Just Juice

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Summary: Another great story from Karen Hesse!
Review: 9-year-old Justus Faulstich hates going to school. She just doesn't understand letters and numbers. She likes to stay home all day, collecting pine needles for her Ma's basket weaving, and walking with her Pa to bring him out of his depressed state. But when a letter arrives from the city, saying that they no longer own their house, and a police officer begins coming to take Juice to school, things just go straight downhill from there. They only get one chance, and a little bit less than a year's time, to buy their house back. Pa and Juice and her siblings are the only ones who can know, because Ma is in bad enough condition already what with the baby coming and the news that she has an awful medical condition. So it's up to Juice and her father to raise the hundreds of dollars needed in the little time given to them. They start a business (the building of which puts them even more in debt) and begin their attempt at getting enough money to get their home back, but after a few weeks, they start to wonder if they'll ever manage. Could this be the end of their happy home? This book was a great one! Karen Hesse did it again! The illustrations were great too! Everyone who loved Out of the Dust should read Just Juice.

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Summary: Just Juice by Karen Hesse
Review: Hi. I am Ali B. and I am 12 years old. I enjoy reading Karen Hesse's books because they are really full of energy and everything. Although I hated The Music of Dolphins...this one was great! I really liked it when she read her mothers sugar level before delivering the baby. :) Juice and her family go through a lot and they really enjoy things that we take for granit or however you spell that. And Turtle was so kwoot!! I loved it! And the way the father got all the machines together again was great!
I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ALMOST EVERYONE!!! :)
BUT I REALLY HATED THE MUSIC OF DOLPHINS!!! :(

*ALI

Rating:
Summary: Good and Interesting book
Review: I think Just Juice was an interesting book because Just Juice had a lot of action and Just Juice never got boring. One of the exciting parts of the book Is how Juice's family is going to pay their taxes.Another exciting part of the book is how Juice could not read. So she got held back a year. She felt really discourage that she could not read. I thought that was interesting because I was thinking how is she going to learn how to read.The Last exciting part is Ma's blood sugar and how Juice helped her read the blood sugar when she was having her baby.
I would recommend this book to 5 th grader girls because there are not many boys in the story and to people who have diabetes because it shows how people can help them.
The theme of the book is how you works together as a family.

Rating:
Summary: A Moving Experience
Review: I used this book as a read aloud with my third grade class in New York City. A few of the children have been struggling with reading since they began school, and I felt that those students might connect with the main character in some way, shape, or form. I was not prepared for the profound impact this book would have on all of my students. As a class, they were moved to tears towards the end of this story. During our book talks, I watched children who have hesitated at speaking during literature discussions finally raise their hands and share their thoughts. They know a person like Juice, some are just like Juice. This book broke down an invisible wall in my classroom, allowing my children to have an open, honest dialogue about their own difficulties with reading and matters of the heart. "Just Juice" has changed the way many of my children view themselves as readers, students, and little people. I thank you, Karen Hesse. My students thank you.

Rating:
Summary: A Moving Experience
Review: I used this book as a read aloud with my third grade class in New York City. A few of the children have been struggling with reading since they began school, and I felt that those students might connect with the main character in some way, shape, or form. I was not prepared for the profound impact this book would have on all of my students. As a class, they were moved to tears towards the end of this story. During our book talks, I watched children who have hesitated at speaking during literature discussions finally raise their hands and share their thoughts. They know a person like Juice, some are just like Juice. This book broke down an invisible wall in my classroom, allowing my children to have an open, honest dialogue about their own difficulties with reading and matters of the heart. "Just Juice" has changed the way many of my children view themselves as readers, students, and little people. I thank you, Karen Hesse. My students thank you.

Rating:
Summary: Good and Interesting book
Review: Just Juice is a novel written by Karen Hesse. It is about a child named Justus Faulstich, an illiterate child who prefers to be called Juice. She lives in the country with her poor family, composed of her Pa, Ma, and four sisters, Markey, Charleen, Lulu, and Turtle. The family has to deal with many problems, which include Ma¡¦s expecting a baby, Juice¡¦s truancies, and Pa¡¦s financial and job troubles. One day, Pa receives a letter saying that their house has been sold to pay off the owed expenses, especially taxes. Since Ma is expecting a baby, Pa decides hide the truth from her and see what he can do to make the money needed to get the house back. Soon, the family receives another letter saying that Juice has missed so many days of school that they will be fined one thousand dollars. This is when the tax secret is revealed, and Ma helps to solve the problem.
This book is beautifully written from the first to the last word. The author makes such ordinary and simple events very absorbing by giving Juice a voice. The dialect that she uses when narrating the story enables readers to hear her talking about events that happen and how she feels about them. In addition, this story is unique because instead of one large victory at the ending, there are many small triumphs throughout the book. Unlike most books, which have a single peak (i.e., climax) in the story, this book has several smaller ¡§hills¡¨ instead. For example, when Juice auditions for the best role in a class play, she is unsure of how she will do. It turns out that she gets the part. This book is worth reading because it is unique compared to others.
I feel that this is an excellent book overall. My favorite part, though, is when Ma is having another baby. During this part, Juice checks Ma¡¦s sugar level in her blood. At first, she thinks that the monitor reads 300. Then Juice checks it again, and it says 030. I like this part because it is the first time Juice is able to read. This is very significant because it shows that even though letters and numbers seem to bewilder her, she is capable of learning to read.

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Summary: Just Juice Is Just Plain Good
Review: This book was so good. When I saw the cover that made me want to read it. I also read other books by Karen Hesse and I loved them all. This book is about a girl named Juice who helps her mom have a baby. She doesn't go to school. The family doesn't have enough money to pay the taxes and Juice is trying to help save the house.