(BWF) Orbiting Jupiter / Gary D Schmidt - 4****

[Book Concierge]

Orbiting Jupiter – Gary D Schmidt
4****

When Jack Hurd is in sixth grade, his parents agree to take in a foster child, Joseph Brook, on their Maine farm. Joseph is in eighth grade, has been incarcerated in a juvenile detention center (convicted of attacking a teacher), and has a daughter, Jupiter, out there, somewhere.

What a wonderful coming-of-age story this is! Though the circumstances are sad and tug at the heartstrings, there are moments of hope and even joy for Joseph and for Jack, who narrates the story. Schmidt doesn’t sugarcoat the foster experience, though he does give Joseph a loving family in the Hurds. They respect his wishes and yet never stop reaching out, with advice and support. They expect him to do the same chores their own son does on the dairy farm, and to maintain his schoolwork.

Still, they cannot easily fix Joseph’s chaotic upbringing and the rage and hurt he carries with him. And, Joseph is fixated on the daughter he has never seen. Helping him find her is one thing the Hurds are not able to do. How far can a child go to achieve the one thing he desperately wants?

I liked that Schmidt showed a couple of teachers who recognized Joseph’s gifts and nurtured his growth, while so many people had clearly already given up on him. And I really liked how the friendship between the two boys developed.


LINK to my review