Jump

Carbone, Elisa. Jump. Viking Juvenile (2010). ISBN 978-0-6700-1185-8

Plot Summary

               

                P.K. is about to be shipped off to boarding school for not taking school seriously.  Critter has just escaped from a mental hospital and is now on the run.  The one thing they have in common?  They both love rock climbing.  P.K. plans to move away before her parents get a chance to send her away but she needs someone to accompany her on this wild, climbing adventure.  Enter Critter.  He hears her asking her friends at the local climbing gym and volunteers to go with her.  P.K. thinks he’s cute and that it’s better to go with someone than go alone so they make plans to go together.

                What follows is the story of self-discovery for P.K.  She starts to fall for Critter until she finds out that he tried to kill himself and that now he can literally see people’s colors, or auras.  P.K. feels betrayed but, at the same time, still a strange attraction towards him.  They stay on the run from her parents and the police until they are found in Yellowstone.  P.K. goes home while Critter remains on the run.  He isn’t crazy.  His parents just won’t accept it and he refuses to be locked away and medicated for the rest of his life.  P.K. returns to life as normal, no longer having to go to boarding school, but never forgets about Critter.  The book leaves with P.K. about to meet up with Critter, who has returned to see her.

Critical Evaluation

Critter has grand ideas about life and how everyone is wearing a “me-suit.”  No one knows who they really are until they take away everything that supposedly defines them like being good at sports, likes and dislikes – basically everything that we accept as being who we are.  I felt like this was good and bad.  One example from the book was that P.K.’s dad used to be a champion at sports but, as he grew older, it became harder to keep that title up.  Critter felt like there was no point to this because it’s not who he really is.  True, who we are may change as time goes on.  But the fact that I love reading is part of me.  There are aspects of me that are there for good. 

The message of accepting yourself and not being afraid of things that haven’t happened or things that could have happened is very important for everyone, especially teens.  Living only in the present can be exhilarating and amazing.  I liked P.K.’s new mantra “Attention here and now!”  This is important for teens to have in their lives.  So much planning goes on during the high school years that it can seem overwhelming.  Really enjoying high school is as important as college plans or future careers.  More people could do with a little reminder here and there that there is something other than the past or future. 

The format of the book is delightful.  Both characters get their time to tell their side of the story.  The chapters are short; the longest were no more than a few pages.  This makes the book easy to read and it keeps the reader going longer than they may have because the next chapter is so short, why not read it?

Reader’s Annotation

Two runaways forge an unlikely friendship when they face the consequences of being caught by parents and the police.

Author’s Information

Elise wrote her first book at 4 and a half, which her father had to write down for her and she dictated it.  She has written several published books since then.  More about her and her books can be found on her website: http://redfearnlibr265.blogspot.com/2012/05/speak-now.html.

Genre

Adventure

Book Talking Ideas

What teenager hasn’t dreamed of running off on some grand adventure without parents and with some cute companion?  Rock climbing isn’t that common of a hobby but this book makes it seem challenging, fun, and a little, ok a lot, dangerous.  Both characters come alive and the way it is written, from both perspectives, is unique.  The chapters are short so the book seems to go by rather quickly.

Reading Level/Interest

12/14

Challenge Issues

This book supports running away from parents or guardians.  P.K. has extremely important experiences while on the run and learns many life lessons.  Critter is diagnosed as psychotic yet he is shown in the book to actually be fairy sane, with no inclinations of wanting to hurt himself or others.  Parents may see a problem with this, but it really opens up a dialogue between parents and children.  Children are often having problems that parents refuse to acknowledge when so much could be solved if they just listened to their children.

Why Include This Title?

Jump is a grand adventure, one that many people dream of taking.  The ideas presented about life, from Critter, are intriguing and timely to this audience.  I felt the rock climbing aspect was fun, too, since I haven't heard of any other books about rock climbing (I'm sure they're out there.  I just haven't heard of them).