Book Description:
Juniper Berry knows how to handle bobcats, bears, and mountain lions, but can she survive the toughest predator of all―middle school?
Eleven-year-old Juniper Berry lives with her family deep in the wild woods. Living off the grid is pretty exciting, but her happy life in the wild ends abruptly when her younger brother gets sick, and they move to the city to be closer to the hospital. Juniper and her older sister end up living with cousins they hardly know and attending public school for the first time, which is harder to navigate than the wild woods ever were. Juniper feels like a wolf cub separated from her pack.
As the hospital bills for her brother start piling up, Juniper knows they’ll need to be paid before the family can go back to the woods, so she decides to make enough money to help out. With her cousin Alayna’s support, Juniper starts posting videos filled with her wisdom from the woods, hoping to get a following. But what if it doesn’t work? What if the bills never get paid? Not going home to the wild is Juniper’s worst nightmare. While she’s stuck in the city, she might as well make the most of it, like sticking up for Alayna, who’s being bullied by her supposed friends, for starters.
The Wild Journey of Juniper Berry is a story about perseverance when faced with difficult and unfamiliar challenge, belonging and finding your identity, compassion for others, and learning that our differences can sometimes be our strengths.
Rorie’s Review:
Looking at "typical" life through the eyes of someone who has never lived it before was fascinating. Imagine having never seen, much less used any of the modern conveniences that we take for granted, such as refrigerators and cell phones. Now imagine being suddenly thrown into this new life with these new things, and having everyone mock you for not understanding their way of life. That is Juniper Berry's life, and as can be expected, she doesn't adjust very well. She loved her life off the grid, and hates being in "society." She knows she's smart, and very capable, but every day someone makes her feel like she's less than, simply because she doesn't fit in. Juniper's journey to make peace with her new normal is captivating, heartbreaking, and heartwarming. A definite read for all ages.
Andrea’s Review:
This is a great story with a touching message. I would hope the kids (or adults) who read this would come away with a better understanding that people who are different from us have a lot to offer. We should be kind, helpful, and try to get to know people and understand them. Juniper Berry was an entertaining character. It was refreshing that she didn’t want to change to be like everyone else. I loved how she was willing to sacrifice to help her family.
Title: The Wild Journey of Juniper Berry
Author: Chad Morris & Shelly Brown
Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing
Published: August 2023
ISBN: 163993099X
Source: We received review copies from the publisher. All opinions expressed are our own.
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