Publishers Weekly
06/19/2023
Eleven-year-old Juniper Berry has lived her entire life happily off the grid with her parents, older sister Sky, and younger brother Hawk, far away from the pressures of society. But when five-year-old Hawk’s appendix bursts, his harried hospital visit thrusts Juniper into contemporary civilization, a world she’s only imagined and never longed for that’s brimming with seemingly magical machines and new foods. Sent with Sky to Redburn, Calif., to live with relatives she didn’t know existed while Hawk recovers, Juniper aches to return to their family’s remote lifestyle. Enrolled in school for the first time, she must contend with mean girls, an exasperated cousin, and more rules than she could ever hope to understand. For a girl well versed in climbing trees and living off the land, navigating life among the masses may prove to be more challenging than any danger she ever faced in the woods. Juniper’s first-person voice and the many memorably developed characters she meets cultivate a feel-good story that reminds readers of both the pitfalls and the benefits of coexisting with others. Juniper is described as looking like her white mother; her father has “dark curly hair and light brown skin.” Ages 8–10. (Aug.)
Children's Literature
"Make room on the bookshelf for a fantastic and unique middle grade story! ... Juniper’s story is genuine, and her character is authentic to the reader. Her misunderstandings about society create mishaps, adding humor and tension to the plotline. The primary and secondary characters are well-developed and relatable. The plot unfolds well, keeping readers engaged. Oftentimes, readers experience newcomer stories to America, especially as characters navigate a new culture. Readers of those books will appreciate and enjoy a new perspective from Juniper’s story. This book is a great addition to the upper elementary classroom or library and would be a fantastic read aloud."
Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts
Selected as a 2024 Award Book
South Carolina Book Awards
Chosen as a 2025-2026 Nominee for the Children's Book Award
Volunteer State Book Award
2024-25 nominee
Sunshine State Young Readers Award
Selected for the 2025-2026 List
2023 Kansas National Education Association's Reading Circle Commission
Selected as a "recommended title" and a "top pick"
Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award
2025-2026 Nominee – Intermediate (Grades 3-5)
Missouri Truman Readers Award
2025-2026 Nominee
Kansas National Education Association's Reading Circle Commission
Selected as a "recommended title" and a "top pick" by the 2023 Kansas National Education Association's Reading Circle Commission
School Library Journal
08/01/2023
Gr 5 Up—Eleven-year-old Juniper Berry loves living in the woods. She hunts, climbs trees, fox-walks, and goes to earth school, but she doesn't like doing laundry. Living off the grid with her parents Zephyr and Clara, her older sister Skylark, and younger brother Hawk, Juni has no desire to enter what Clara calls "society." But when Hawk gets sick, Juni and her family make the 20-mile hike to the city where Juni learns about refrigerators, phones, peanut butter, public school, and that she has family—an uncle and two cousins—she didn't know about. With Hawk hospitalized and medical bills mounting, Juni is determined to help her family pay for his care. But trying to find her way in school is hard, and she makes some mistakes along the way. As she struggles to adapt to this new life, Juni finds out that she wants to make friends and that there are society people who care. VERDICT This is a high interest book with a complex and compelling protagonist, that addresses mental health issues, the importance of family, connecting to nature, valuing different strengths, and standing up for what is right.—Rebekah J. Buchanan
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2023-06-08
Juniper Berry lives in the California woods with her family, but when her brother gets sick, they have to leave to get help.
Eleven-year-old Juniper is perfectly happy in the woods, where she learns from mom Clara and dad Zephyr in “earth school” alongside older sister Skylark and younger brother Hawk. But when Hawk becomes dangerously ill, the family goes with him to the hospital. While he recovers, they’re stuck in what Clara calls “society,” where the kids encounter cars, refrigerators, the internet, and public school. Sky and Juniper meet their uncle Parker and cousins Kori and Alayna for the first time—and move in with them. Juniper and Alayna clash: Alayna finds Juniper embarrassing, while Juniper wonders, “Why would it be bad if I acted differently from other people?” Juniper aims to make money to help pay for Hawk’s care so they can all go home to the woods, but she only succeeds once friends help. Juniper is a marvelously developed character navigating extremely uncomfortable situations. Alayna, too, is developed with depth and care; she and Clara have their “storms” (panic attacks) in common, for which they eventually get help. The family members are racially ambiguous: Juniper has light skin and light brown hair and takes after her mother; Sky and Hawk have their dad’s light brown skin and curly dark hair.
A fascinating, touching story of an off-the-grid family facing changes and the invisible threads that connect people. (Fiction. 9-12)
