Planet Jupiter - Hardcover

Jane Kurtz was born in Portland, Oregon, but when she was two years old her parents moved their family to Ethiopia, where she spent most of her childhood. She recently moved back to Portland where she turned her scruffy yard into Backyard Habitat for birds and bees and butterflies and native plants. Jane speaks nationally and internally and teaches in the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA in Children's and YA Literature.

Gr 4–6—Jupiter has lived on the road her whole life, busking with her family as they drive in their van from town to town. But then a number of events knock Jupiter out of her orbit: the van breaks down; Jupiter's mom decides to settle the family in Portland, OR; and a newfound adopted cousin comes to live with them. It's all too much for Jupiter to bear, but luckily, her new cousin Edom isn't too keen to live with them, either. Together, the girls hatch a scheme to get what they both want: home. For Edom, home is in California with her adoptive mother, who has cancer; for Jupiter, home is on the road. Naturally, the girls have a thing or two to learn about the definition of home (spoiler alert: it just might be where they are). There's also a cast of quirky secondary characters. The story does get bogged down with all its cuteness: Dad's cryptically clever postcards, Jupiter's jingles and her repeated metaphors about being named after a planet, Mom's budding romance with a family friend, just to name a few. But while the story can cross the line to Twee-ville, it manages to never loses its charm. The characters' growth is gradual, gentle, and believable. VERDICT Readers who reach the end of the journey will likely want to follow this unconventional but supportive family and community on further adventures. A solid purchase for larger collections.—Laura Lutz, Convent of the Sacred Heart, New York