Title: Orbiting Jupiter
Author: Gary D. Schmidt
Major Themes: Family, Foster Children, Abuse, Friendship
Synopsis: Jack’s family has fostered before, but when Joseph, hurt by the state system and father at thirteen, arrives at their home, they are all stretched in new ways as they work to become the family he’s always needed.
I’m a big Gary D. Schmidt fan, and one of my goals for the next few years is to find and read as many of his books as I can. I’ve had Orbiting Jupiter on my shelf for close to a year now, and finally figured out where I could fit it in—and then was shocked at how short this book actually is! It didn’t take me long to read, but the emotional impact from this book has taken some time to recover from. This is a powerful story!
Publisher’s description:
In this riveting novel, two boys discover the true meaning of family and the sacrifices it requires.
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 Here Joseph, damaged and withdrawn, meets twelve-year-old Jack, who narrates the account of the troubled, passionate teen who wants to find his baby at any cost.
When Jack meets his new foster brother, he knows three things about him:
- Joseph almost killed a teacher.
- He was incarcerated at a place called Stone Mountain.
- He has a daughter. Her name is Jupiter. And he has never seen her.
What Jack doesn’t know, at first, is how desperate Joseph is to find his baby girl. Or how urgently he, Jack, will want to help.
But the past can’t be shaken off. Even as new bonds form, old wounds reopen. The search for Jupiter demands more from Jack than he can imagine.
My thoughts:
I love reading stories that feature fostered or adopted children. Something about the plight they face touches my heart, so I knew even before I got into the book that I’d probably be able to connect with this story. I don’t remember reading the back cover very closely, though, so I wasn’t prepared for the emotional impact of Joseph having a daughter—and as I watched Jack and his parents try to come to grips with Joseph’s deep pain, I couldn’t help but hurt and hope with them.
This story…I don’t even know how to describe it. When the book blurb says it’s a shattering story, I have to agree. Yes, there’s hope and redemption in the story, but it’s also a hard one. Joseph walked through things no kid should ever have to walk through, and it’s a miracle he came out as whole as he did. Each short chapter of this book carries such weight and meaning…and I had to hold the tears in at times, even though I’m not a crier.
Orbiting Jupiter is a peek into the lives of some of the more traumatized among us. It’s also a testament to the strength of character and depth of love that each of us harbors within us—and the extent we’ll go to at times to try to put things to rights, even when they’re desperately out of our control. Don’t expect this to be an easy read, but expect to come away with a profound sense of the power of love and the hope that can be found even in the most tragic circumstances.
WARNING: Chapter 1: Mention of a boy trying to kill someone. Chapter 2: Boy remembers watching a dog die, boys almost drown. Chapter 3: Jesus, that’s how people die; freaking (twice); boy makes an off-color joke about nuts; heck. Chapter 4: Mention of a kiss and being “found later” (no description), telling of hearing someone died, telling of taking some pills (presumably drugs). Chapter 5: A fight with some injuries, where the hell. Chapter 6: Like hell. Chapter 8: Man threatens with a gun, freaking, someone dies, where the hell.
Age levels:
Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover | Audible Audiobook (unabridged) | MP3 CD
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
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