Having lost one beloved foster sibling in Orbiting Jupiter (2015), Jack Hurd faces the devastating prospect of losing another in this equally intense companion volume.Schmidt packs his story with seemingly tough but emotionally vulnerable males circling orphaned Jupiter, who is 3 years old and a charismatic scene stealer. Eighth grader Jack, her foster brother, is positively head over heels, but so (startlingly) is his cross-country running mentor and erstwhile tormentor, Jay Perkins. Then Jupiter's birth mom's parents suddenly show up with a custody claim just as her formal adoption is about to go through. Even her thoroughly unlikable, domineering grandfather turns out to be harboring a deep-seated grief that shows itself when tragedy seems about to strike that troubled family once again. Despite his first-person narration's straightforward tone, Jack is anything but reserved in his feelings, and whether moved by rage, pain, or (most often) joy, he's constantly breaking into tears. Readers' eyes aren't likely to stay dry, either, considering the sharply felt emotional stakes and the growing tension as the legal claim heads to a hearing, while Jack's small town loyally rallies around him and his loving foster family. The outcome remains in doubt until a final, powerful release. The cast presents white; returning fans will welcome back several characters from previous outings, most notably Coach Swieteck, a hard-nosed, amputee war veteran.Lachrymose but brimming also with love and heart. (Fiction. 12-16)

Gr 7–10 —Eighth grader Jack Hurd is familiar when it comes to loss. This companion to Orbiting Jupiter opens with Jack losing his cherished horse, a couple years after the death of his foster brother, Joseph. To make matters worse, Jack's PE coach sets Jack up to train for cross-country with Jay Perkins, a bully who once ganged up on Joseph in the locker room with his two friends. The light that eases all of this pain is Jupiter, Jack's foster sister and Joseph's daughter. Before Jack's family can legally adopt Jupiter, her grandparents, who have never spent any time with Jupiter, come forward and want custody. They are mourning a loss of their own, their daughter Madeleine, Jupiter's mom. Jack's world comes crashing down as he fears he will break the one promise he made to Joseph: that he will always know where Jupiter is. This is a beautiful, poignant tale about love, loss, and fighting for what matters. Jack is a well-written protagonist, whose relationships with Jupiter and Jay are the standouts of the novel. Although the writing style is spare, the emotions in each situation are not minimized. Tissues might be needed for this one. VERDICT A book that begs to be read in one sitting.—Amanda Harding