Review Detail

I read Orbiting Jupiter after getting a great recommendation from the school media center. This short book at first might seem like a short novella of sorts, but it packs a powerful punch. I was warned that once I read the first page, I would find myself stuck in my seat unable to put the book down. The advice was correct. I picked up the book at a coffee shop and couldn't leave until I finished.

The story begins tragically with 14 year old Joseph, finding himself in foster care. He has a damaged past and is searching for his baby daughter Jupiter. In a different twist, we do not hear this story from Joseph but from Jack, the son whose parents have taken Joseph in as a foster child. While not in my level of experience growing up, there is a familiarity in the characters and their struggles that hits the heart. Jake and Joseph a characters remind me of people I knew growing up, even thought their struggles were not the same.

The story reveals itself slowly and moves at a quick pace. The author is careful with his words and I think this adds more power behind them. There are a lot of emotions in this book both good and bad. Many of my coworkers and students have picked up the book and are highly recommending it. Great for readers looking for a different take in the YA genre, Orbiting Jupiter has made in to my must recommend book list.

A unique and powerful book.