). So, while I know the author, I asked for an ARC and to participate in the tour--like a crazed reader fan. Fortunately, "crazed" doesn't put Jane off, and here I am.
Basic plot: Jupiter, a child busker whose nomadic family moves up and down the Pacific coast earning a living, is thrown out of orbit when her father leaves, her brother takes on a stationary job at a cafe to earn money to help Jupiter, her mom, and her adopted-cousin from Ethiopia, Edom, move into a house in Portland, while Edom's mom (Jupiter's aunt) undergoes treatment for cancer. Jupiter is thrust into the role of big sister, one she feels none too comfortable with, and wants to run away to the only life she knows and loves--busking. Edom wants to run away to find her mother. The two devise a plan to reach their goals.
Jupiter faces very relatable problems--welcoming a "new sibling", moving, the new and unexpected--that will awaken instant kinship in readers young and old. The novelty of her setting and family lifestyle/occupation, keep the reader engaged. This is a new take on moving house by actually moving into one. And while Jupiter doesn't have much trouble making friends thanks to her nomadic/performance drive life, Edom does. The disparity in their personalities and experiences speaks to more than one type of reader.
One aspect of the story that was harder for me to relate to was that Jupiter so readily forgave her father his many shortcomings, not least of which--leaving her. She displaces her anger on her mom's new love interest, which feels very true to life, but I would have expected more anger, more lashing out, more frustration at being abandoned. Jupiter does plan to run away, but back to the life she knows, and she never completely comes off the rails. She is fairly steady. Edom isn't. She is younger, and has already lost one parent. Maybe that is truer to life, and maybe that's why the emotional arc feels softer to me. Fictional plot trajectories have a tendency to cut years off what might happen in real life and/or combine a lot more subplots into one, or spike the climax more than what would happen in an actual setting. Still, dividing the climax across two characters, and having the supporting character feel the abject hopelessness of her situation more poignantly did soften the resolution for me.
Nevertheless, there is a lot to love in this story. From a craft perspective, Kurtz makes use of the busking profession in a creative way. She starts each chapter with verse from a folk song that resonates throughout the chapter, subtly prepping the reader for the events about to unfold, and highlighting the emotional trajectory via song.
The subplot about urban foraging for food has me wracking my brains as to whether my city is as edible as Portland, Oregon, which would be a fantastic jumping off point for classroom exploration of the world immediately surrounding any school. Or go out and see what part of your city you can eat. And somebody warn the crickets and ants. They are some of the tastiest delights in any neighborhood.
Basic plot: Jupiter, a child busker whose nomadic family moves up and down the Pacific coast earning a living, is thrown out of orbit when her father leaves, her brother takes on a stationary job at a cafe to earn money to help Jupiter, her mom, and her adopted-cousin from Ethiopia, Edom, move into a house in Portland, while Edom's mom (Jupiter's aunt) undergoes treatment for cancer. Jupiter is thrust into the role of big sister, one she feels none too comfortable with, and wants to run away to the only life she knows and loves--busking. Edom wants to run away to find her mother. The two devise a plan to reach their goals.
Jupiter faces very relatable problems--welcoming a "new sibling", moving, the new and unexpected--that will awaken instant kinship in readers young and old. The novelty of her setting and family lifestyle/occupation, keep the reader engaged. This is a new take on moving house by actually moving into one. And while Jupiter doesn't have much trouble making friends thanks to her nomadic/performance drive life, Edom does. The disparity in their personalities and experiences speaks to more than one type of reader.
One aspect of the story that was harder for me to relate to was that Jupiter so readily forgave her father his many shortcomings, not least of which--leaving her. She displaces her anger on her mom's new love interest, which feels very true to life, but I would have expected more anger, more lashing out, more frustration at being abandoned. Jupiter does plan to run away, but back to the life she knows, and she never completely comes off the rails. She is fairly steady. Edom isn't. She is younger, and has already lost one parent. Maybe that is truer to life, and maybe that's why the emotional arc feels softer to me. Fictional plot trajectories have a tendency to cut years off what might happen in real life and/or combine a lot more subplots into one, or spike the climax more than what would happen in an actual setting. Still, dividing the climax across two characters, and having the supporting character feel the abject hopelessness of her situation more poignantly did soften the resolution for me.
Nevertheless, there is a lot to love in this story. From a craft perspective, Kurtz makes use of the busking profession in a creative way. She starts each chapter with verse from a folk song that resonates throughout the chapter, subtly prepping the reader for the events about to unfold, and highlighting the emotional trajectory via song.
The subplot about urban foraging for food has me wracking my brains as to whether my city is as edible as Portland, Oregon, which would be a fantastic jumping off point for classroom exploration of the world immediately surrounding any school. Or go out and see what part of your city you can eat. And somebody warn the crickets and ants. They are some of the tastiest delights in any neighborhood.
June 4, 2023
Definitely different.
