This book left my heart on the floor broken into a million little pieces. It is beautiful, thoughtful, heartbreaking and hopeful. When Ethan gets sent to Ellison Alabama in 1955 after hitting a boy in school he is prepared for a long boring summer. That is exactly the opposite of what he gets when he meets Juniper Jones who is DETERMINED to make this the best summer of both of their lives. With her infectious zeal for life and her determination to try everything Juniper succeeds, but Ethan is not allowed to ignore his skin color in the all white town. As Ethan deals with bland ant racism for the first time in his life he begins to question why his white father sent him there and how his black mother could let that happen. A story of friendship and the powers of love that will make you want to hug the people you love and live each day to the fullest!

As we spend the summer trying to figure out what it means to be Black, this is not an easy YA book to read. It is historical fiction about being black. Taking place in the mid-1950’s, mixed-race Ethan is sent by his white father to live with his aunt and uncle in Alabama. It is so different than the north. Bigotry is right out in the open. It may be historical, but it rings true for today as well. The past remains with us.

𝑨 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚, 𝑰 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒂 𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒋𝒐𝒃 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒅𝒔. 𝑰 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒄𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒋𝒐𝒃 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒂 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑼𝑺. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆.

When I received this book, I didn’t expect to fall in love with some of the characters as much as I did. The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones painted an vivid picture of the pre civil rights south and the authenticity of it felt like the perfect backdrop to tell this beautiful story about friendship, racism, loss, and some hope.

Thank you to NetGalley & Wattpad for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

I have always firmly believed some of the most powerful books in existence are those that are written to shape and inform and mold young minds, and to that end I am always on the lookout for more middle grade or young reader books that I can recommend to both younger and adult readers - and, y'all? I definitely found another one.⁣
⁣
This popped up on NetGalley a couple of days before it was published as a "Read Now" (I seriously have no clue how I didn't see it before because there's no way this cover wouldn't have stopped me in my tracks!) and I hit download faster than you can ride your bike down to the creek. Weird analogy. Moving on.⁣
⁣
Simply put, this book was excellent. There is not nearly enough quality historical fiction in middle grade and I was blown away by Daven McQueen's debut (although my understanding is that she has more works on Wattpad!).⁣
⁣
The characters were so beautifully drawn, and the simple ease of childhood summers was written so well - I could feel my own honeysuckle scented lightning bug summers around me with every page I read. The plot moved at a nice pace, introducing events and people easily and seamlessly. The story itself was wonderful and heartbreaking all at once - and it is so necessary for books like this to be in bookstores and libraries and classrooms. ⁣
⁣
There's honestly so much more to say about this book, but also, I think the biggest thing to say is just that it's a fabulous coming of age story set in 1950s Alabama, is very timely, and that it should definitely be on your TBR.⁣

An amazing story about friendship and a life-changing summer, The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones is a wonderful read. A story so important, given today's political climate, this one a must-read for young adults (and everyone really). This story is a perfect blend of fun, deep, and heartbreak all under one book. The most heartbreaking thing is this story takes place in the 50s and things haven't changed.

The two main characters of this book are captivating and strong. It was a joy to get to know them and their stories. The author writes so beautifully and makes the bitter end, somehow remain sweet!

While obviously about different subject matter, something about the mood and writing style of this book really evoked Bridge to Terabithia for me. There is a shadow of menace that feels like it hovers over the story from the beginning. I enjoyed the main part of the story itself, although the characters felt like they read a bit younger than their ages. I think this could be read successfully by middle grade students, especially in a classroom setting where their teachers could guide some discussion of the difficult topics. I disliked the framing of the story at the beginning and end as a flashback, and think it would have read better without those bookends. The rest of the book was well written, and absolutely made me cry. A good perspective on racism and forgiveness (or the lack thereof) that doesn't make excuses for racist behavior. CW for racist slurs and attacks, and character death.

This is definitely one of the best books I read this year! WOW! So good on all the levels and it checks all my boxes when it comes to what I am expecting to get from a book. Writing style, character development, inclusivity, diversity you name it ! This book has it all! Thank you Netgalley for receiving a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

THIS BOOK. I didn't really know much about this book before I read it, knowing vaguely that it was about racism and a coming of age, but nothing specific. And MAN it surprised me in all the best ways possible.

