My Jasper June - Book Review

I have been reading a fair bit of Middle Grade level fiction. It serves a double purpose. I can vet stories for using with my students, and most of the time my poor pandemic stressed brain can handle the tension and topics covered. There are some pretty fantastic books out there!

This week's read was My Jasper June by Laurel Snyder. I listened to the audiobook, and the narration by Imani Parks was extremely well done.

I'm going to tell you less than the blurbs, because it was really powerful to not know what was wrong with Leah's family at first. The author has done a masterful job of giving hints and clues without revealing this information, making it more powerful. If you are a sensitive reader or have experienced loss you may want to seek more information before reading the story.

The thing I loved most about this book is that it shows how people can have different problems, and the seriousness of one doesn't take away from the other. I recommend it ages 10+ but a particularly mature 8 or 9 year old could handle it. The story is an emotional journey through grief, loss, confusion, and loneliness, with a delightfully honest and real friendship that sees the characters through tough times. It introduces these difficult events and problems in an accessible and appropriate manner.

I do suggest sharing the reading experience with your child, since it provides great conversation starters about grief, homelessness, sneaking out and more. You could read it aloud, listen to the audiobook together, pre-read, or parallel read it with your child.

Although the story deals with difficult topics, I would consider using it in the classroom. Definitely give it a read first, and perhaps notify the families of the students so they are prepared to talk about the tough situations the kids in the story face.