Come Sing, Jimmy Jo (A Puffin Novel) [Paperback]

Katherine Paterson (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up | Series: A Puffin Novel

The Johnsons are becoming country music stars. They're on TV and the radio - and it's all because of James. His voice and his guitar playing bring the songs to life, and make the audiences beg for more. Most kids would love it. Not James. He's had to change his name to "Jimmy Jo, " dress in clothes he hates, and turn into someone else. All he wants is to sing the songs he loves. Will he ever be able to cope with fame?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

James (stage-named Jimmy Jo) has a rough time handling his fame when he starts to perform with his country-western singing family. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-James Johnson has been raised in West Virginia by his Grandma, while his Mother (Olive), Father (Jerry Lee), Grandpa, and Uncle Earl have been out pickin' and singin' country music at tent meetings, picnics, family reunions, etc. Grandma gave her place in the band to Olive when she joined the family. Now 11, James sings only with Grandma. After returning from their most recent trip, the family argues over whether or not to hire a manager. Eddie Switten visits the house and hears James singing. James has "the gift," and it doesn't take Switten long to see that James should play a part in the family's band. They get a six month contract with a TV show, Country Time, in Virginia and move there, leaving Grandma at home. James' name is changed to Jimmy Jo, and Olive becomes Keri Su. Although James becomes the star of the band and has many adoring fans, he is behind in his new school, doesn't have any friends, and doesn't want anyone to know about his singing. It's hard to keep that a secret, since some of the students have seen him on TV and there is a story in the newspaper about him. Linda Stephens narrates the book by Katherine Paterson (Lodestar, 1985) with a variety of southern voices and even sings a bit of the songs. Her narration is clear and distinct. This audio version gives new life to a book that might have lost some popularity over the years.
Rachelle Shollenberger, A.D. Eisenhower Middle School, Norristown, PA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (January 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140373977
• ISBN-13: 978-0140373974
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #520,844 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #57 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > United States > Other

More About the Author

Katherine Paterson has twice won both the Newbery Medal and the National Book Award. She received the 1998 Hans Christian Andersen Medal as well as the 2006 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for the body of her work. An active promoter of reading and literacy, she lives with her husband, John, in Barre, Vermont. They have four children and seven grandchildren. Visit Katherine Paterson on her web site at www.terabithia.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Parental discretion advised, March 10, 2005

By 

Anne Lewis-Russ "I read for my kids" (Brandenburg, KY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Come Sing, Jimmy Jo (A Puffin Novel) (Paperback)

Come Sing, Jimmy Jo deals with tough topics. Caution is advised when presenting this book to a child to read. The book offers innuendos that will be more understandable to adults than most children readers. These include an affair between his mother and her brother-in-law and a mother's jealousy of her son's success (more obvious to kids). But what will be most obvious to young readers is that James' daddy, who he idolizes, is not his father. This is revealed to him by a scary stranger who turns out to be his father.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent story!, January 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Come Sing, Jimmy Jo (Hardcover)

"Come Sing, Jimmy Jo" was about an eleven year old star who sings with his family. I thought it was a really great book mainly because it was actually a fictional story and while reading it, it seemed very real to me. The author presented an amazing use of vocabulary in the book, also. I really enjoyed the way the book detailed greatly on the way James (Jimmy Jo) was feeling at certain times, such as his sense of stage fright and how angry he got when Keri Su and Earl stole his and his daddy's song. My favorite part would have to be when Eleazer Jones took him out in the boat. I thought it was a nice thing for him to do. I also enjoyed learning about the close relationship between Jame and his grandmother. All in all, it was a great book.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Come Sing, Jimmy Jo Johnshon, April 20, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Come Sing, Jimmy Jo (A Puffin Novel) (Paperback)

Katherine Paterson's book, "Come Sing, Jimmy Jo" tells a wonderful story, and really brings the characters to life. In this novel there are many triumphs and truths to overcome for one small, eleven year old boy. Jimmy Jo Johnson is really, James Johnson, a boy who was raised on a farm in West Virginia by his grandmother. Here he develops a gift of music. At the age of eleven he is a wonderful singer and guitar player. His family is in the business of singing and because of him they get a chance to play for a TV show.
After Jimmy Jo and his family find some sort of fame, things start to change. How his family members really feel about his success, and their singing careers. All in all, this book is a great book, which shows the true characters and feelings that often exist in family's who sing together. Jimmy Jo Johnson goes through a lot, with his mother, school, and when he finds out some interesting news. Jimmy Jo really finds out the people he can trust, and how life in the city really works. As his life changes, so does he, and along the way he discovers many things. I think his hidden friendship with Eleazer Jones is one of the best parts of this book.
End the end things work out for him, the best they can when any family faces problems. So without trying to give the whole book away, this was a very good read, and the author did a wonderful job, showing the real-life of this boy and his singing family