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Orbiting Jupiter

Gary D. Schmidt

20151 pagesabout 5–10 minutes
2015
first published
  • 2015Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade & Reference Publishers · 160 pages · ENGISBN 9780544462649
  • 2015Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company · 183 pages · ENGISBN 9780544462229
  • 2016183 pages · ENGISBN 9781783443949
  • 2017HMH BooksISBN 9780544938397
  • 2017Andersen Press · 192 pages · ENGISBN 9781783445042
  • 2021HarperCollins and Blackstone Publishing · 1 pagesISBN 9780358724896
  • 2017Turtleback · 192 pagesISBN 9780606398183
  • 2021Thorndike Striving Reader · 350 pagesISBN 9781432889975

I personally (perspective of a 12 y/o) LOVE this book! Starting on page 174 to the end of the book made me cry. This book is written from Jack's POV. (SPOILER) Joseph's father intrudes in his new home and threatens to shoot Jack (Joseph's foster brother) if Joseph wouldn't leave with him. Joseph agrees, and leaves with his abusive dad (who sold Jupiter, Joseph's 4 m/o daughter, for money). He speeds in his truck, t-bones Joseph and Jack's teacher, and flip into The Alliance. Keep in mind that it is below 0 degrees in the winter. It takes them 2 days to get the truck out of the water, in which Joseph dies. Joseph has his funeral. After a year, the daughter of his that he was forbidden to see goes to live with Jack and his parents. Joseph called Jack "Jackie", which was sweet in my opinion. Gary D. Schmidt quotes on page 183 "...Jupiter smiled and laughed and she waddled around my parents. And then she stopped, and then she held up her hands, and then she said 'Jackie.' I knelt down and Jupiter got on my back. She closed her little arms around my neck. I stood and hefted her up. She laid her head against me. 'Jackie.' She yawned. 'Jackie.' 'Jupiter.' I whispered back. 'Jupiter. I promise I'll always know where you are.' 'Jackie.' She said again. And I carried her into the house"

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How it reads

Character focusSingle lead

Worth knowing

Written forYoung adult

When and where

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No content notes without spoilers.

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