First of all, it is a middle grade, which I have very much been wanting to read, but haven't been able to since my library hasn't been open. (At least, I think it's a middle grade? There is some language (up to the s word), but the main characters are in their mid-teens and there is no romance, so it feels like middle grade.) The language is simple and allowed me to picture the whole scene, which is always something I love.

Second, it's a summer book, which I am ALWAYS down for. Summertime romps outside, unsupervised, with a bike and a pond and infinite flowers and grass, and coming home only for dinner? SIGN ME UP. That setting always holds a special place in my heart and I will always have a light penchant for summer books.

Third, not only is it a feel good, summer read, it also tackles such important topics! The basis of this story is a biracial kid figuring out his place in 1950s America, which even now is such an important topic to discuss. I especially appreciated the reminder that the 1950s, or history in general, wasn't "perfect" as people tend to think: there were HUGE issues, and no matter what it looks like, there has been immense improvement and growth in America throughout history.

Fourth, it made me SOB. The characters were just so pure and so raw and so honest with themselves and each other, and I loved that. Juniper was ABSOLUTELY the best and honestly I just want to be like her when I grow up. I saw a review that said that she was kind of like Pippi Longstocking, except I think Juniper is more mature and also more understanding. At least, if I can't be her, I want to be best friends with her. I LOVED Juniper and this book was 100% made better because of her.

Tl;dr, go read this book. It's not a topic that most people would enjoy, but it is definitely one that should be read. I haven't read a book that has made me cry in a while, but this did it, so that should be at least a sign. :)


If you like these books, you will love The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones-
-To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
-Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
-The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
-Looking for Alaska by John Green

Quotes-
-"Folks around here think I'm weird. So I figured, you know, it never hurts to have a friend when things are hard. And there's nothing like an adventure to take your mind off all the bad stuff."
-"Making sense is for nerds and grown-ups. I am way more interesting"
-These flowers had run wild, growing over each other, their stems twisting together and reaching skyward to the gauzy sun. The entire house was enveloped in a bouquet.
-"When you trap people for hundreds of years, make their lives a living hell, they're bound to get antsy. And furious. And so white folks think the harder they make it for us to live, the longer they'll be able to put off a revolution."
-"And there's a lot I can do, too, I think. Because people look at me different than they look at you. I'm safe in my skin, I mean. I don't know what yet, exactly. But whatever I can do, I'm sure gonna do it."

Say hello to one of my new favorite books and one of my favorites thus far this year! The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones is a dual-timeline novel that tells the story of biracial Ethan Harper. The earliest timeline is in 1955, where we see Ethan, who lives in Washington, spend the summer with his white aunt and uncle in Alabama. There he encounters the town’s prejudice against biracial and Black people, and he becomes friends with a quirky white girl his age named Juniper Jones. The second timeline is of Ethan in the present day.

What I Liked: I don’t cry often when reading, but tears were rolling down my cheeks at one point while reading this one. I ugly cried. This book is such a powerful look at bullying and racism. Ethan is a wonderful, brave protagonist who doesn’t let the hurt others inflict on him because of his skin color change him as a person or affect how he treats others. Juniper Jones makes one heck of a sidekick and best friend. I absolutely loved her character and spunk and how she was best friends with Ethan regardless of his skin color (as it should be) during a time in which that made her an outcast. This book is beautifully written and a true gem.

What I Didn’t Quite Like: N/A

Recommended If: If you’re looking for a powerful, heart wrenching, thought-provoking book, this is it. I read a digital copy, but I have to get my hands on a physical copy to make this one a permanent fixture on my shelves. Without a doubt, I recommend this to anyone and everyone. Do yourself a favor and read it.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, Daven McQueen, and Wattpad books for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely LOVED this story! What an incredible ode to friendship. Juniper actually reminds me a lot of Anne of Green Gables. She has such a kind heart, is open, caring, and is true to herself. Ethan is a great male lead. He is understandably weary of Juniper when he first meets her, but he lets her in, manages to find joy in an unpleasant situation, and shows Juniper how to open her eyes to the behaviour of others and stand up.

