Just Juice

by Karen Hesse, Robert Andrew Parker (Illustrator)

Juice Faulstich lives with her pa and ma and four sisters in the North Carolina hills. Working with her hands comes easy to Juice, but not school. This year, she's back again in Miss Hamble's third grade. Letters and numbers still don't make sense to her, even though she's the biggest kid in class.Juice skips school when she can, and spends the day with her pa. When he gets an official-looking letter, he asks Juice's little sister to read it--he says he needs new glasses and can't make out the words. It seems the bank will repossess their house if they don't pay their taxes--but how will they ever pay back so much money? And who is brave enough to tell Ma?Karen Hesse works her magic again in this satisfying family story about life-sized problems and everyday heroes.

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade, Fiction, Chapter Books, Childrens, Family, Young Adult

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Karen Hesse is an American author known for her children's and young adult literature, often set in historical contexts. She received the Newbery Medal for Out of the Dust (1997), a verse novel about a young girl enduring the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression. Hesse’s works frequently tackle complex themes, as seen in Witness (2001), which explores the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in a 1920s Vermont town, and The Music of Dolphins (1996), which tells the story of a girl raised by dolphins. Her novel Stowaway (2000) is based on the real-life account of a boy aboard Captain Cook’s Endeavour. Over her career, Hesse has received numerous accolades, including a MacArthur Fellowship in 2002 and the Phoenix Award for Letters from Rifka (1992).

Reviews

[Cadee · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I read this one with my social issues reading group at school and I really liked it." - Cadee, age 8

[Linda Lipko · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I find an author I like, I try to read as many of his/her books as possible. Out of the Dust is one of my favorite Newbery award winning books. That book was set in the time period of the dust bowl and I was most impressed with Hesses' depiction of this historical event told from the perspective of a young girl.

Once again in Just Juice the author tells a tale of poverty through the eyes of a young girl struggling to hold the family together.

Juice and her family live in abject, hopeless, wretched poverty. The father is unable to hold a job; the mother relies way too heavily on Juice; the children lack food, clothing and security.

Worried about her father's sad moods, Juice refuses to go to school. In addition, she is weary of trying to learn letters and words that simply don't make sense to her. She cannot read and comprehension is almost impossible.

She learns the secret that her father cannot read when she discovers that their ramshackle home will be taken away because her father did not heed notices about delinquent back taxes.

Hesse understands poverty and the mind and soul numbing challenge of facing one more day of ridicule and despair. I liken her to an American version of Charles Dickens.

Recommended.

Four Stars

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great middle grade read! Had its twists and turns and a satisfying ending. Loved it!

[Aleksandra]

This book is about 9-year-old Juice Faulstich who lives with her family in an Appalachian mountain town. The life is tough for them. Her father just lost his job, her mother is diabetic and in her final months of pregnancy, and there have five daughters already. Juice is very resourceful and helps out a lot, often missing school. She repeated third grade because she does not know how to read and she feels alienated from her school friends because of this. In the end, everything works out because of family love and support. Juice’s sisters help her learn the letters, her mother comes up with a way to sae the house, and Juice helps her mother deliver the baby. She puts her new reading skills to use by reading the sugar monitor to prevent sugar shock during delivery and saves her mother’s life.
This book belongs in contemporary realistic fiction genre because it deals with problems that are the reality of many families today. Lexile level is 650, grade level equivalent 3.5. Themes are appropriate for upper elementary. I would recommend it for grades 4-5.
Concepts to teach with this book include character development, setting, elements of plot, main ideas etc. Students can explore a variety of themes in literature circle activities and through character analysis (Juice, Pa). An essential theme to consider is the importance of literacy. (For example, the father is illiterate, too, so he could not read the letter about the back taxes on the house. Had the sister not read the letter to him, they would have lost the house.) Students can also list the benefits of literacy and notice how her reading skills helped Juice save her mother’s life. Other themes include family support, poverty, homelessness, resourcefulness and the true meaning of being rich.
Good discussion prompts can be found here: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/le...

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is written at a 3rd grade level, and the narrator is 9-years-old, so I'm assuming that is the audience. However, the themes in the book are much too mature for 8 and 9-year-old children.

