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.