Recommended: yes
For a fantastic story, for a fictional story about real issues, for a way to reinforce lessons on or teach about racism and the Black experience that would work well for younger students in particular (but definitely adults, too)

Thoughts:
Honestly, I thought it was weird at first that the white girl's name was on the cover of the black boy's story. I worried about what message that gave before even beginning the book. I'm still not sure about that, but Juniper brought light and honesty and bravery to Ethan's life -- so maybe it makes sense that she was featured so prominently on his cover. I never quite understood why the other town kids made fun of her and said she was crazy, so either I missed something or it was simply because she wasn't as racist as the rest of them.

At one point in the novel, a black adult tells Ethan: "colored kids don't get to be innocent...the way the world treats you." He reflects on how he had been afforded at least some innocence before coming to Alabama, and how he now recognizes that even where he was in Washington state wasn't perfect; aggressions were just hidden better. Grappling with his anger and fear, Ethan is very clearly just a teenager dealing with things no one should. The emotions are made so clear in every moment.

There are overtly racist attacks that fold into the sweetest moments of happiness, and vice versa. It gave me whiplash, and made me always feel on edge because even at the best times I was aware that it could be horrifying interrupted by hate and violence. That, I think, well captures the experience of many Black people at that time (and likely still today). That I was reading the story with that emotion made me connect deeply with Ethan and everything he dealt with. It wasn't easy, but it was effective and important to me.

A lot of moments that reflect points made in other books specifically about the experiences Blacks have in the US. In that regard, this is an excellent novel to reinforce learnings about white supremacy in the US both today and years ago. I'm working on learning more always, and this was another piece for me. And yes, I cried. At moments of beauty and moments of pain.

Thanks to Wattpad Books and NetGalley for a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for the review copy.

1955 Ellison, Alabama. All the way from Washington state, Ethan Harper is dropped at his uncle and aunt’s home to spend the summer. His father thought this a good punishment for some trouble Ethan got caught up in back home. Ethan doesn’t want to be there and quickly finds out that the people of Ellison don’t want him, a biracial kid, there either. Except Juniper Jones. Juniper quickly befriends Ethan with the promise of an invincible summer. We follow Ethan and Juniper through an extraordinary summer and together they not only form a strong friendship but an even stronger alliance.

A gut wrenching story of summertime friendship, racism and family, The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones, will probably leave you crying and desperate to wrap those you love in the biggest hug but at the same time ready to stand next to the black community ready to fight for what is right.

Ethan gains a lot of insight into segregation and what it means to be a black boy growing up on the brink of the Civil Rights movement. This is a wonderful book to introduce to middle grade readers to open up dialogue about race and doing the right thing.

Black Lives Matter.

“He could see the world for what it was. He could see himself for who he was. And maybe, in time, he’d learn to look in the mirror and see his blackness as a precious gift.”

Ethan Harper finds himself banished to his Aunt and Uncle’s house for the summer after getting into a fight at school. As if this isn’t bad enough, he finds himself, a biracial brown-skinned boy, in a small all-white town in 1955 Alabama. It seems like absolutely no one wants him there, except a quirky, talkative, red-headed girl named Juniper Jones who befriends him instantly. Juniper is an optimistic dreamer that comes up with this idea of an Invincible Summer. The two kids create a bucket list of activities to do all summer long. They quickly become thick as thieves, riding their bikes all over Ellison.

The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones latched onto my heart and refused to let go. It is a story about friendship, love, heartache, loss, isolation, hate, determination, and a classic coming of age story. Ethan’s fear and uncertainty are relatable and Juniper’s adventure and spirit are inspiring. I truly loved this book from beginning to end. I laughed and cried and felt for these characters with all my heart. A definite must-read to add to your list.

THE INVINCIBLE SUMMER OF JUNIPER JONES revolves around Ethan Harper, a mixed-race boy who is sent to live at his aunt and uncle's place in small-town Alabama during the summer of 1955. Then one day he meets Juniper Jones.

This story hit me hard, it was beautiful yet devastating - McQueen tackles themes of friendship, race, interracial marriage and history which brought out a lot of emotions. I was infuriated by the racism that Ethan constantly suffered and I wanted to support him and fight alongside him. This book reminds us that several times trying isn't enough, however it is the least that we can do to make a change. While the writing was easy to follow and it gave me a certain "John Green" vibes, I thought that it could have been more polished in terms of narrative structure. The characters were likable and I enjoyed their development throughout the story. I only wish there was more about Juniper's family.
Although this is a young adult novel, the heavy topics are very current and good food for thoughts.

