J.R. Silver Writes Her World

by Melissa Dassori

Overview

★ "Fans of E. L. Konigsburg’s From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler will particularly enjoy. "―Booklist, starred review

J.R. struggles to navigate the torments of middle school and her secret power to write wishes into existence in this magical story about finding your voice.

Sixth grade is off to a difficult start for Josephine Rose Silver. Her best friend, Violet, returns from camp with a new best friend; her parents refuse to grant her more independence; and her homeroom teacher, Ms. Kline, is full of secrets. When Ms. Kline unveils a collection of old Gothamite magazines and tells her students to build their writing skills by crafting short stories inspired by the iconic covers, J.R. discovers a peculiar power: The stories she writes come true. Soon J.R. is getting a cell phone, scoring game-winning goals, and triggering school cancellations. But it's not long before she realizes that each new story creates as many conflicts as it does solutions. And when J.R. tries to write about her fallout with Violet, all of her problems converge. With a pinch of magic, mystery, art history, and language arts woven into a journey of growth and self-confidence, this promising debut is a heartfelt and satisfying tribute to the power of words.

Perfect for fans of:

• Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead
• The Mona Lisa Vanishes
• ​Museum and Mystery Lovers
• From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
• Night At the Museum

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316331456
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	07/19/2022
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	1,075,167
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 7.40(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Melissa Dassori is a former lawyer who lives in New York City with her family near the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which partly inspired her debut novel J.R. Silver Writes Her World.

Editorial Reviews

05/30/2022

For Josephine Rose “J.R.” Silver, who cues as white, sixth grade in New York City begins on a frustrating note. Her parents refuse to give the only child the independence she craves, and her best friend, Violet Fernando, of Sri Lankan descent, has started hanging out with a new pal. Aspiring writer J.R. is thrilled, however, when her inscrutable new teacher Ms. Kline announces a creative writing unit based on illustrated covers of the New Yorker–esque magazine Gothamite. Resolving to “live vicariously” through her stories’ protagonists, J.R. gives characters a cell phone, freedom to walk home alone, and a winning soccer goal—and is shocked when her own real life begins to imitate her art. Despite Ms. Kline’s warnings against using the stories “as a magic wand,” J.R. is tempted to write away her friendship difficulties and soon finds that unforeseen problems accompany every positive change, a realization that inspires her to confront problems interpersonally. Balancing realistic relationship drama with magical undertones, debut author Dassori deftly threads references to From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and the Metropolitan Museum of Art into a bustling city-set cautionary tale. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Jennifer Unter, Unter Agency. (July)

Publishers Weekly

08/01/2022

Gr 3–7—It's the beginning of sixth grade and Josephine Rose (J.R.) Silver is looking forward to beginning middle school with her best friend Violet. They have been best friends for as long as they can remember; but ever since Violet went away to summer sleepaway camp, her letters home revolved more around making new friends than missing her old one. As school begins and Violet continues to make new friends, J.R. is still holding onto memories of their many visits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Eternal fans of The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the friends visited the setting of their favorite novel over and over again. As school begins and J.R.'s new teacher Mrs. Kline gives her writing assignments, J.R. finds that the events she writes about start to come true. Dassori combines predictable preteen angst about changing friendships and coming of age with a little bit of magic in this well-crafted text. Fans of E.L. Konigsburg's novel will enjoy the descriptions of the Met and its many rooms. Readers will also recognize authors and their works as J.R. reflects on her favorite stories while deliberating over reading assignments. Mrs. Kline's magic is just odd enough to intrigue but not alarm readers, and the hometown book store is a warm, inviting space they will wish to visit often. Black-and-white pencil drawings augment each chapter. VERDICT Well-paced chapters and captivating characters will keep readers entertained and may also inspire some writing.—Carol Connor

School Library Journal

2022-04-27
An 11-year-old girl explores the surprising effects of her writing.

Living with protective parents in New York City, presumably White J.R. has been in the same class as her best friend, Violet, since kindergarten, but now their relationship is shifting. Sri Lankan American Violet’s busy texting on her new cellphone and hanging out with a more popular girl. Meanwhile, J.R.’s parents won’t allow her to have a cellphone or walk home from school without an adult like most other sixth graders, exacerbating her isolation. When Ms. Kline, their enigmatic new teacher, gives students the assignment to create stories based on magazine covers, aspiring author J.R. writes about walking home on her own. After school the next day, J.R.’s mom isn’t there to meet her, and she walks home with classmates. After several more of her magazine-inspired stories come true, she confronts Ms. Kline, who confirms that the magic is real—but warns her that it has limits. While J.R. longs to use her powers to write Violet back into her life, she finally realizes she must find her own voice. J.R. emerges sympathetically as a quiet, thoughtful, sensitive, somewhat nerdy girl whose world of books and museums is reinforced by textual references to popular middle-grade literature, especially her touchstone, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Final art not seen.

An intriguing, credible tale of friendship and coming-of-age. (author's note) (Fantasy. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews

Praise for J.R. Silver Writes Her World:
An Owlcrate Jr. Book Club Selection
A Bank Street Best Book of the Year
A Washington Post Kids Post Summer Book Club Recommendation
 

"Fans of E. L. Konigsburg’s From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, will particularly enjoy. . . A promising first novel. "—Booklist, starred review

"J.R. emerges sympathetically as a quiet, thoughtful, sensitive, somewhat nerdy girl whose world is reinforced by textual references to popular middle-grade literature, especially her touchstone, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. An intriguing, credible tale of friendship and coming-of-age."—Kirkus Reviews

"Dassori combines preteen angst about changing friendships and coming of age with a little bit of magic in this well-crafted text. Fans of E.L. Konigsburg’s novel will enjoy the descriptions of the Met and its many rooms. Well-paced chapters and captivating characters will keep readers entertained and may also inspire some writing."—School Library Journal

"Beautifully balancing magic, mystery, and a pitch-perfect exploration of the ups and downs of middle school, JR SILVER WRITES HER WORLD is a story about the power of words, both written and spoken."
 —Jess Redman, author of The Miraculous, Quintessence, and The Adventure Is Now

"Balancing realistic relationship drama with magical undertones, debut author Dassori deftly threads references to From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and the Metropolitan Museum of Art into a bustling city-set cautionary tale." —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher