Just South of Home by Karen Strong

How I Heard About It:  Simon and Schuster were kind enough to send me a copy of this new May 2019 title.  I had no previous knowledge of the story so it was going to be a brand new and fresh read.  Sometimes those are the best ones to experience.  


What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:  
1.  *Cousin Sarah lives in a small southern town where life is simple, fun, and innocent.  

2.  *Cousin Janie is from the big and bustling city of Chicago where there is always something to do and someone to do it with.


3.  *When Janie's mother heads to California to pursue her acting career, Janie is left behind with Sarah's family.  

4.  *At first, neither girl is thrilled with the new living situation with Janie making life difficult for Sarah when all she wants to do is enjoy her summer vacation.  

5.  *After a visit to a local "spot" in town, the girls discover a mystery which takes them on a journey of discovery about the small town, about themselves, and several of the townspeople.  


What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
1.  *When I began the story, I loved the southern "flair" of the plot and characters.  I was especially drawn to the grandmother Mrs. Greene.  

2.  *The plot drew me in and I appreciated the "tension" between Sarah and Janie.  The reading was engaging as the two girls were "drawn" together.  

3.  *Once the girls were immersed in the mystery of the story, I found myself reading faster and faster I was curious to find out what was truly going on.  

4.  *Not only were Sarah and Janie compelling characters, but Ellis and Jasper added greatly to the action and events within the story.  

5.  *I enjoyed how the story included elements of realistic fiction, mystery, and even a bit of fantasy.  


Who Should Read It:    The novel is at 310 pages with the chapters being a bit on the long side.  In my opinion, I could see a fifth and/or sixth grade reader being the perfect audience for the story.  Of course it could also be read by middle-school readers.  The book would be great for a class read aloud because of the mystery and fantasy element.  Happy Reading1  


Rating:   4 STARS out of 5 Stars!