There are so many things I want to say about this book, but I do not want any spoilers in this review. I have read a lot of diverse books lately and his one is hands down my favourite. It made me feel all the feels, and opened my eyes in some new ways to racial prejudices.

An important story and a beautiful one, it should be at the top of your TBR.

OᐯᗴᖇᐯIᗴᗯ: Ethan Harper has gotten himself into some trouble at home, so his dad decides to drop him off in small-town Alabama to spend the summer with his aunt and uncle. Why is this a problem? It's 1955 and Ethan is biracial. The residents of the town are very clear that he does not belong. All except Juniper Jones. She's spirited, open and accepting, and determined to make Ethan her new best friend and to have the best adventures with him.

ᗰY TᕼOᑌᘜᕼTᔕ: This novel was exceptional and belongs on every middle grade teacher's shelf. Ethan struggles with acceptance and his own identity. Having been mostly raised by his white father, he is desperate to connect with his Black heritage and reconnect with his long-missing mother. The novel deals with racism and ignorance. But Juniper is a breath of fresh air as she accepts Ethan for who he is, stands up to his tormentors, and supports his quest to connect with his mother. She is an example of what we all should aspire to be in the present world. While Ethan and Juniper's journeys are emotional, it truly is the story of an invincible summer!

ᖇᗩTIᑎᘜ: ★★★★★

Thank you to Wattpad Books and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

“sometimes you need to be angry. A lot of the time, these days, you need to be angry.”

“Trying doesn’t make them stop staring.” He said. “Trying doesn’t make me feel safe here. And I guess I just think there’s only so much trying you can all can do. There are some things about me and my life that you’ll never understand.”

After being called the N word at school, and breaking the nose of the kid who said it, Ethans dad sends him to spend the summer in Alabama with his aunt and uncle. What Ethans white father doesn’t understand though, is that a mixed race child, or anyone Black for that matter, is not welcome in Ellison. Lucky for Ethan he meets Juniper Jones and their friendship soon blooms. Everyone thinks she is a freak, but they still aren’t ok with her hanging out with a Black boy. They are still determined to make this summer invincible though.

I don’t even know where to begin. This book had me staying up way to late to finish it because I could not. stop. reading. Not only is this book beautifully written, but the characters were so realistic and fantastic. Juniper Jones is a rare gem. The kind of kid that is odd, quirky, and just wants a friend, and when someone finally lets her in she is a damn good friend at that. That is what makes Juniper so damn lovable. Ethans struggle broke my heart in two. He was a boy from the North struggling to understand racial discrimination in the south during the 1950’s. I was in tears several times throughout this book, I was sad, infuriated, but also filled with love for these amazing characters. The two quotes above really stood out to me while reading. The first one is when Ethan is finally discussing race with his mom, and I think it is a good one for right now. Black people are angry. They should be angry. They have every right to be furious. And I hope that anger continues and that we, as white people, continue to be just as angry for them and with them and continue to support the Black Lives Matter movement. The second quote also stood out to me. I will never truly understand how it feels to be Black in America, but that doesn’t mean I will stop trying to be an ally. If you haven’t read this one yet, do it. This is easily one of my favorite books of the year, and I think everyone needs to read it.

Coming of age stories are among my favorite genres and this is one that should be read. It’s both heartbreaking and heart warming, and though set in the racist south in 1955, it’s so relevant today. Sadly mothers of color are still having the same conversations with their children. If you’re looking to diverse your authors and truly do the uncomfortable work of trying to understand the systemic racism that still exists, then read this book. 4.5⭐️

In 1955, Ethan is sent to his father's hometown in Alabama for the summer as punishment. Ethan is biracial, with a white father and a Black mother. He has lived in Washington state, so while he has experienced some racism, his eyes were opened to harsh realities as a Black person in Alabama.

