Book Review: Juniper Berry

Juniper Berry by M.P. Kozlowsky

Review by Chris Singer

About the author:

M.P. Kozlowsky was a high school English teacher before becoming a writer. Juniper Berry is his first book. He lives in New York with his wife and daughter.

About the book:

Juniper Berry's parents are the most beloved actor and actress in the world—but Juniper can't help but feel they haven't been quite right lately. And she and her friend Giles are determined to find out why.

On a cold and rainy night, Juniper follows her parents as they sneak out of the house and enter the woods. What she discovers is an underworld filled with contradictions: one that is terrifying and enticing, lorded over by a creature both sinister and seductive, who can sell you all the world's secrets bound in a balloon. For the first time, Juniper and Giles have a choice to make. And it will be up to them to confront their own fears in order to save the ones who couldn't.

M.P. Kozlowsky's debut is a modern-day fairy tale of terror, temptation, and ways in which it is our choices that make us who we are.

Watch the book trailer:

My take on the book:

When I saw the trailer for Juniper Berry, I was instantly enthralled and had to contact Walden Pond Press for a review copy.

I wasn't wrong in my anticipation either as I found this first effort by M.P. Kozlowsky to be an outstanding read for middle readers.

Besides having a suspenseful and terrific storyline, albeit a little on the dark side, M.P Kozlowsky's portrayal of Juniper Berry makes this a must-read in my opinion. Juniper is a uniquely smart and strong character. I couldn't exactly put my finger on it while reading it, but after thinking about it for awhile, I was definitely drawn to Juniper's character because of her self-confidence. Maybe it's even more than that. There was almost a sense to Juniper that she knew herself (meaning she knew her positive qualities and knew her skills and talents and felt good about who she was), and despite being tempted in so many directions to believe otherwise, she stayed true to that. I just loved seeing a strong female character show this kind of self-awareness and quality, especially in a book geared towards 9-12 year olds.

Juniper Berry as a whole says a great deal about our society's obsession with hero worship but also makes a statement about the costs of wanting fame and fortune over anything else. Middle grade readers will ask themselves if they could breath in one of the balloons and be anything they want, what would they be? Would it be worth it? Would it change who they are to have this? These are excellent question for readers in this age group and would be worthy of classroom discussion. Add Juniper Berry to your home and school library. It is a great read and I highly recommend it for dads and daughters.