3 ½ stars rounded up

Juniper Berry has lived with her family off the grid. And she’s been taught that civilization is a dangerous place to avoid at all costs. But when her younger brother gets too sick for her mother to handle with her natural remedies, the family moves in with an extended family she didn’t know she had. Juniper is awkward and an embarrassment to her cousins and new roommates. She takes things literally and can’t understand the nuances of socialization as a middle schooler. When she gets bullied by her own family, she is crushed. But what she’s especially concerned about is how her family will be able to afford the care needed for her brother. She hatches a plan to make money on social media and we get to go on that journey with her. We see her grow and learn more about why her family went off the grid in the first place. This is a nice redemption story.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

At face value, this is a pretty standard fish-out-of-water story. Juniper is used to a very specific way of life and doesn't fit in to regular society. The more she stands out, the more it drives a wedge between her and her cousin. They don't understand each other. These are basic elements of many middle grade books. It invites discussion about what it means to fit in, about individuality and conformity. What sets this one apart is it's exploration of the driving force behind isolation. It doesn't just tell us that Juniper's family lives in the woods, it looks at why they isolate. It doesn't just tell us that Juniper doesn't fit in because she's never had a peer group. It looks at why she never attempts to connect with her new peers. While there are some moments that strain believability, overall this is a solid read that could spark discussion with a middle grade group.

The Wild Journey of Juniper Berry is about a family who lives totally off the grid. Juniper’s family lives in the woods, hours away from any other people. Juniper and her sister Sky have never seen kids their age, seen a refrigerator, been to a city, or even met other family members. All that changes when their younger brother Hawk becomes really ill. They walk for miles to get to a friend, and then have to go into the city for Hawk to be able to receive medical care. Juniper’s mom, Clara, says the city is a place where everyone expects you to look a certain way and act a certain way. Society in her mind is bad. It is a rude awakening for all of them to be in society amongst people again. They stay with their uncle and cousins they never knew existed. Sky has always wanted to see the world outside the woods. She fits in fairly well, and makes friends easily. Juniper doesn’t have such an easy time. When they have to go to school, juniper really starts to have issues. She doesn’t understand why kids have to sit inside all day when they could be learning outside. After a few mishaps and being suspended from school, juniper just wants to be back in the woods and with her family. This is a sweet story about being yourself, and learning that you don’t have to do everything society tells you. But also, that society isn’t completely bad and there are people that want to help.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

An interesting read for the outdoor-loving youth. Fun stories in the adventures of a child. You youth will love every minute of this adventure.

Juniper Berry and her family live off the grid and away from society in the forests of Oregon. When tragedy strikes, the family has to move to the big city to get medical help and Juniper struggles to fit in. This is a sweet coming of age story that deals with bullying, community, and finding oneself.

A beautifully written coming of age story about eleven year old Juniper Berry who grew up in the woods doing “earth school” with her parents. When her five year old brother gets sick and had to be taken to a hospital, the whole family had to go live in society and juniper had to go to public school. Juniper is a self confident girl, who knows that she will keep on being herself even when people want her to change. She learns to handle bullies and starts a YouTube channel to help make money to pay her brothers hospital bills. This book was so well written and shows the importance of being true to yourself and reaching out to help others.

What happens when a girl, raised off grid, goes to school. Juniper Berry has had an amazing life growing up in the woods. When her brother becomes sick enough for a stay in the hospital, Junie finds out what life is like in society. She doesn't know all the rules, but she is smart and learns quickly. She is hoping her brother will get well so the family can go home. A fun story about being who you are and loving it.