Juniper Jones, another high schooler with a quirky personality, befriends him and vows to fill his summer with exploring and adventures. They forge a closeness as they endure the stares and prejudice from others. There is genuine sadness and grief in this book, which fits the time period it is placed in, and it can be yet another resource to build empathy and have meaningful conversations.

When Daven McQueen wrote The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones, she was aware of how relevant a title like this is in our current reality, but she couldn't have predicted the political and social scene it would enter when it was published in June 2020, in the midst of protests that most recently stemmed from George Floyd's death but have their roots in a history of police violence against people of color, to say nothing of the systems in place that have continually tried to exclude Black people. There feels like there could be true momentum and change, and books like this will bring up themes of racism and help us face our past and our present and envision a future of reform.

(I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing house for providing a review copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This timely Young Adult read is one that I would HIGHLY recommend for your kids (and for yourself), as it explores the topic of racism in 1955.

Ethan is sent to a small town in Alabama, to spend his summer with his aunt and uncle. As a bi-racial kid, he lives in a bigger city where his differences are not as on display and some progress has been made.

In their small town though, racism is open and runs freely in all of the townspeople. He struggles to adapt to new situations like separate bathrooms, separate water fountains, separate seating at the movies, and the way people treat him with complete disregard.

Luckily, he forms a fast friendship with another girl in town, the oh-so-quirky Juniper Jones.

Juniper’s goal is to have the most invincible summer and she begs Ethan to join her as she crosses adventures off her to-do list.

These two outcasts form a friendship that will shape the rest of Ethan’s life, in some really beautiful and surprising ways.

Get out your tissues.

I can’t recommend this sweet read enough. It would be a wonderful selection for a book club date, with your kids, this summer.

Even though I have finished this book several weeks ago, I still cannot put into words how amazing this novel is. The coming of age story of Ethan and Juniper set during the Jim Crowe South will make you smile, make you angry and break your heart. Some people may dismiss this one based solely on the fact that it is YA or a debut but those people will be missing out greatly. I will forever be pushing this book on everyone I know!

It's important for us to know where we come from and what's been done to us, otherwise, how're we supposed to fight what's happening to us now? It's all connected."

Daven McQueen - what can I say except thank you for writing this book. Thank you for featuring a biracial kid with a white parent who just doesn't get it. Thank you for showing the struggle of biracial kids whose parents make mistakes, kids who aren't sure where they fit and are painfully aware when they don't belong. Thank you for writing about a biracial kids trying to figure out what it means to be Black, when those around him have very wrong ideas of what being Black means.

"Problem is, colored kids don't get to be innocent. It's like you come out of the womb full grown, the way the world treats you. And you father means well, but he just can't understand. He'll be innocent till the day he dies."

This book wrecked me. It surprised me. I was worried that it'd be a story about Ethan, a young biracial (Black/white) boy who lives and learns about his race from an innocent and race blind white girl. My assumptions were wrong and this book is so much more. At first, I felt there was too much of Juniper acting like a white savior and Ethan letting her, but as their relationship morphed they began to challenge each other: Ethan challenging Juniper's idealism, innocence and lack of understanding; Juniper encouraging Ethan's journey, his anger, and challenging him to open up. And although this is set in the 1950s, the connections to our present day are so real. Overall, I loved this book. There are so many content warnings: assault, racist language, etc., but it is something that MUST be read. Because many white people's blatant disregard for change, their inability to rock the boat of challenge explicit racism, is a problem. It was a problem in 1955 with Ethan's Aunt and Uncle and Juniper, and it's a problem now. We need to do better.

"When you trap people for hundreds of years, make their lives a living hell, they're bound to get ansty. And furious. And so white folks thing the harder they make it for us to live, the longer they'll be able to put off a revolution."

The revolution is here. It's been here. What side are you on?

Thank you to Wattpad Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I owe an apology to Wattpad books. As soon as I saw that this book was published by Wattpad books, my expectations were minimize to almost non-existent. I was incorrect. This is beautiful, gut-wrenching, and very real. This book is an engrossing look at racism and love and hate, looking at 1955 and 2015. I loved it. It was incredible. It is such a timely story, and it genuinely smacked me in the gut in the best possible way. Everyone should read this book.