My Jasper June by Laurel Snyder

How I Heard About It:  Being in the right place at the right time is sometimes key to scoring an ARC of a novel you really want to read.  While at #NerdCampMI, my friend Julie exited me to let me know Laurel Synder was in the "house".  I got in line and received a copy of Laurel's newest work of fiction.  I was a huge fan of Orphan Island so I was excited to read this novel.  


What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:  
1.  *Leah is lost.  She has been lost for the last year.  She is disconnected from her friends, parents, and even herself.  

2.  *School has let out for the summer and Leah won't be returning to the summer camp she has attended for the many summers before.  Her parents are busy at work, while her few friends are off doing their own thing.  Leah anticipates a lonely and quiet summer.  

3.  *All of this changes when she runs across a girl sitting on a rock in the middle of a stream in the forest near her home.  After a few exchanges with this new girl, Leah learns her name is Jasper.  

4.  *As the two girls begin to spend more and more time together, they each learn of their new friend's past and how that past effected where they are today.  

5.  *The more time Leah spends with Jasper, the more her past and the significant family event from a year ago begin to catch up with her.  


What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
1.  *WOW!  I began the book the day after I returned from #NerdCampMI and could NOT put it down.

2.  *The story was so different from Orphan Island and I absolutely love when an author creates a completely different experience from the one the reader had previously.  

3.  *Leah needed Jasper.  Jasper needed Leah.  Each girl had suffered from hardship and learned to deal with that hardship from the friendship they created.  

4.  *There were several scenes within the pages of the story that my heart broke and hurt for these two young girls.  Laurel's writing brought me into the emotion that all the characters were experiencing.  

5.  *This was the type of story that created a sense of urgency to get to the end, to make sure everything would be alright, and a sense of slowing down to enjoy the beautiful and emotional writing of Laurel Snyder.  


Who Should Read It:    I would want everyone to read this story.  I believe it could be used as a read aloud in grades four and above.  The book could be put in the hands of individual readers in grades four through six.  Of course middle-school readers would also be perfect for this novel.  Adult readers who gravitate toward middle-grade stories definitely need to put this title on their TBR list.  Happy Reading!  


Rating:   5 STARS out of 5 Stars!