Thank you to the author, Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book for middle school readers has a great premise: a isolated family living in a remote location, off the land, has to enter society when the youngest son gets sick and is hospitalized. They move in with relatives, and of course the contrast between the two families - mainly shown in the two sets of sisters from the two families - couldn't be greater. While Juniper Berry's older sister is eager to dive into modern society and culture, Juniper struggles mightily. Lots of humor is shown in exploring modern conveniences that we take for granted, and I loved how Juniper Berry stays steadfast in her efforts to cope and face the difficulties inherent in being confronted with completely foreign things. However, there are way too many various and diverse (and heavy) issues that are touched on, without the actual depth to carry them. The ending ties everything up in a neat bow, but doesn't come across as saccharine, which is nice. Overall, I would definitely recommend - but with the caveat that there should be some follow-up discussion with middle school readers.

I read this with my kids and it was a very interesting read. I loved seeing the different perspectives of a family who lives solely off grid with no human interaction and the complete opposite of city life. When these two worlds collide they have a hard time understanding the other. It was very mind opening.

Eleven-year-old Juniper Berry has lived her entire life in the woods with her parents, older sister Sky and little brother Hawk. When he becomes seriously ill and has to be hospitalized, Juniper is thrown into society where everything is strange and confusing, even the things people say.

Juniper’s parents Clara and Zephyr moved to a remote area off the grid to escape the pressures of society and have raised their children there. The kids have been well educated but have never seen a regular house or car, appliances, technology, people with different hair and skin colors, animals other than wild ones, and their only pet is Hawk’s beetle named Tiger. They find out their mom has a brother named Parker when he picks them up to stay with him and his two teenage daughters Kori and Alayna. Sky embraces the clothing, makeup, and social activities with Kori, but all Juni wants is to go back to her home in the woods.

There is a lot of humor partly from Juni’s personality and partly from her experiencing things for the first time and trying to make sense of the world. She relates everything back to things in the woods. I love her positive self-esteem and confidence. She doesn’t want to be like everyone else and knows her worth isn’t based on what they think. She stands up for others, is a hard worker and creates YouTube videos about life in the woods in an effort to help her dad pay the hospital bills.

5 stars, I loved it. Thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC to use for my review.

Content: mental health/panic attacks and parents who abandon their kids.

From the moment I heard about this book, I knew I had to read it! Juniper Berry is the story of a family that lives completely off grid away from "society" until one day....well, you knew there had to be a one day! Juniper and her family have to make some hard decisions for their family unit and it winds them right back in the middle of society.
I love this story of family, middle school and seeing things from many different perspectives. This is a GREAT read and one I think everyone should read!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review; all opinions are my own.

Genre: Middle Grade Realistic Fiction, Children's Contemporary Fiction, Humorous Children's Literature
Themes: Love, Acceptance, Change, Technology, family
Representation: Mental health (anxiety and depression)
Audience: Perfect for adults and kids about age 8-13

*THE WILD JOURNEY OF JUNIPER BERRY* is so heartfelt and amazing! It's one to laugh and cry through.

I love how we move from Juniper living in the forest, off the grid, to having to navigate the city. Seeing her experiences through her lens is eye-opening to what our society is like and how we choose to live.

Juniper is lovable and adventurous. She's also surprising.

I got some vibes of "*My Side of the Mountain*" mixed with "*Schooled*" by Gordon Korman.

Why you ask?
Because you've got the wilderness survival side and the fish-out-of-water experience that's seriously funny. There's also a bit of that hippy flair going on.

Now I wonder if there could be a sequel for Juniper and her family (that's how much I was vested in these characters).

This is a book I think kids will love as much as their parents and grandparents.

I highly recommend this read for everyone needing a pick-me-up with heart.

Happy reading!

Fascinating. Relatable. Adventure.

Juniper loves living off the grid with her family. She has never known any other life. When her brother gets sick, and her family has to take him to the hospital, Juniper is forced to live in society.

Kids can be mean - on purpose. Juniper may be new to society, but she figures this part out quickly. She'd rather be back at home base in the woods, but instead she is stuck living in society with her uncle and cousins in an apartment and being forced to go to school. All of this is being forced on Juniper, and she doesn't like it, but her brother is sick and her family needs to be near the hospital. So, Juniper does her best to navigate the wild world of society and ... middle school.