This story about an extremely poor "backwoods" family struggling to survive is touching, and in some ways inspiring for it's family loyalty and warmth. I enjoyed it for the most part, but was rather shocked when near the end of the book the 9-year-old narrator describes being required to unexpectedly deliver her mother's baby in an emergency situation. I admire the girl's courage, but not her description of seeing her mother's "private parts." I wouldn't want my 9-year-old daughter reading that. I think she would be traumatized. (She knows some basics, but we haven't had the full-fledged "talk" yet... that's coming this summer.) Call me old-fashioned. I am.

Poor grammar pervades this novel since the narrator and other characters are poorly educated. This can be confusing to a 3rd grader who would not understand that this is not "acceptable" or "normal." Overall, the book is simply too mature for it's intended audience. The subject matter would be more appropriate for junior high school, but the reading level is too low, and the main character would not be interesting to young teens. Unfortunately, that leaves this book in no-man's-land, which is unfortunate because it is a nice story.

Age recommendation: 9 and up ONLY if read aloud to the child by a parent and discussed thoroughly.

[Kerry Cerra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just Juice was actually a book recommended by and editor at an SCBWI conference long ago. Praised by this editor for its opening line, I purchased the book right away and wasn’t disappointed. From the first word to the last, Karen Hesse has created a masterpiece. Watching Ma spread “grape jelly so thin on the sliced white bread you can hardly find the purple,” immediately gave insight to the family. The main character, Juice is a girl who is strong in her ability to hold her family together—she’s the rock for her dad, helps Mom run the household, and the sister, though not the oldest, that each of the siblings turn to. Repeating third grade again, Juice cannot make sense of letters and numbers and often ditches school to help Pa with his machinery—a skill that comes easy for her. With the family in danger of losing their house, Mom’s difficult pregnancy, and the truant officer threatening to fine her parents, Juice steps up and realizes what she has to do. This book is brimming with beautiful language and small triumphs throughout that allow us to fall in love with the Faulstich family. So much, in fact, I found myself wishing I could be a Faulstich, too.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

a heart warming story of a family in dire circumstances. a jobless father finding new hope. a family uniting in hard times. a young girl realizing the potential and individuality she has...and not having to be anyone else but Just Juice.

this is such an easy read, but it is so tender and thoughtful. by the end of the book, all you'll want to be is just exactly who you are. i enjoyed the journey that Juice took me on, and i loved every circumstance the author chose to take the family through. anyone who really enjoys children books, you must read this... especially if you're a karen hesse fan; she never disappoints.

[katyjanereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. Karen Hesse just always gets to me. I think she is way underrated right now. I know she was more of a 90s writer, but she's just gold.
2. Anyone else bawl when Juice's sisters made her the alphabet string flash cards??
3. As a teacher, I liked getting into the mindset of a troubled student. How can I help the hands on student more?
4. I hope Pa's business picks up. :/
5. The love that the sisters had for each other made me melt.

[Randie D. Camp, M.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hesse, Karen. (1998). Just Juice. New York: Scholastic Press.

Literary Genre: Realistic Fiction (Chapter Book)

The Faulstich family is going through a hard time. Pa has difficulty keeping work and is depressed. Ma is pregnant and has gestational diabetes. Juice is in trouble with the truant officer because she does not go to school as she should. Markey and Charleen (Juice’s older sisters) worry about Juice. Juice, Markey, and Charleen pitch in to care for the two little ones, Lulu and Turtle. They barely have enough food to eat, so when Pa gets a letter saying they have to pay taxes or lose their house, he keeps it a secret from Ma. It seems like the Faulstich’s are doomed. Can Juice get her family through these hard times and deal with her own secret?

Hesse successfully captures the essence of a family’s bond and love. Throughout all these hardships, the Faulstich’s encourage one another, support each other, and remain hopeful that things will get better. The language has some slang that might stump some young readers in the beginning but it allows the reader to visualize the characters. Hesse also does a nice job of addressing the challenges that people with reading disabilities face in their day-to-day lives. My only criticism is that there is not a sequel.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't remember where we got this book. All I remember is Dad reading this to my sister and I every night until we finished it. That's why I love it so much. Great coming-of-age sort of story

[M.L. Desir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Realistic fiction. I adore the main character, "Juice". Recommend it to middle school students and reluctant readers.

[BaiLee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn't my favorits.

[Unique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Text-to-World Connection: How does a theme, or content presented in the book connect to something happening in the world?

