Between Mom and Jo [Hardcover]

Julie Anne Peters (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 10, 2006

Nick has a three-legged dog named Lucky, some pet fish, and two moms who think he's the greatest kid ever. And he happens to think he has the greatest Moms ever, but everything changes when his birth mom and her wife, Jo, start to have marital problems. Suddenly, Nick is in the middle, and instead of having two Moms to turn to for advice, he has no one.

Nick's emotional struggle to redefine his relationships with his parents will remind readers that a family's love can survive even the most difficult times.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-Nicholas Nathaniel Thomas Tyler has four first names and two mothers.As the only child in his class with gay parents, he endures the taunts and prejudices of classmates and adults over the years as best he can, drawing reassurance and strength from his parents. Challenges nearly overwhelm him, though, when their relationship ends; Jo moves out, and Nick, now a teenager, is left with Erin, his birth mother. Peters captures the voice of an adolescent sorting through the memories of his childhood in poignant prose that rings with truth. As Nick develops from a boy to a young man, he must address his own sexuality, his ties to his family, and his need to assert his individuality. This novel is a timely exploration of the struggles faced by same-sex couples and their children, and while the issues are significant, the story is never overwhelmed by them. Because Jo lacks biological or legal relationship to Nick, he can be cut off from her with no recourse, which makes his experience slightly different from that of other children of divorcing parents. This coming-of-age novel powerfully portrays the universal pain of a family breakup. It also portrays what is still a weird situation to many people (as reflected in the behavior of Nick's babysitter) as totally normal from one young man's point of view.-Beth Gallego, Los Angeles Public Library, North Hollywood
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 8-11. Fourteen-year-old Nick has two moms who couldn't be more different. His biological mother, Mom, is dependable and careful; Jo, Mom's partner, is irresponsible and impulsive. Nick tells their story in vignettes, including little things, such as the teasing he gets at school, as well as big things, such as Mom's cancer and Jo's alcoholism. Eventually these vignettes turn into a divorce story: Mom finds a new partner; Jo, who has no rights to Nick, struggles on her own; and Nick breaks down after Mom refuses to allow him to see Jo, with whom he wants to live. Nick's incapacitating depression and Mom's refusal to acknowledge it drag on far too long, turning into turgid melodrama. Yet Peters deftly depicts Nick's relationship with his moms and theirs with each other, and the story stays rooted in Nick's sensitive but limited perspective. A novel that will spark discussion. Krista Hutley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (May 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316739065
• ISBN-13: 978-0316739061
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,388,518 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

For the last 20+ years, I've been writing books for young readers. My YA novel, Luna, the story of a transgender teen beginning her transition from male to female, was a National Book Award finalist and an American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults. (Thank you award committee members.) My other books about gender queer youth include Keeping You a Secret, Far from Xanadu (which is now Pretend You Love Me), Between Mom and Jo, grl2grl: short fictions, Rage: A Love Story, and She Loves You, She Loves You Not... My newest title, published in 2010, is By the Time You Read This, I'll Be Dead. I have a new book scheduled for 2012 titled, It's Our Prom (So Deal With It).

I'm a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Pen America, the Authors Guild, and the Colorado Authors' League. I live with my long-suffering partner, Sherri Leggett, in Lakewood, Colorado. (We're celebrating our 38th anniversary this year. Seriously, I don't know how she stands living with a neurotic writer.)

More information about me and my books can be found on my Web site: www.JulieAnnePeters.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful story, June 20, 2006

By 

Teenreads.com (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Between Mom and Jo (Hardcover)

Nick faces all the traditional challenges of growing up: school, girls, dealing with his family. But his family is anything but "traditional" --- Nick has two lesbian moms. When Nick is young, he doesn't realize anything is unusual; he loves his birth mom and Jo, and they love him. When he splits open his chin on the coffee table, Jo rushes him to the hospital for stitches. When they lounge in the backyard eating watermelon, they end up in a silly seed-spitting contest. But as soon as Nick starts school, he begins to realize that his family is different.

Nick's classmates pick up on his uniqueness right away, and the teasing begins as early as kindergarten. Some of his teachers even treat him differently, uncomfortable with his family situation. Nick doesn't have a lot of friends, but he deals with it. He finds a lot of his happiness at home with his music, his vast aquarium hobby, and his relationships with his moms, especially Jo. His birth mom tends to be a bit more practical, worrying about putting food on the table and paying the bills. But Jo is different. She's the one who cheers away his tears and takes him paintball shooting. She's the one who talks to him about important topics like sex and death, who teaches him to stand up for himself and respect others. Even though Jo didn't give birth to him (or even officially adopt him), she's his mom in every single way.

But life isn't always fun and games at home. Jo starts drinking too much, and it puts a big strain on the family. And then the three of them battle cancer together when Nick's birth mom is diagnosed with the disease. It may never be easy or traditional, but his family is Nick's whole world. And then one day his family starts to fall apart...

Julie Anne Peters has created an amazing story with BETWEEN MOM AND JO. The diverse characters have incredible personalities with multiple layers; they quickly become very real and relatable. The emotional depths visited in this special story will have readers both laughing and crying and everything in between. Many of the issues addressed are a bit touchy yet necessary as they are happening in our world. Very highly recommended for everyone, young people and adults alike.

--- Reviewed by Chris Shanley-Dillman (author of FINDING MY LIGHT and THE BLACK POND)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely, thought provocative book!, July 14, 2008

By 

Ioa Papazoglou "Far-away-reader" (Athens and Thessaloniki, GREECE) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Between Mom and Jo (Paperback)

This is a lovely book. The characters are vivid and the reader empathizes with them. I believe that the book goes for honesty and tackles a range of emotions. Plus the writer has created an emotional bond that is liberating and dynamic. One of Julie Anne Peters' best books. With an optimistic approach!Totally recommended! :)

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Stuck in the Middle, October 22, 2006

By 

Little Willow (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Between Mom and Jo (Hardcover)

What happens when your parents break up? What if they were not married in the eyes of the law, and one of them has no biological or legal claim to you?

Ever since he was little, Nick has been teased because he has two moms. Nick's mothers taught him not to be ashamed of his parentage, no matter what others said. Though it is hard for him to deal with bullies and name-calling at school, Nick is pretty happy when he is home.

Happy, that is, until his moms split up. Nick stays at home with Erin - who he calls Mom, who he's always called Mom, because she biologically is just that - while Jo gets an apartment of her own.

As always, Julie Anne Peters has written a realistic, dramatic story. Children of divorce will benefit from reading this book just as much as those who are products of a same-sex marriage. Hopefully, this and other stories by Peters will encourage readers to be more open-minded and more compassionate towards others.