The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones is not an easy read, it’s a tough, heartbreaking, beautifully constructed story. But disclaimer, it will get a few tears out of you. It tells the story of Ethan Harper, a biracial boy, who finds himself being punished and sent to small-town Ellison in Alabama to spend the summer with his aunt and uncle. There, he finds his eyes being opened to how people perceive him and his Blackness. And he starts to realise the world is not always fair or gentle or kind to ‘people like him’.
Overall, I loved this book and I would wholehartedly recommend it, with warning there's racial situations, language that might be upsetting to read.

I always knew reviewing this book would be a challenge. It’s one of those beautiful heart-breaking books which you come across every now and then, but remember forever. This book gave me complete John Green vibes and though I am not much for comparisons but you could also say that I’d place this book at par with Tuesday’s with Morrie and A Man Called Ove in terms of how much it makes one feel.

The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones is a beautiful coming of age story which revolves around racism, identity, family and friendship. It’s about an invincible summer planned out by two teenagers – Ethan Charlie Harper and Juniper Jones in the town of Ellison, Alabama. While Juniper is a town local, Ethan has been sent to spend his summer with his Aunt Cara and Uncle Robert as a punishment for getting into a fight with someone at school back home in Arcadia, Washington. Ethan’s punishment for the school scuffle is a long way away from the REAL issue - he is a biracial teenage boy in the year 1955, in a town like Ellison.

Ethan’s uncle decides to make him work at his Malt store during the morning shift when it isn’t crowded and when he can’t expect much trouble. Ethan is initially unaware of the logic behind it of course. But it is during one of those morning shifts that Juniper Starfish Jones comes twirling into his life like a colorful hurricane! From this point on, Ethan and Juniper are best friends! They’re inseparable and they – mostly Juniper - come up with an entire list of things they’d like to do to make the summer of 1955 the best summer they’ve ever had. To make it the most invincible summer ever!

Here are some of my favorite things they had on their list:
1. Plant sunflower seeds all across town!
2. Spot and learn all the constellations in the night sky.
3. Try all flavors of milkshakes at the Malt store.
4. And finally, Juniper wanted to learn to swim.

Juniper Jones – her name always reminds me of my favorite childhood fictional character, Junie B. Jones! What can I say about someone like Juniper Jones? What can anyone say about someone like Juniper Jones, someone who is so committed to joy! Someone whose presence and vivid imagination lights up everyone’s heart and soul, someone who is full of confidence and wonder! So I’ll describe her as Ethan did - “She hit him in the best way, like a rainstorm after five years of drought, healing the parched earth with a gentle touch; and in the worst way, like an unexpected earthquake, leaving dust and debris in her wake. She was, in equal parts, a gift and a natural disaster. Her name was Juniper Jones.” Someone with forest-fire hair and hurricane eyes! I don’t have a book boyfriend but really wish I can have a friend like Juniper Jones.

I haven’t shied away from complimenting this book so far but the story does have some triggers which I’d like to warn you about: racism and bullying; and I think the author has done brilliantly to address both these factors in her story. This book was truly an eye-opener for me in terms of the constant fear that Ethan and many like him probably live in. Quoting a part of the book where Ethan states the emotion – “I’m already scared, Juniper. I’ve been scared this whole time”. It was the first time he’d said it out loud, but it was true. For weeks in Ellison, Alabama, fear had been his default. Given the current circumstances and recent events, mainly in America, I think it is important for people of all backgrounds to be educated about the world outside their immediate surroundings.

Today as we try to be better allies, let us remind ourselves to also be empathetic towards each other – those who are still dealing with racism and those who are still learning to be better allies. Let this be a reminder for us all to read more about the emotions of people of color, especially those from the Black community, and push yourselves harder to learn more about their experiences. More importantly, at all times keep striving to be better than you were yesterday. Be kind. Be empathetic. Be willing to sit down and listen. Acknowledge your privilege and use it to raise people up and not hold them back, to make those unheard till now be heard loud and clear!

I recommend this book to EVERYONE, irrespective of your age, it doesn’t matter! It’s the perfect summer read this year and I promise you won’t regret picking it up, because this book made it to my list of top reads this year. It made me cry my eyes out and I am not one for crying usually, but if a book makes me cry, you know damn well it’s a brilliant book! I rate this book 5 invincible bookmarks out of 5!