Today this story reminded me of the Cuban Culture. Even though this setting is in the United States, there were many similarities I could draw from, as too how this story was written. Many stories have been shared with me and many align with the contents of this book. Cuba is one poor and illiterate place in the world, where people are under a dictatorship. Most of the people in Cuba are not educated and make very little wages compared to other parts of the world. The country treats their citizens the to the bear minimum of necessities to live on. The Cubans have some health benefits that prevents illnesses and helps to maintain a sub decent lifestyle, by means of the government. It is not much, but when you do not have to pay for it, who is complaining? Housing is also very limited, and those with shelter are fortunate to have an enclosure for their family. It is very common for many generations to live under one roof. The people are very friendly and happy living in extreme well below, and uncomfortable living arrangements. Today you could find Cuban people cheering for joy because their leader, Castro died at the age of 90 years old. I do not have experience of living in a communist society. However, I too will watch and hope for a positive change in Cuba. The people deserve a level of freedom and means to a better standard of living. Without spoiling the reader, the poor is the poor no matter where you live in the world. Moreover, one determined, will find sugar somewhere behind the container of salt.

[Raini Bisson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just Juice is the story of a nine-year-old girl named Justus, who is called Juice by her family. She lives with her father, mother, and four sisters in a small town called Redemption. the family is very poor, with limited food and clothing means, which is introduced in the first few pages of the book. Juice's father has been jobless for over a year, and her mother is expecting another baby soon, with the pregnancy being complicated due to diabetes. Juice also has a secret that no one else in her family knows, Juice cannot read. Things begin to look up when Juice persuades her father into beginning his work with machines again. However, Juice’s lack of attendance in school, along with her family’s unpaid bills lead to the possibility of the family losing the house and the land. In the end Juice must come to terms with the realization that people are smart for different reasons, and just because you can’t do something with ease, doesn’t mean that you aren’t intelligent. Just juice is a good book that teaches the importance of good communication, and strong family bonds, in times of trouble. This story is told through the eyes of a child in a difficult family situation. It is a good tool to use in the classroom when talking about differences in families and living situations. The book can be used to teach compassion and promote understanding in others living circumstances that may mirror that of Juice’s and her family.

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 2 out of 5]

My rating: 3 stars
Kid rating: 1 star

This is a perfect book to show how much language, content and writing style has changed in just 20 years. It's a short book about poverty in the Appalachian mountains. Unfortunately, I don't see this being well received by kids. It's been in my library for 14 years and it's never been checked out.

9-year-old Juice (Justus) habitually skips school. She can't read and frankly, she's more concerned about her mom and dad. Her dad is several years behind in taxes and their house is about to be repossessed. Her mom is pregnant with her 6th child. The only people who ever come around are the truant officer and bill collectors. Despite their desperate situation, Juice has deep affection for her family. They are kind and take care of one another.

I couldn't place the time period. It could be anywhere from 1950 to 1980. It's odd that Juice's parents don't put much effect into making her go to school. When she walks back through the door every morning, after leaving with her sisters, they don't seem the least bit bothered. Her father has all but given up and Juice feels a responsibility to motivate him. When her mom goes into labor, Juice is the only one around, and ends up delivering the baby. As an adult, I enjoyed the book very much, but there is no niche for this kind of writing for today's kids who have been spoiled by the likes of the Wimpy Kid books and similar titles.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Juice doesn't like school and is falling behind, especially in reading. Instead she would rather stay home with her Pa, who has troubles much like her own. As she helps her family work through a series of adversities, she discovers more about what she is good at, which leads to the confidence to overcome her weaknesses. I loved the authors ability to capture this family's patience and supportiveness of each other and the way they demonstrated simple kindnesses. I liked Juice's empathetic nature, and felt her beauty was shown through her frequent choices to put the needs of others before her own. Hesse's description of poverty is powerful and will resonate with young readers. A great read for 4th and up.

[Ramona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story, although only 144 pages, deserves 5 stars for the simple fact that it speaks about the importance of love and family - that money and things don't bring true happiness. Juice and her 4 sisters have very little, but they are happy. The parents are kind to one another and help each other get through the tough times. The children respect their parents. It shows how being different is not bad, but others can make it seem so, out of ignorance or meanness. I truly believe that if children today could experience what Juice did, their outlook about what is important in life would change for the better.

