Juno Jones Word Ninja: Juno Jones #1 by Kate Gordon
Illustrated by Sandy Flett
Published by Yellow Brick Books
Date: April 2019
R.R.P. $12.99
Juno Jones, there is not one out there just quite like her. She doesn’t like reading but decides to write a book to help save her school, she’s got ninja moves, and is usually getting up to some sort of mischief…or at least thinking about it.
What’s it about?
A disaster is about to happen, Juno loves her school and the powers to be (Men in Suits) are considering shutting it down. The teacher, Miss Tippett tells Juno Jones class that the only way to remain open is to read books. The only problem is, Juno Jones hates books…what will she do?
What I love about it?
I love that Juno Jones knows exactly who she is, there is no doubt that she is confident, strong, and unique, never afraid to tell you what’s on her mind. I love that even though Juno hates reading she decides to write her own book which is funny, a little bit crazy and all over the place. Despite making it very clear that she hates books, she gives them a go until she finds the right one for her, this sends a positive message to children that it is ok to not like everything but giving something a go might just turn out to be very rewarding.
Everything else.
I believe this is going to become a much loved series for children aged 7 and over. Author, Kate Gordon has really captured the imagination of children through Juno Jones writing, but has also tackled topics of friendship, bullying and teamwork so Juno and her classmates could achieve a common goal – fighting the Alien Lizards (AKA Men in Suits) one book at a time to save the school.
Sandy’s illustrations are the perfect addition and add humor to the book through the many faces of Juno Jones, her friends, brother, killer mermaid and a pair of undies. I like illustrations in books for this age group of reading because it helps take the fear away of a longer book, allowing the reader to pause and explore the drawings.
I will be encouraging readers at the library to discover Juno Jones because I believe she has a lot to teach children about being confident and strong within themselves. Congratulations Kate and Sandy for an awesome book that will be treasured by many.
Stay tuned for more Juno Jones in the future….
I reviewed this book as part of a blog tour with Books on Tour. Want to know more? Pop over to their website for more details.
Little Big Reads 