Orbiting Jupiter, by Gary D. Schmidt
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Orbiting Jupiter, by Gary D. Schmidt
Free Ebook Orbiting Jupiter, by Gary D. Schmidt
The two-time Newbery Honor winner Gary D. Schmidt delivers the shattering story of Joseph, a father at thirteen, who has never seen his daughter, Jupiter. After spending time in a juvenile facility, he’s placed with a foster family on a farm in rural Maine. Here Joseph, damaged and withdrawn, meets twelve-year-old Jack, who narrates the account of the troubled, passionate teen who wants to find his baby at any cost. In this riveting novel, two boys discover the true meaning of family and the sacrifices it requires.
Orbiting Jupiter, by Gary D. Schmidt - Amazon Sales Rank: #10358 in Books
- Published on: 2015-10-06
- Released on: 2015-10-06
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 8.30" h x .90" w x 5.30" l, 1.00 pounds
- Binding: Hardcover
- 192 pages
Orbiting Jupiter, by Gary D. Schmidt From School Library Journal Gr 6 Up—This contemporary story feels taut and austere, eschewing the humorous episodes that buoy Schmidt's earlier books. Jackson Hurd, a taciturn sixth grader, narrates the arrival to his family's farm of Joseph, a jumpy foster kid two years his senior. The author makes milking cows a substantial presence throughout the novel, and the steady rhythm of farm life coupled with the Hurd family's stolid acceptance calm Joseph enough to unveil his story. The straightforward narration—Schmidt's colloquial style is tinged here with a somber tone—proves integral to balancing the potential melodrama in the catalog of miseries Joseph has endured by age 13. He has suffered familial and institutional abuse, fathered a daughter he's never been allowed to see, and lost the baby's beloved mother. The novel initially takes the shape of a redemption story, as Joseph begins to imagine a future for himself through the Hurds' support and the persistent attention of a few dedicated teachers (readers of the author's previous books will appreciate the character connections here). While Joseph inches past his traumatic history into a new middle school existence, Jack's commitment to the older boy prompts his own evolution. Schmidt displays his talent for character development as Jack grows more deliberate and active in defense of Joseph, with a burgeoning comprehension of his own ethics of behavior. But further tragedy follows this hopeful period for both boys, though just the right details are included to keep this heartrending story palatable. VERDICT The matter-of-fact narrative voice ensures that the tragic plot never overwhelms this wrenching tale of growth and loss.—Robbin E. Friedman, Chappaqua Library, NY
Review #9 Autumn 2015 Kids’ Indie Next list * "The ending is bittersweet but as satisfying as a two-box-of-tissues tearjerker can possibly be (in the realm of juvenile fiction, Schmidt is the master of the emotional gut-punch)." —Horn Book "Schmidt writes with an elegant simplicity in this paean to the power of love...Readers will not soon forget either Joseph Brook or this spare novel written with love and grace." —Kirkus, starred review * "Told in Jack's spare, direct first-person voice, this story's style demonstrates the beautify of simplicity as it delineates the lives of its characters, each as superbly realized as the tumultuous New England setting." —Booklist, starred review * "The matter-of-fact narrative voice ensures that the tragic plot never overhwlms this wrenching tale of growth and loss."—School Library Journal, starred review * "A powerful story about second chances, all the more devastating because not everyone gets one."—Publishers Weekly, starred review
About the Author Gary D. Schmidt is the bestselling author of Okay For Now, the Newbery Honor and Printz Honor book Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, and the Newbery Honor book The Wednesday Wars. He is a professor of English at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful. Premise and conclusion By Dienne As we know from the product description, Jack's family has adopted Joseph who, at age 14 is already a father. He's also been in juvenile detention and, while under the influence of some unknown drug, tried to kill a teacher. He's rather twitchy, so don't stand behind him, don't touch him and be careful what you ask about.But life at the idyllic Hurd family organic farm seems to be doing Joseph some good. He does his chores without argument, especially milking Rosie who mooes to say she loves him. Jack's parents seem to know just how to handle Joseph and he slowly loosens up and tells the story of his daughter and her mother. Some of Joseph's teachers at school - those who can get past their own preconceived biases - realize he's quite smart and talented. Maybe there's even college in his future, whatever his abusive father might have to say about the matter.But there's still something missing in Joseph's life. Something big. A whole planet, in fact. Or, well, the child named for that planet. Joseph yearns to be united with his daughter and spends a great deal of his time and energy finding Jupiter. How far will Jack and his family go to help this fierce yet oddly tender foster child?I wanted to like this book. The characters are well drawn in sparse language that tells us just enough of what we need to know. Despite it's heavy theme, the book is not maudlin or prurient. We develop a deep respect for Joseph and his foster family.But there are several things that interfered with my enjoyment - even my acceptance - of the book, especially the more I think about it after finishing it. For one thing, there is an assumption running through the book that Joseph has little or no legal right to his daughter because he himself is a minor. I'm not entirely sure what time frame this book is supposed to be set in, but there are a few references to cell phones, so I guess we are to assume it's relatively modern. But under modern law, there is no reason why Joseph