I'd like to thank Michelle from The FFBC Tours, Wattpad Books and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in lieu of an honest review. I'd also like to congratulate the author Daven McQueen – who I got the wonderful opportunity to interview (read further) - for writing such a beautiful book!

The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones is a beautiful story about friendship and race. It’s set largely in Alabama in 1955, a time and place when racism wasn’t hidden but worn as a badge of honour. Ethan is a young mixed-race boy living with his white father. When he gets into trouble in school he is sent to Alabama for the summer to stay with relatives. Here he meets racism at a scale he has never experienced before. But he also meets Juniper Jones, an imperfect girl with a big heart, who makes him her friend.

The language is quite simple, and the lessons in racism and friendship feel rather heavy-handed. However, this is probably appropriate for a YA book. The book discusses issues such as ’what is the responsibilities of a ”not racist” white person, with regards to their family and their community.

’’Part of being family is about making each other better people. And I can’t make any promises she’ll change. But I’m sure going to try my best.”

I’d recommend to teenagers/young adults, or anyone who wants a lovely and quick read discussing important issues!

I just wanna thank @netgalley and @daventhequeen so so much for an e-arc of this book because wow! 💛 This is honestly the first book I’ve read this year that I can’t think of a single thing even remotely negative to say about it, other than it ripping my heart out. I loved it’s main characters, and I never wanted it to end. It confronts race, hatred, grief, and people’s complicity to racism and hatred, even when it affects people they love.

Ethan and Juniper were both characters who were so ALIVE and I felt their joy, their sadness, fear, and heartbreak. Especially Ethan, who as a teenager is having his innocence ripped away in a lot of ways to racism and how people view him, and treat him because of it.

I don’t want to give too much away, but all I can say is please read this book! It’s such a beautiful story, and I wish I could shove a copy of it in every single person’s hand right now.

Growing up with his white father, Ethan, a biracial boy, has been sheltered from the racist view that lives in the 1950s America. He moves to Alabama to live with his aunt and uncle after an incident at school. Here, it quickly becomes clear for Ethan that his neighbors don't want him there. Except for the girl, Juniper Jones, who invites him to join her on adventures. Throughout the story, Ethan learns to stand his ground and speak up for himself when encountered with racism. The story explores how important it is to talk to people who deal with the same problems as you and how racial tensions played out in the 50s. The story is historical, but many of the scenes feel painfully relevant to the world we live in today.

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Content warnings: RACISM, kkk, death.

This book was so heartfelt. I teared up multiple times reading it. I flew through it and just needed to know what happened.

I just wanted to reach into the book and give Ethan a hug. His journey to stand up for racism was very satisfying to see. There's a point in the book where he goes to a city nearby, where he for the first time sees many black people living among white people, and it was such a powerful chapter.

Then there is Juniper Jones. She a ball of energy and excitement. And while her character was so easily loveable and someone you want to be friends with, she is also part of why I don't want to give this book five stars. Because she is a manic pixie dream girl and the parallels to John Green's book 'Looking for Alaska' was crazy. Like right down to the title being about the girl and not the main character. Before I read the synopsis I was sure the main character was Juniper, but no. She's the weird white girl in town.

The book starts with a scene taking place 60 years after the story unfolds and the questions and suspense that build up in this chapter really just elevated my interest in the story. I felt the story was well-paced and easy to read. The language was very atmospheric and I felt like I was right there in the warm small-town with Ethan.

I've read some criticism that the story gives too much praise for the few white people who do the absolute bare minimum against racism. As a white person I can't speak to that, but I wished there were more consequences for the racists, though the way it plays out is probably realistic to the times. The best parts of the book imo were whenever Ethan spoke up against racism and the talk he has with his mother.

Overall, I'm glad I've read this book and would recommend it to anyone who finds the synopsis intriguing.

Thank you Netgalley, Wattpad and Devan McQueen for my Advanced Reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

First off I want to say that this book should be on middle and high school library shelves across our nation. The recommended age is 12 & up and I agree with it. McQueen discusses racism in detail from Ethan’s eyes. He has traveled across country from the Northeastern part of the US down to rural Alabama to stay with his aunt and uncle, but it’s no vacation. Ethan is a biracial 15 year old who learns what it’s like to be outcasted at first glance, to be pointed at and shunned.

