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When Jack's P.E. coach pairs him up with Jay Perkins for the cross-country team, neither of them is happy about it. Jack is grieving the loss of Joseph, his foster brother, and adjusting to his role as big brother to Jupiter, Joseph's orphaned daughter. Dealing with Jay Perkins—who'd once ganged up with his buddies to jump Joseph in the locker room—is the last thing he wants to do.But then Jack realizes that Jay is grieving too—the loss of his cousin Maddie, Jupiter's mom.
As Jack's show more relationships with both Jay and Jupiter grow and his running improves, he starts to feel more like himself than he has since Joseph died. He's finding his stride . . . until Maddie's parents, who have never shown interest in their granddaughter before, decide to claim Jupiter as their own, blocking Jack's family from adopting her.
And suddenly Jack's past and present smash together, threatening to dissolve both his newfound confidence and his friendships.
This poignant, powerful companion to Orbiting Jupiter is Gary D. Schmidt at his best. He is the author of the Printz Honor and Newbery Honor Book Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy; Okay for Now, a National Book Award finalist; and The Wednesday Wars, a Newbery Honor Book, among many acclaimed novels for young readers.
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I probably shouldn’t have read this book quite so close to Orbiting Jupiter, but I did, and I don’t really regret it—except that I did need a bit of a Gary D. Schmidt break afterward. That wasn’t because the book was terrible—in fact, both of these books blew me away, but because of the type of stories they are, my heart needed some time to heal afterward.
I love stories that feature families, and Jack’s love for his family here was next-level precious. Jupiter was the sweetest little girl, and we get a bit of the heartache of foster families in this story.
Then there’s the Jack/Jay element of the story—I loved watching their relationship change and mature over the course of the book!
If you enjoy hard-hitting stories with show more realistic scenarios and strong character arcs, I’d highly recommend you read both this story and Orbiting Jupiter. They’re both excellent! show less
I love stories that feature families, and Jack’s love for his family here was next-level precious. Jupiter was the sweetest little girl, and we get a bit of the heartache of foster families in this story.
Then there’s the Jack/Jay element of the story—I loved watching their relationship change and mature over the course of the book!
If you enjoy hard-hitting stories with show more realistic scenarios and strong character arcs, I’d highly recommend you read both this story and Orbiting Jupiter. They’re both excellent! show less
The last half hour of this audiobook wrecked me! What an emotional punch. This follow up to Orbiting Jupiter has Jupiter living with Jack's family, trying to adopt her. She adores Jacky. The adults are so supportive of this kid, this family. Mr. Swiatek (gym teacher) has special projects for Jack - including buddying him up with J as an older mentor and running buddy.
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45+ Works 14,571 Members
A much published and oft-translated author of children's books, Gary D. Schmidt has earned national acclaim. In 2011, his Okay for Now was a National Book Award finalist and was listed on the Notable. Children's Book lists of the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune; and the Boston Globe. Trouble (2008) was a Junior Library Guild Selection and show more appeared on the Kids Reading list for Oprah's Book Club. The Wednesday Wars (2007) and Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (2004) were both John Newbery Honor Books. Schmidt is also professor of English at Calvin College and the author and coeditor of several scholarly books on children's literature and children's book authors. He lives in Alto, Michigan. show less
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