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juice is the middle of 5 girls in her family. She hates school because it is hard for her, so she skips out frequently. Juice is good at many other things, such as helping her father with his work and taking care of her younger siblings. Juice's father has not had a steady job for a year, and money is extremely tight. The family is in danger of losing their house, so Juice convinces her father to take up his old skill of machining, and she helps him get his shop all set up. Juice has to face her school aversion when she almost gets her family in even more trouble due to her truancy.

[Rosie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nine-year-old Juice struggles with school, so she skips class altogether to spend time helping her father with his work. Juice's father has struggles of his own with a lack of jobs in the area, taxes that need to be paid, and a new baby on the way. Juice begins to brainstorm ways she can help her father while her older sisters try to help her with her schoolwork. An emergency situation involving Juice's mother brings Juice to realize the importance learning can have. A sweet story about a family supporting one another during challenges and finding solutions to face them together.

[Jerrica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mmm I kind of agree with my kids that this book is boring, but as an adult I can appreciate that it's a moving portrait of Midwestern poverty, emphasis on the static nature of portrait, though. I tried to read passages to them that were particularly moving, such as Juice giving a crumb to a bunch of bluejays and watching them fight, even over that tiny little piece. I think it got through to them a bit, but yes, the book is told over the course of the year in kind of a vignette style and doesn't have much to move the plot.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Juice who lives with her parents and four sisters. Juice likes working with her Pa and she hates going to school because she has a hard time learning. Letters and numbers make no sense to her. But when the truant officer delivers a notice with a thousand dollar fine, and when Ma finally discovers that Pa has been hiding notices from the county about their back taxes, the family tries to come up with a plan. When Ma goes into labor, Juice is the only one who can help her Ma survive.

[Karol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book touches harsh topics and portrays them through the eyes of a child struggling with school and reading. For me, besides focusing on these issues, it also emphasizes on more emotional themes. I would even say that these emotional topics are the ones I personally value the most.

While reading this book, you may find valuable lessons about family and identity, which I consider helpful for the personal growth of young adults like myself. It is definitely a book I would recommend to people of this age.

[Shamaamah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5 STARS ALL AROUND
Beautiful.
I looked over at my bookshelf (real bookshelf) and saw this book, and even though I haven't read it since Primary (literally 7 years), I still remember almost everything that happened. Perhaps 5 stars is a bit too (extremely) biased because it's a reminder of the beginning of an era, the glory days, of when I fell in love with reading, but I don't care.
Strongly recommended for any kiddies. Gateway book into reading.

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really touching story of a young girl who is trying to hide the fact that she can't read from one of her younger sisters who adores her and looks up to her. Skipping school when she can, to avoid having to fail at reading aloud and embarrassing herself, Juice spends time with her unemployed Pa to try to cheer him up. Can this family get back on their feet? What is that letter Pa is trying to hide from her?

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was a little too brief to develop strong emotions for the characters. Also, I felt that the plot was pretty thin. I can appreciate that this novel is intended for middle readers, but I don't feel that many of today's children will be able to relate. The setting and conflict are too specific, and there is not enough detail about the struggles of the individual family members. I think that this is an excellent foundation to build a richer story, which is why I gave it 3 stars.

[AndersL_D2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sad piece of realistic fiction about a girl balancing helping her father with work and school. I thought the time period and the struggles that they went through felt real. You would like this book if you like reading in first perspective and realistic fiction. I thought the theme of the book was optimism.

[Wendie Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good story about a third grader with learning issues who can't read. It turns out her father cannot read either and stands to lose their home because of it. It's a great story that looks at a very sensitive subject in a caring and positive way.

[Heidi Floyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally, I was reading this in preparation for a novel study for small group reading. I really liked the book, having to put it down to sleep. I got closer to the end when I realized that it wasn’t appropriate enough for 2nd grade.

[Hayden]

Explains the life of a young girl and her family. Members of the family struggle with illiteracy and the main character is rarely in school. Building of empathy towards children who struggle with school.

[Joshua Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just Juice is a touching story about a family struggling to overcome the limitations of poverty. I read this book at the request of my daughter, who said, "I think you'll like this one." She was right. Not only did I enjoy it, but I found myself on the verge of tears on numerous occasions.