“United in their determination to leave Portland, [Jupiter and Edom] hatch plans to earn money for bus tickets even as, despite themselves, they put down tentative roots...The vivid characters and fascinating urban village they inhabit . . . hold readers’ interest throughout. A solid middle-grade family story.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Playful yet introspective…Kurtz subtly conveys the girls’ underlying fears of abandonment, as well as the idiosyncratic but determined efforts of Jupiter’s mother and her friend Topher to provide a “forever family” for the children. A host of quirky and appealing characters rounds out this engaging, empathetic story.” — Publishers Weekly
“Fifth-grader Jupiter and her family are free spirits...Jupiter has a fresh voice that extols being unburdened, even as the story shows her that sometimes adding is better than subtracting.” — Booklist
“An offbeat look at an appealingly unorthodox lifestyle, and kids may find Jupiter diverting company.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books