The Book Club for Kids episode is about Gary D. Schmidt’s Orbiting Jupiter.
Note: I’ve read Orbiting Jupiter and liked it AND I think you may want to read it yourself before reading it with the kids. It’s definitely YA rather than middle grade in my opinion. There’s also a sequel to this book that I haven’t read: Jupiter Rising. From the description, it sounds very YA too.
But, back to the podcast: The readers’ lively reactions make me want to be “there in the barn with them” and find out what happens to this “troublish” boy with a two-month-old baby named Jupiter.
Gary D. Schmidt gives some fascinating and touching backstory about Orbiting Jupiter, how he writes, and how he became a writer of fiction.
Bonus for writers: Middle grade readers reveal what writers can include to create satisfying books. (At 21:00)
- catch our feelings
- make us wonder what happens next
- a lot of drama
- surprise at the beginning
- keep us interested
An interview with Gary D. Schmidt about the setting of Orbiting Jupiter.
I once heard Gary D. Schmidt talk at the Festival of Faith and Writing where he recommended that writers make sure they were giving their readers something in their books, something to help them be better Christians. I don’t know what Gary D. Schmidt’s favorite gift to readers is, but I would guess the opportunity to confront challenging situations head on is part of it.
Inside of a book, there’s space to ask ourselves what we would do with a moral dilemma. It’s a kind of practice for the soul. And Gary D. Schmidt is not afraid to make us think it through. Maybe that’s another reason why the kids on the podcast like his books.
It’s not easy to find books for ages 9 to 12. Time can be limited when you’re in a bookstore or library and you need ideas fast.
The books aren’t a short read for parents, teachers or librarians.
That’s why I share my favorite books for this age group in my Readers List and with free downloadable PDFs.
