Tag books

Another Winner From Gary D. Schmidt

Reg Spittle Leave a comment

Don’t judge a book by its cover.

This metaphorical phrase is a powerful theme of Jupiter Rising, by Gary D. Schmidt, author of two Newbery Honor books.

As the book launches, high school student Jack is mourning the loss of his step brother Joseph in a tragic event. Joseph, a teen father, leaves behind his orphaned daughter, Jupiter, who lives with Jack and his parents. In a move that makes no one happy, Jack’s P.E. coach assigns Jack to run with fellow student Jay to prepare for the school cross-country team.

At the beginning, I was tempted to label one character as an insensitive bully, another as pushy, a third as an irresponsible loser. At least Jupiter had Jack and Jack’s parents to look after her after her father’s death.

Like Jack, I learned that several of the people in his life are not who he thinks they are. And another gut-wrenching loss looms. No one will be left unaffected in a staggering series of events.

Jupiter Rising is one more compelling story by my favorite author of books for children, young adults, and everyone else. Schmidt creates characters who carry baggage and qualities that he unveils in tantalizing sequences. It is a sequel to Orbiting Jupiter, but can stand on its own.

If you are looking for another superb Schmidt book, try Okay for Now, which redefined excellence in youth literature for me.

For Ruby Wax, Mental Health Challenges Are Not an Act

Reg Spittle Leave a comment

Stephen Fry had this to say about a book by fellow British comedian and actor Ruby Wax:

“Very few will be able to read this wonderful contribution to the literature of mental health without recognizing some part of themselves and certainly someone they know. A ruby beyond price.”

In Sane New World: A User’s Guide to the Normal-Crazy Mind, Ruby Wax offers a practical, solution-based approach for understanding how the brain can send people into a tailspin of rumination and depression.

There are laugh-out-loud observations and testimonials that make this book light reading at times, but plainly serious at others. It is filled with aha moments that will lead readers to better understand themselves and others.

After decades in television and radio, Ruby Wax earned a master’s degree in cognitive therapy from Oxford University, which helped her better understand her lifelong battle with bipolar disorder and depression.

She points out that shame often comes with mental health disorders, but suggests finding at least one person, perhaps a fellow sufferer, who will not dismiss your struggles as self-indulgent. She asks, “Why can’t we have meeting places like in AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), where they all get together for their twelve-step thing and have cigarettes and cookies?”

As I read Sane New World, I felt like I was chatting with a caring friend. Part Three is the clearest explanation about the brain’s functions that I have ever read. The last two parts of the book present clear, practical mindfulness solutions intended to bring peace of mind.

In 2021, she published a followup workbook, A Mindfulness Guide for Survival. She also authored How to Be Human and A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled. Earlier in 2024, she released I’m Not as Well as I Thought I Was.