He meets Juniper Jones and is whirled into a magical summer adventure creating an amazing friendship, all the while a dangerous cloud hangs above them. The reader gets to experience his surprise, confusion, anger, hatred, love, awe and ultimately fear. “The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones” really puts a personal touch on what we’ve learned from history books.

Even though these topics are hard and confusing, it’s important to have these discussions with our friends and family but most importantly our children. Hatred is learned and can have severe consequences. Look for this book to be released June 16, 2020.

The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones is a beautiful book that will break your heart. It is a story about race but also friendship, family, and the fun and fraught times of being a young teenager. The book begins in 2015 with the notice of a funeral sent to the main character, Ethan, who recalls a summer sixty years earlier that he spent in Ellison, Alabama and where he met a friend who changed his life, Juniper Jones. Daven McQueen spins a yarn of an epic summer between a white girl and a biracial boy in a Southern town rife with racism and anti-blackness. The story hops from the beauty of the town's surrounding lake and forests to the adventures of Ethan and Juniper to the tension of Ethan's interactions with the townsfolk and two white bullies. I really loved this book, I hope everyone reads it. It is one of those books perfect for middle grade, young adult, and adult readers. Five stars!

I really enjoyed this. It was raw, heartbreaking, but also showed the bonds and acceptance within true friendship.

Some important elements:
-Bi-racial main character
-Showed MC struggling with shame for being half White.
-Showed depictions of the disgusting attitudes, behaviors, segregation, and laws during the 1950's
-Showcased a beautiful friendship between a White, redheaded girl who was labeled "freak" and a Bi-racial Black Boy. The friendship reminded me of My Girl.
-Ethan and Juniper had a wholesome friendship with unconditional love and acceptance.
-I really liked that the author made Ethan's character strong and eventually secure in his identity. He hadn't experienced such blunt racism before while living in Washington, but he quickly realized that it's not at all okay and people need to be held responsible. He said it wasn't up to him to do the work White people need to do to not be racist and to be anti-racist. This is SO important!!!
-There was a moment where Juniper witnessed her aunt call Ethan a racial slur to his face and Juniper didn't say anything and was unsure/scared to say anything. Ethan called her out for this lack of action and act of betrayal. It's also sooo important to see portrayals of friends and loved ones calling out toxicity and lack of action and having those loved ones really simmer with their uncomfortable feelings and be accountable for their actions.
-After that incident, Juniper realized her hurtful and wrong mistake of not defending him and chose the path of allyship. She exemplified this throughout the rest of this book by being vocal toward bullies and the laws that tried to separate them. It was beautiful to see allyship and such anger in characters that were only 14.
-It showed the consequences and harm of his dad (who is White) not having a race talk with Ethan and withholding truths about how the world operates, particularly toward Black people. He didn't take the time to learn how to raise a Black kid and how harmful and negligent that is.

Overall, these were strong characters and I do wish we got more time with them and I wanted the author to spend more time delving into these issues because I wanted to learn more. However, it's an important story and one that everyone should read! ♥️


**Thank you to Netgalley and Wattad for this ARC in exchange for an honest Review**

WOW. I HAVE NO WORDS.

This is presumably one of the most spectacular books of today as not only is it beautifully written by the author, but it is also prevalent in today’s current events. This undoubtedly opened my eyes even wider to something that has been happening up to this day. Racism and discrimination have been a crucial issue happening not just in America, but around the world for the longest time. Although we could say it is becoming better throughout the years, however, it is 2020 and it is still happening. This is an issue that the society has been striving to put an end to in the hopes of one day, racism will not ever grow and foster. We are all humans, despite our differences regardless of our skin color or ethnicity, at the end of the day, we are all the same. We all deserve a peaceful world to live in where fear has no room for.

This book is truly invincible and unforgettable. It is a story of friendship, race, history, adventures, and one summer that impacted so many lives. The message of this book is extremely powerful. A must-read for all!

“She hit him in the best way, like a rainstorm after five years of drought, healing the parched earth with a gentle touch; and in the worst way, like an unexpected earthquake, leaving dust and debris in her wake. She was, in equal parts, a gift and a natural disaster. Her name was Juniper Jones.”

Juniper Jones- you stole my heart. This is an incredible debut of YA Historical Fiction. Originally, I felt it may be middle grade, but I won’t spoil as to why I switched gears. Just be prepared to discuss the content with a younger reader.