wouldn't have full legal access to his daughter. The law makes no distinction based on the age of a parent, even if the parent is a minor. Parental rights are extremely strong in this country (although I admit I don't know Maine's laws specifically). It would have to be proven that Joseph is not a fit parent in order for him to lose his rights, he would not have to prove his fitness in order to gain his rights. And he could be forced to sign away his rights while he's in juvenile detention - that would be considered duress, if not coercion or even blackmail considering the threats that are used to scare him into doing it (which such threats would probably carry no weight, as it is unlikely that any court would find consensual sex between minors of the same age to be rape). But the idea that either Joseph's father or the baby's mother's family would have more rights to Jupiter than Joseph himself is a little hard to believe, especially in this day and age when the father's rights movement has become so powerful.But we can set some of this aside as simply a literary vehicle to tell the story that Schmidt wants to tell. But then there's the ending. I suppose I should give a ***SPOILER ALERT***, even though I won't reveal exactly what the ending is, but it's difficult to review this book without at least talking in a round-about way about the ending. Suffice it to say that a major twist comes just when everything looks like it's going to work out. Think "My Sister's Keeper". It's the kind of ending that feels manipulative, if not even cruel. The kind of ending that will make you want to throw the book out the window. It's almost like Schmidt didn't know how to end the book without being sappy, so he took the easy way out instead. But then maybe he felt bad because he has to try to make it all okay again but only ends up feeling more contrived and manipulative.It's tough to write books about foster kids without becoming maudlin or prurient by wallowing in the details of the horrific lives many of them have led. I will give this book credit for avoiding those pitfalls, but it still can't avoid the pitfall of being manipulative, jerking around our emotions for effect. Still and all, I think the target audience will enjoy reading the book. Just know what you're getting yourself into.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful. Beautiful writing, intriguing story By James Hiller After finishing this book last night, I'm still a bit perplexed about this story, and I am vacillating about my star rating. My indecision stems from parts of the story that I absolutely love, the target audience that I suspect this book is intended to reach, and an ending (no spoilers here) that was a mix of disappointment and understanding. If I could give half stars, I think I'd land it at 3.5 stars.Jack lives with his family on a farm in Maine, and take in foster boy Joseph, who comes from a hideous past. Joseph, at age of thirteen, became a father of baby Jupiter, and spends the story wrestling with this reality. Jack and his family provide a warm, understanding cocoon for Joseph as he adjusts to adults (and a special cow) who care for him. Most of his time is spent with foster brother Jack, as Jack tries to navigate the complex mental issues of Joseph with honesty and occasional rule violations.It's the relationship between the two boy that drives the story, at least it did for me. Jack counting Joseph's smiles was profoundly beautiful and innocent, and a sign of Joseph's thaw. Much like the beautiful way that Schmidt describes the winter-soaked Maine countryside, deep in snow, ice, and frozen wonder. He writes his outside as frosty as can be, making the inside of Jack's home and the barn warm, nurturing places they need to be.Yet, it's in the ending that I felt I got lost a bit, and the narrative drive that kept me in the story got lost as well. Let's just say that I would have wanted a different ending.My disappointment with the ending doesn't mask the beauty of the story. This is not a story for elementary students. Schmidt's simplicity in the writing makes this a perfect story for middle schoolers who need a easier text to navigate, but not a "dumbing down" of the content. I could easily see what rich and insightful conversations this book will inspire in ELA classrooms across our middle schools.The title is Orbiting Jupiter, but for me, the true orbit is Jack and Joseph.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Good and sad and refreshing (I'm burned out on deaths from cancer) By Maggie Knapp Meet Jack and his kind and wise parents, who are the foster family for Joseph, a 14 year old non-custodial father with a huge chip on his shoulder. Using the same writing style (short, declarative sentences) that worked so well in OKAY FOR NOW, Schmidt tells a tale of a damaged boy and a too-sad-to-believe tale of true love gone wrong at age 13. "Jackie" has never been a particularly popular kid at school. Joseph gets off on the completely wrong foot with the 8th graders at school, making life even more miserable for them both. Not that Joseph particularly cares. If not for the bitter winter Maine weather, Joseph would be fine skipping the school bus (and probably school as well) and walking miles every day. He did as much when visiting Madeleine, the mother of his daughter, and gladly.What worked for me: I loved that there were good, kind adults, along with those who are clueless and hateful. School administrators have their good points, along with being rigid and intolerant. I enjoy Schmidt's "just the facts" writing style in this book, although it hasn't worked for me for some other of his books.What didn't work as well: the sad events eventually piled on to the point they lost believability, making them less sad to me. The ending was too pat for my taste.A book very much worth reading.About me: I'm a middle school/high school librarianHow I got this book: Checked out from the library
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