I love the parallels Juniper uses to help her relate the animal world to human world. I also loved balance of serious parts and hilarious parts.

I think this book is going to fly off of the shelves. Kids are going to love it and learn so much about life from Juniper's story.

The Wild Journey of Juniper Berrry will be perfect for a read-aloud! I especially think it would be perfect for middle grade students in their first year of middle school. I also think it would be great for middle grade book clubs and, of course, individual readers.

Thank you Shadow Mountain Publishing @shadowmountainpub and @NetGalley for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.  

#TheWildJourneyofJuniperBerry #NetGalley

What a joy this book is, a child who has a great view on life and those around her. She manages her own difficulties with such Grace that she is a beacon to us all. The greatest praise is that my youngest granddaughter wants Juniper as her friend !

This book is excellent. I'll note that I'm not sure it's possible for a modern family to live in the woods with three kids for as long as this one does, and it would have been helpful to hear more about what could have hurt the parents so badly as to drive them into the woods. We get a little, but not much. I also wanted to know more about how their ideology was impacted; e.g. the reader could have been given more information about things like the parents' position on vaccinations: they were, after all, hesitant to get their sick son to the nearest hospital. All of that being said, I was so engaged and it took me a short while to finish this book. Character development was strong but the antagonist, Sophie, is presented with the chance to grow and we don't really see it happen.

Imagine that you have lived your whole life off grid in the woods with your parents, older sister, and younger brother. Then you suddenly have to stay with your uncle and cousins in an apartment in the city, attend public school, and deal with bullies and social pressures that you don't even understand. That is where readers find Juniper Berry. An emergency has her family returning to the town her parents left behind and she has no idea how things function at school or even in the apartment. Her parents have always said that "society" puts too much pressure on everyone and it is impossible to be happy there. Is that really true?

As Juniper explores middle school, fashion, the concept of money, the mysteries of microwaves and cell phones, we get the chance to see the world through her eyes. I especially enjoyed her comparisons of students in her school to creatures in the forest. Her explanation that you can choose to be helpful (like a bee working for the good of the hive), or you can be beautiful but destructive and mean (like a mink killing just for sport), was especially apt for the girl she was describing.

This is a great story for those who enjoy realistic fiction, looking at everyday events from the viewpoint of an outsider, and strong female characters who refuse to give in to "society's pressure" and remain true to themselves.

Such a fun middle grades story. Juniper Berry has grown up homesteading in the woods. She loves her life in the woods and would never dream of living anywhere else. Her younger brother, Hawk, gets sick and has to be taken to a hospital in the city. The city is filled with so many firsts for Juniper, the biggest of which is living in an apartment with her uncle and cousins and attending public school. This book was such a fun read and it was cool to see things through the eyes of someone with such a completely different outlook on life. A great book about overcoming obstacles and finding one's place in the world.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I do like Juniper Berry and her confidence because she is Amazing. While I think her parents went a little overboard in keeping them from society, they have done a good job raising a strong independent daughter. This has vibes of Haddix's Running Out of Time.

Juniper Berry likes living in the woods. But her brother is ill, so they move to town.
Shadow Mountain and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It has been published and you can get a copy now.

Juniper doesn't like living in town. The kids don't want to be friends and she has to go to school. But Hawk is very sick and in the hospital. It is hard for her.

She goes in the woods and gets him yarrow for his upset tummy. Then the woman that owns the woods finds her. She's old but Juniper tries to say why she took some flowers.

Her friend she had won't speak to her and tells her to stay away. Town is hard to adjust to.

Will Hawk survive?

What an interesting story! Juniper lives in the wood with her family, Zephyr (father), Clara (mother), Skylar (older sister) ad Hawk (younger brother) very isolated from society when a family emergency takes them to the city where Juniper learns for the first time that she has cousins. I love Juniper's personality and self-sufficiency. She doesn't care what people think of her, she is going to be herself. I wish we had more background for why her parents kept them so isolated. Thank you, NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for the opportunity to read this story. My opinions are my own.