With that being said, this book BLEW ME AWAY. Ethan Charlie Harper is 14 years old in 1955 and has been suspended from school for punching a boy. As punishment, his dad sends him to live with his Aunt in Ellison Alabama for the summer. We eventually learn that Ethan is biracial, born to a white dad and Black mom. Being from Washington state, Ethan quickly realizes he isn’t welcome in Alabama.

Until he meets Juniper Jones. Spunky. Smart. Quirky. Juniper gave me Pippi Longstocking vibes with her wild red hair. She befriends Ethan and vows to protect him from the racism in her town. Ethan begins to realize how difficult life will be should he choose to stay in Alabama as a person of color. His anger and dears over racism that develop throughout the novel, move him further away from his lighthearted child-like ways.

Spoiler free as always, this book moved me, especially towards the end. A very powerful coming-of age story. A must read.

Title: The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones
Author: Daven McQueen
Genre: YA
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

It’s the summer of 1955. For Ethan Harper, a biracial kid raised mostly by his white father, race has always been a distant conversation. When he’s sent to spend the summer with his aunt and uncle in small-town Alabama, his Blackness is suddenly front and center, and no one is shy about making it known he’s not welcome there. Except for Juniper Jones. The town’s resident oddball and free spirit, she’s everything the townspeople aren’t—open, kind, and full of acceptance.

Armed with two bikes and an unlimited supply of root beer floats, Ethan and Juniper set out to find their place in a town that’s bent on rejecting them. As Ethan is confronted for the first time by what it means to be Black in America, Juniper tries to help him see the beauty in even the ugliest reality, and that even the darkest days can give rise to an invincible summer.

This is an excellent read! I was by turns horrified (by people’s treatment of Ethan) and enchanted (by Juniper and her personality) throughout the entire book. I’m sure the portrayal of life in small-town Alabama in 1955 is accurate. Sadly. But it’s interesting to see how far we’ve come as a society—and how far we still have to go.
Juniper is such a quirky, spirited character, and I enjoyed her antics so much! It was sad seeing Ethan’s realization of how life in Alabama was different from what he’d known. I loved this read!

Daven McQueen lives in Boston. The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones is her new novel.

(Galley courtesy of Wattpad Books in exchange for an honest review.)

WOW! I absolutely LOVED this story. So powerful and emotive!

This gorgeous book is an unforgettable story about friendship, racial tensions, history, heartbreak, resilience and having an unimaginable summer. As a powerful coming of age story, Ethan is stripped of his former innocence when he realizes how prevalent racism is in people he doesn’t even know.

The historical aspect of the story contributes to the dialogue of historically prevalent racism. In this small southern town (although, let’s be real, these things happen(ed) everywhere), Ethan beings to recognize more racial tension and discrimination than he ever experienced before. As the only black person amidst a town of white people, he is shocked and disheartened to learn firsthand about the injustices and prevalence of racism.

Daven McQueen creates such unique yet relatable characters in this story. Ethan is so sweet and gentle, and quickly finds a home in your heart. Juniper is so quirky and hopeful, full of whimsy and mystery – but always so sweetly optimistic. However, I would love to have more backstory about her!

The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones brings out all the feels! I’ll admit, I was sobbing at one point! It’s heartbreaking and resilient, joyful and disheartening, hard-hitting and nuanced. This story is filled with visceral imagery and relatable emotions, as it weaves together issues of racism and discrimination set in a beautiful story about friendship. It’s the perfect read in the world’s current racial climate – essential for people of all races and ages. I can’t recommend this enough!


Thank you to NetGalley and WattPad for a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

A tender story of a young friendship set against the background of 1955 Alabama . We are as stunned and shocked as Ethan as he discovers how differently he is viewed in his Father’s hometown, where he has been sent door the summer, From his experience in a very different state. What seems at first to be teenage bullying develops into something far more sinister counterbalanced Aby the sweetness and optimistic naivety of his friend Juniper and her imaginative creativities. . As the situation develops we share the mounting horror of the situation his own family has put him in.
Beautifully and poignantly written, the narrative is both historical and topical revealing the lived experience of white privilege and Black discrimination. Rarely has a book made me laugh with delight and also reduced me to ugly sobbing . I am not an emotional reader in this way but this beautiful heart wrenching story touched me deeply. I read it throughout one entire night and went out to walk as the sun came up to think about it. It deserves to be read and do well. Highly recommended.