Good: the personalities of the main characters, the issues addressed, the connection to Ethiopia
Frustrating: too many topics (busking, vagabond lifestyle, space, family, nature, folk music, vegan, eating weeds & bugs, pollinators, communal life style), too many secondary characters
Ethiopia is one topic that should have been developed a little more, especially since few people know much about it. The reader is left with the impression that 8 yo Edom has arrived in the U.S. already 'Americanized.' What does she miss about Ethiopia? What does she find interesting/odd about her new situation? Does she not have an accent? Minimizing references to skin color is okay, but minimizing everything else means that Edom remains a fairly 'flat' character.
dnk
Good: the personalities of the main characters, the issues addressed, the connection to Ethiopia
Frustrating: too many topics (busking, vagabond lifestyle, space, family, nature, folk music, vegan, eating weeds & bugs, pollinators, communal life style), too many secondary characters
Ethiopia is one topic that should have been developed a little more, especially since few people know much about it. The reader is left with the impression that 8 yo Edom has arrived in the U.S. already 'Americanized.' What does she miss about Ethiopia? What does she find interesting/odd about her new situation? Does she not have an accent? Minimizing references to skin color is okay, but minimizing everything else means that Edom remains a fairly 'flat' character.
dnk
December 10, 2017
This book took me to a new world and a familiar world. I always value and enjoy books that take me into a new unexplored cultre. This time it was modern day travelers in the Pacific NW. i am not sure there are any books similare to this one - capture the nomadic lifestyle of a fulltime traveling family from a child’s perspective. I loved it and I also think other children woill find it a facinating story - a modern Call of the Wild in some respects, but completely original in others. The second running theme of the book is adoptiin and Ethiopian adoption in particular. Jane doesn’t make this the focus of the story, but the background of one character. She nails it. I have adopted children from ethiopia and thye would love this book mostly because it doesn’t obsess about adoption and Ethiopia, but just makes it part of the background, and does it accurately. I remember planting spring flowers with my son and realizing he clearly knew his way around a garden, just as Jupiter saw Edam’s proficiency weeding. We had some great bonding moments planting flowers and this book brought those back to me. Other small details like Edam’s reluctance to sleep and why were so real - I stopped and cried.
This is a beautiful, complex book worthy of a read aloud and discussion. Jane is one of my favorite authors and she has made another original valuable contribution to children’s literature.
This is a beautiful, complex book worthy of a read aloud and discussion. Jane is one of my favorite authors and she has made another original valuable contribution to children’s literature.
August 11, 2017
Kurtz’s latest novel gives the reader a look into fringe cultures (including buskers and urban food foragers) while exploring feelings with which many readers will identify. Jupiter is a complex character who has a distinct voice and uses a lot of slang, some common to most kids, some from “hippie” and skateboarding cultures. She is finally able to admit to herself the feelings she has about her dad leaving, family friend Topher, and the family’s freewheeling lifestyle, which enables her to be more accepting of what happens to her family at the end. Much of the novel is focused on obtaining food and other resources in free ways. Jupiter’s mom comes up with side jobs and free food. Jupiter and Edom tend to a neighbor’s garden, sell plants, and redeem recyclables to earn money for bus tickets to California; Jupiter hopes to return the family to their previous nomadic life and match Edom back up with her “Amy-mom”. Flashbacks to the past don’t make complete sense – Jupiter keeps referencing a dangerous situation on the road that is never explained, but out of nowhere, the audience is told a story about the family dog dying. The unique lifestyles presented in this book may not appeal to all readers, but children in grades 4-6 who enjoy realistic fiction, especially concerning family dynamics, will be interested in exploring Jupiter’s world.
December 12, 2017
Kurtz, Jane. Planet Jupiter, 278 pages. Harper Collins, 2017. $16.99. Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: G.
Jupiter and her family have always travelled from place to place living in their van and making money playing music. But the family van breaks down and their lives drastically change, which Jupiter is less than thrilled about. They leave behind Jupiter’s brother, and rent a house in Portland. Jupiter is extremely upset with not being on the road and in a situation which includes living with Edom, her cousin who was recently adopted from Ethiopia.
This book explored some interesting themes like stereotypes or ideas people have about different countries, non-traditional families and unconventional living situations. I really liked how Edom was not afraid to tell Jupiter when she was relying on misinformation or biases about Ethiopia. Overall this story was interesting but didn’t blow me away. Jupiter was so self-centered she was hard to like as a character, though she was granted some growth of character towards the end of the book, which helped.
EL-OPTIONAL. Reviewer: JQ
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...
Jupiter and her family have always travelled from place to place living in their van and making money playing music. But the family van breaks down and their lives drastically change, which Jupiter is less than thrilled about. They leave behind Jupiter’s brother, and rent a house in Portland. Jupiter is extremely upset with not being on the road and in a situation which includes living with Edom, her cousin who was recently adopted from Ethiopia.
