After recently reading and reviewing Gary Schmidt's Jupiter Rising I decided to reread the original narrative, Orbiting Jupiter. I'm sure glad I did. It's the kind of book that's just as captivating the second time around. I certainly didn't want you to miss out.
Jack, Schmidt's narrator, lives with his parents on a small New England farm. His daily chores include milking the cows 🐄. As the story begins he gets a foster brother.
Joseph is coming into a town where people gossip and are quick to condemn. While he's bullied by peers many of the adults don't do much better. But Jack and his parents win Joseph's trust and learn the complex truth.
At thirteen Joseph is father to a baby, Jupiter. Her mother died in childbirth. She's in the foster care system. Joseph will do anything to get her back into his life.
Told from the perspective of a sixth grader, Orbiting Jupiter is highly engaging. Schmidt's simple evocative language makes the characters and their world spring vividly to life.
On a purrrsonal note, I got my second piece of the semester into the Maine Campus, the UMaine newspaper. It's about Thanksgiving--how in our capitalist society too many people don't get to enjoy it with their families. You can bet I'm proud.
A great big shout out goes out to my editor and our readers.
Jules Hathaway
Sent from my U.S.Cellular© Smartphone
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