Although I finished this book several weeks ago, I had to let it sit for a while before I could come back and write the review it deserves. Even now I'm not sure I have the words to accurately describe how deeply this powerful novel affected me. It's not often that a book brings me to my emotional knees, but The Invincible Summer of Juniper Jones definitely did.

I was swept away from the start of this summer tale, feeling as if I were riding my bike alongside the characters, the hot, humid air of Alabama whipping through my hair. But this isn't just a story of carefree, aimless days during summer break. This is a story full of social relevance that is apt now more than ever. After being banished to rural Alabama as punishment for a scuff up at his west-coast school, Ethan finds that the world is even harder for black men than he ever could have imagined.

Not that he was free from prejudice in Oregon, but the sheer scope of the civil rights movement in the American South was still very far removed from his own experiences. Ever on tiptoes, Ethan not only had to survive a summer in exile from his friends and family, but he had to survive a hostile environment that could very well kill him.

We'd like to think a book about racism that took place over a century ago would be outdated, but unfortunately not much has changed. I'd be amazed if Ethan's situation would have been any different if he were to have gone through this in a more contemporary time. With the streets of America erupting over racial inequalities and violence against POC, it's apparent that we're not all that much closer to equality than our parents and grandparents were.

The relationship Juniper and Ethan forged in the face of this was profound on several levels. Both outcasts from the town's close-knit society, they became each other's lifelines. The moments of happiness the two were able to carve out were all the more special, truly displaying what friendship really means. That's why the ending hit me as hard as it did. I was outside in my hammock reading the final chapters and even though I could sense something was coming, I wasn't prepared for it. I wept for a solid 45 minutes out there, my heart broken for more reasons than just the way the story ended.

This is a complicated, horrible world at times, but if we had more people like Juniper Jones out there in our corners, society would be in a much better place for it.

Thank you so much to the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for giving me a chance to read a book that I know will stay with me a lifetime.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I picked this up. It turned out to be more than I had hoped.
This book deals with the topic of racism in the 50s but it is also full of hope. When Juniper arrived, the story just took a life of its own.
At times, Ethan annoyed me due to his attitude. Yes, he was dealing with stuff that no person should have to suffer through but he seemed to think that he was the only one in the world with problems and took it out on Juniper.
Juniper is such a fun character. She does not let others influence her and goes after what she wants. She is so uplifting and just reading about her made me happy. I felt like I was living in 1955 with her and riding on the bike pegs, going over every bump in the road.
I'd recommend this to anyone who liked A Walk to Remember. Daven McQueen is definitely an author that I plan to keep my eye on.

Rating:
Language: s*** used a handful of times, the n-word is used, d*** in various forms
Romance: n/a
Spiritual: n/a
Violence: a bit due to racism

*I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher for review purposes. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required. Quotes are taken from an ARC and subject to change before publication.

Favorite Quotes:

The town was out there, somewhere, and in it, Noah and his friends, and the whispering townspeople -- and somewhere else, far away, Arcadia, Washington, his family, and home. But here was Juniper Jones, in her muddy skirt, wearing paint on her cheeks like a badge of honor and spinning through the grass with her arms wide enough to embrace the moon. Ethan thought that if the world were to disappear at that very moment, and this was the last sight he ever saw, he wouldn't mind at all.
She had forest-fire hair and hurricane eyes, and when he met her, it was as if his world had been set aflame. She hit him in the best way, like a rainstorm after five years of drought, healing the parached earth with a gentle touch; and in the worst way, like an unexpected earthquake, leaving dust and debris in her wake. She was, in equal parts, a gift and a natural disaster. Her name was Juniper Jones.
It was not long before not only the trees, but also grass, the dirt, and Juniper's face were splattered in flecks of every color of the rainbow. But she ddin't seem the slightest bit aware of the mess she was making; every part of her was solely focused on the canvas in front of her. She didn't seem to breathe. Ethan couldn't look away.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Wow. I had never heard of this book or author before coming across the title on Netgalley. I am so glad I was given the opportunity to read it. It was touching, funny, heart breaking, and eye opening. This is a book written for older kids and teens but equally enjoyed by adults. This story provides a good look at racism and segregation while also teaching the importance of acceptance, of embracing differences, and creating true friendships. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this title and would easily recommend it to others.