This book explored some interesting themes like stereotypes or ideas people have about different countries, non-traditional families and unconventional living situations. I really liked how Edom was not afraid to tell Jupiter when she was relying on misinformation or biases about Ethiopia. Overall this story was interesting but didn’t blow me away. Jupiter was so self-centered she was hard to like as a character, though she was granted some growth of character towards the end of the book, which helped.
EL-OPTIONAL. Reviewer: JQ
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...
September 29, 2017
Jupiter has been raised in a nonconventional family of nomadic buskers, traveling from place to place as they entertain at street fairs and other events. But now they seem to have settled down in Portland, Oregon, and she isn't having any of it. Her father has taken off on his own, her older brother is staying on the collective farm where they last lived, and her mother has taken in the adopted Ethiopian daughter whose mother is undergoing chemotherapy. By the end of the novel, Jupiter has come to appreciate her mother's decisions and to accept her current situation -- at least for now. It is refreshing to read about a family that is neither mired in poverty because of social and economic constraints nor living in middle-class comfort. However, this character-driven plot could have used a little more plot interest.
July 22, 2017
Clearly the theme of family is in all its forms, a chaotic, messy thing throughout the book. Including a central adoption that explores all readers definitions of family, the crucial role of supportive, adoptive and inclusive communities, while always focusing on the empowerments and the developments in the childhoods of the two main protagonist young girls, Edom and Jupiter.
I especially love the chapter title inserts of theme fitting and chapter focused folk song lyrics that start each chapter. I also enjoy the commentary on locavores and the science of urban farming and urban legal weed/invasive species and landscaping elements. This book is brilliant in its artful wording leaving readers to be moved by its powerfully moving lessons and marvelous use of poetic yet direct language.
I especially love the chapter title inserts of theme fitting and chapter focused folk song lyrics that start each chapter. I also enjoy the commentary on locavores and the science of urban farming and urban legal weed/invasive species and landscaping elements. This book is brilliant in its artful wording leaving readers to be moved by its powerfully moving lessons and marvelous use of poetic yet direct language.
June 22, 2018
Definitely interesting and different. I like Jane Kurtz's writing too. But, I liked the book better at first and, although I did finish it, I lost interest partway through.
I liked the kindness and free spirits element - a throwback to hippie days, and it had lots of Portland vibe. Also interesting to think about was the sort of homeless busker people and how they live day-to-day. I think that part was romanticized a bit . I'm not sure kids would like or "get" this story.
I liked the kindness and free spirits element - a throwback to hippie days, and it had lots of Portland vibe. Also interesting to think about was the sort of homeless busker people and how they live day-to-day. I think that part was romanticized a bit . I'm not sure kids would like or "get" this story.
September 20, 2019
Jupiter is a busker who travels with her mother and brother around the Pacific Northwest. She has never been to school; learning about life through her travels. When Dad and big brother leave and Mom adopts a previously unknown cousin, Mom decides to settle down in Portland. This situation is very challenging to Jupiter who works hard to make her cousin uncomfortable so she will go away. This is a decent story, but I found the ending rather challenging. Better for the upper end of middle grade.
October 3, 2019
This was a nice book, but I think it was trying to do too much. There is Jupiter and Edom, who are learning how to be sisters. There is Jupiter wrestling with her relationship with her Dad. And, then, there is earning enough money to survive. The book would have been better if it focused on one conflict.
May 26, 2017
Experience Portland through the eyes of fifth-grader Jupiter, who has wanderlust in her veins and comes from a family of buskers. After a family situation has them settling down in Portland, she concocts a plan to have them back in the road that may put her and her cousin’s lives in danger. I enjoyed recognizing the landmarks being talked about in the book and I couldn’t help but think what a great classroom book this would be and have the students map their neighborhood.
September 7, 2017
Children's novel about a family of buskers that live a nomadic life on the road. Sister Jupiter and her older brother Orion live with their mother who has taken in her sister's adopted Ethiopian child. These kids know how to take care of themselves but they live a very unpredictable life.
September 19, 2018
This book is really great! I think everyone should read this book. It is a great example of liking people for who they are and not trying to change others. Jupiter and Edom are great main characters and this book is always intriguing.
September 13, 2017
I liked this. A great character read, and an interesting and unique story. 4th, 5th
November 1, 2025
DNF for Planet Jupiter. I was having trouble connecting with Jupiter as a character, and her family's living situation, while intriguing, wasn't being explained very clearly.
October 20, 2021
I loved this book. I didn't just like it, I enjoyed every minute spent reading it and was sorry to see it end. Jane Kurtz has done an amazing job of capturing Jupiter's voice. I'm an older reader, but I must be a "tween" at heart. I bought copies for my grandchildren. I think all of us can look back at a time when we struggled to fit in. Probably some of us left that feeling behind when we moved into adulthood, but not all of us. There's a message here that most of us can relate to whether it's our job environment, our extended family, our neighborhood or church.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews