Just South of Home by Karen Strong

Just South of Home Reviews

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  Rachel Reads Ravenously

  I think this book is everything a middle grade novel should be. A story filled with family, friendship, compassion and history. I love that the main character was a girl who loved science. I also think this book presented what is a tough subject in a gentle but truthful manner. Only criticism (and why 4 not 5 stars) is some editing issues, at one point a character was addressed by the wrong name and it was confusing. Also the same information was presented as new information a couple times.
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  Ms. B

  3.5-3.75 stars, an enjoyable read! Four kids/tweens begin seeing haints* when Sarah's cousin Janie comes from Chicago to stay with her family in a small southern town one summer. Sarah wants to be an astrobiologist when she grows up. She believe in scientific explanations and facts. Could there be a scientific explanation for the sightings? Is Sarah prepared to believe in something that science cannot explain?
  In addition, cousins Sarah and Janie have little in common. Janie is less than thrilled to be left with her southern relatives while her mother is out of town for the summer. Can the two unite? Perhaps their shared fear of Mrs. Greene (aka their grandmother) will bond them. And can Mrs. Greene reunite with her old childhood friend Mrs. Whitney, a woman who seems to know a thing or two about spirits?
  There's a lot happening in this story about ghosts and the meaning of family. Give this ones to fans of
  Ophie's Ghosts,
  Time for Andrew: A Ghost Story or similar stories about helping the deceased find their way to their eternal home.
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  Nafiza

  Full of heart and hope, this is a must read for anyone who loves stories about family. I also loved the theme of remembering the past because it shapes our future.
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  Remy Lai

  What a great book!
  
  Sarah's cousin Janie has come over to stay. They stumble into an old church and cemetery, and Janie "steals" a cameo, causing a haint to follow them. What follows is a perfect balance of realism and the supernatural.
  
  What I love most is the relationship between Sarah and Janie. While the cousins do not get along at first, they start to discover they have more in common than they thought. I also love the complex relationship between Sarah's mom and grandma.
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  Stephanie Fitzgerald

  I must agree with one of my favorite Goodreads reviewers about this one. It would have been a much better read if the ghosts had been left out. I enjoyed the coming-of-age parts, the portrayal of strong family bonds, and the historical aspects. Had the “ haints” not been included, I probably would have given this a four or maybe five-star rating.
  
  Memorable Quotes:
  (Pg.41)-“Warrenville was somewhere I belonged. I liked the way everyone knew my name and family. You always felt like you were home .”
• 
  Ms. Woc Reader

  In Just South of Home, Sarah is finally old enough to stay home by herself with her little brother Ellis during the day instead of spending the summer at her grandmother's house doing chores. However cousin Janie is threatening to ruin that when she joins the family for the summer while her mother runs to California for auditions. Janie is bored of their small Southern town and decides they should visit the remains of a church that was burned down by The Klan. The site is known for being cursed and everyone is warned not to take anything from the old church. Sticky-fingered Janie doesn't listen and ends up unleashing haints onto the town.
  
  I really enjoyed the small town aspect of it where everyone knew each other and the neighbors were looking out for them. I also enjoyed the tight knit Black family in this. While Mrs. Greene is strict, judgmental, uppity, and a little colorist; she's realistic. And it's interesting to see not only how the kids interact with her but how she acts in her element as a deaconess at the church.
  
  I enjoyed seeing Sarah and Janie get to know each other more and form a real friendship. And I thought the way this story tackled their family history was very unique and interesting. We may not always like to tackle the dark past of our country but it's important especially since so much mirrors events happening still to this day. Sarah is free to roam around her town feeling safe now but it's important to acknowledge that wasn't always the case for the Black people in her community. Mrs. Whitney, the town conjure woman goes out of her way to memorialize the victims of lynching even when other townspeople ostracize her.
  
  Sarah is also very interested in astrophysics and it's nice seeing her enthusiasm for learning even if it sometimes makes her the subject of bullying. For anyone looking for positive representation of girl's interested in science this story has plenty.
  
  I would've loved having a book like this when I was younger because of the way it approaches these dark subjects without feeling like a history lesson and while making it interesting and readable for children. I've spoken before with some recent reviews about how sometimes the mere mention of slavery, Jim Crow, segregation, etc is enough to send some readers running in the opposite direction of a book. Sometimes it's just a matter of telling these stories in a different way we haven't seen before.
  
  Originally posted
  
  
  https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
• 
  Joshua Levy

  Really enjoyed JUST SOUTH OF HOME--the characters at the heart of the story are so lovable and so compelling. And as someone who really enjoyed spooky stories as a kid, JUST SOUTH OF HOME hits all the right notes. Kid'll love it! (Grown-ups too.)
• 
  Shaye Miller

  Just South of Home is a very suspenseful middle grade novel that explores the racist history of the South. Astronomy-loving Sarah Greene, her brother Ellis, and Ellis’ best friend Jasper all live in Werrenville, Georgia. When they suddenly receive news that their difficult cousin, Janie, will be coming down from Chicago to stay with them (while her mother auditions for a film in Hollywood), they aren’t excited in the least. Janie hates their town and wants nothing to do with her cousins. Meanwhile, their emotionally-distant grandmother, Mrs. Greene, is unhappy that twelve-year-old Sarah has been placed in charge of watching Ellis and Janie for the summer, so she is badgering their parents at every turn — even threatening to punish the kids with a switch. But when the kids are confronted by a gang of haints at the cemetery next to Creek Church (which was burned down by KKK about 70 years ago), they discover they need their grandmother now more than ever. Will they be able to work together to save their ancestors before they are beyond redemption?
  
  This book is a great combination of history, mystery, creepiness, family, and friendship, where the focus continually returns to healing — healing of ancestors, healing of dissolved friendships, healing between neighbors, and healing of current family. I enjoyed seeing attitudes slowly change between various relationships. For example, Sarah learns important details about a friend who dismissed her in recent months, Janie begins to understand and open up to let her cousins in, and Mrs. Greene softens as she discovers her crucial responsibility to her family and the town — everyone is learning how to put their past to rest and move forward.
  
  The spookier portions of this book reminded me a little of Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward while the mystery portions reminded me of the vivid action involved in The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson. Also included are a stream of astronomy tidbits tossed into the story line for the many science-lovers out there! This one will be an exciting addition to any middle grade library. There are already at least THREE starred reviews (including Kirkus and Booklist) on this title!! TRIGGER WARNING for mentions of violent historical racism including church burning and lynchings. There’s also mention of punishment by switch.
  
  My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for offering an e-ARC so I could provide my honest review. This title hits shelves May 7th and I heartily recommend! For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at
  The Miller Memo!
• 
  Rajani LaRocca

  A spooky southern story about Sarah, a smart 12-year-old, her hilarious little brother Ellis, their annoying cousin Janie, and mysterious happenings in their little town. Full of humor, heart, and chills, this story will appeal to young readers who like ghost stories and family stories. A fun read!
• 
  Gillian

  Beautifully written and perfectly paced, JUST SOUTH OF HOME will keep you turning the pages as you fall in love with the characters. These characters! Sarah, the main character, is a terrific kid. Janie, her cousin is struggling—but at the same time you feel for her and are rooting for her. But Sarah’s little brother is my favorite—he’s adorable! And their grandmother is unforgettable, I can absolutely hear her voice in my head. I don’t want to give away the plot but I will just say GHOST story, a town that needs to heal, family, friendship, and red velvet cake. Highly recommended!
• 
  Laura Gardner

  🌟���🌟🌟🌟/5 for JUST SOUTH OF HOME, a debut novel by @karenmusings (#KarenStrong); thanks to @simonkids and YSBRMA blog for sharing this; will share with #kidlitexchange next!
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  "...we can't change the past, but we need to remember it. We need to acknowledge it and not hide it." This debut middle grade novel about coming to terms our racist past is a must-buy for every elementary and middle school library! I sped through this book in one day and simply loved it.
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  Sarah, a Black pre-teen in rural Georgia, loves science, her small town and her family. She's dependable and book smart so it's no surprise when her mother puts her in charge of her little brother Ellis and her city cousin Janie, who is visiting for two weeks while her mother tries out for a movie. At least she isn't stuck doing chores all day for her grandmother, Mrs. Greene, who strangely insists her grandkids call her by her formal name (this may be confusing at first for readers). Janie convinces Sarah to take her to Creek Church, the former site of her church, which was burned down by the Klan and is rumored to be haunted. Janie, Sarah, Ellis and their friend Jasper soon find themselves embroiled in a mystery involving restless spirits ("haints") who must be brought to justice. Sarah may love science, but increasing evidence suggests that ghosts exist, too. Can she help put the spirits to rest?
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  Within three chapters I was completely hooked by this book. Strong's writing flows effortlessly and the plot, as well as the sub-plots are well constructed. I loved seeing Janie and Sarah's relationship grow, I adored the humorous scenes with Ellis' bearded dragon Walter and I was captivated by the mystery. Highly recommended!
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  #librariansofinstagram #librariesofinstagram #mglit #mgbooks #justsouthofhome #mystery #racialjustice #saytheirnames #ilovemg #bookreview
• 
  Jasmine

  Quiet, gentle story about belonging, family, and old traumas. Very internal— very soft, for something about the scars left by lynching. A great introduction to the history (for those who wouldn't know), and about healing (for those who would know). The ending kinda wraps everything up very fast, but still an excellent Middle Grade.
  
  (And the transition from enemies-cousins to ride-or-die family who have each other's backs was SO satisfying.)
• 
  Emily Polson

  Tis the season for middle grade books about ghosts!! This one is set in Georgia and features haints, root magic, and the unresolved murders of Black people at the hands of white supremacists. May sound heavy for the target audience, but Strong manages these topics with age appropriate care, without sidestepping the harsh realities of American history.
• 
  Jenna (Falling Letters)

  Review originally published 6 May 2019 at
  Falling Letters. I received a free copy from the publisher.
  
  The last middle grade title I reviewed features Black kids in a small town and a speculative fiction plot; I called it “a fun summer read” (review of
  The Last Last-Day-of-Summer). Those descriptors also apply to Just South of Home, but these two books are quite different from each. Sarah’s meant to supervise her younger brother and big city cousin over the summer when they find themselves tangled up in a haunting connected to the town’s past. More historical mystery than scary story, this book uses haints (a Southern term for restless ghosts) as a way to explore the past’s relationship with the present.
  
  The haints in Just South of Home are mostly non-communicative. They are an occasional presence, usually spooky and sometimes scary. While they haven’t done any harm yet, old Mrs. Whitney warns Sarah and co. that if the haints can’t find peace, they may become evil spirits. The haints function primarily as a way to address the town’s history. They are spirits of people killed at a time when the Ku Klux Klan dominated the town. The narrative is framed around remembering and honouring the past rather than trying to forget or ignore it.
  
  A secondary plot that’s just as significant as the one above focuses on evolving friendships. At the start of the novel, Sarah frets because she hasn’t heard from her best friend Jovita since Jovita but not Sarah received an invitation to a popular mean girl’s birthday. Jovita, the mean girls, Sarah, and Janie run into each other a few times over the course of the novel. Sarah learns that she can be good friends with Janie, and begins to recognize that maybe Jovita isn’t a great friend. Sarah doesn’t completely reconcile her relationship with Jovita, which I appreciated for its realism.
  
  Miscellaneous thoughts:
  
  - Sarah is a huge astronomy lover. Her knowledge of astronomy and her willingness to research it helps her deal with the haints.
  
  - I would have liked a bit more about how/why the haints were woken up. I didn’t think of it until after I finished the book (was it just Janie taking the locket?), but I don’t think it was fully addressed. The conclusion is pretty abrupt.
  
  - Writing this review has made me think I should create a ranking from least to most scary of the spooky/ghostly middle grade books I’ve read….
  
  The Bottom Line: Karen Strong makes a strong debut in Just South of Home, a unique entry into the field of ghostly middle grade fiction for the way it addresses a small town’s racist history.
• 
  Vicky

  This is such a well written, wonderful book. I love the themes of family, friendship, redemption, healing, and second chances. Middle grade readers will love to shiver at the creepy 'haints' that haunt this story but also really relate to the trials and tribulations of navigating family and friendships. More importantly, the story doesn't shy away from the racist history of the Klu Klux Klan and the way in which whole communities were terrorized. And yet the story is still subtle and age-appropriate. As an adult reader, I appreciated the nuanced way some of the more difficult subjects were handled--a great amount of heart and care went into this book, and it shows.
• 
  Kristin Thorsness

  Karen Strong’s middle grade debut opens with red velvet cake, and it just gets better from there. JUST SOUTH OF HOME is an absolute delight. I fell in love with the spunky cast of characters right away and found myself both laughing and crying as I moved through the story with Sarah, Janie, Ellis, Jasper, and yes, even Mrs. Green. Without giving any spoilers, I’ll say the expertly woven plot has something for everyone: fractured friendships, tense family relationships, late night adventure, secrets, and GHOSTS!!! I highly recommend this one!
• 
  Shauna Holyoak

  I love everything about this book, especially the spunky, true-to-life characters. This perfectly paced ghost story will draw in young readers as they learn about a town's dark history and the ability of resourceful and empowered kids to effect change. The strong and authentic voice is reminiscent of Jason Reynold's BRAVE AS YOU and Kate DiCamillo's BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE. Make room on your shelves, because this one is a keeper!
• 
  Jen Vaughn

  A YA book that deftly handles a lot of challenges facing kids today (and many yesterdays) like racism, family responsibilities, small towns vs large cities. Great for kids and adults.
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  Janet

  I loved this book. Sarah is finally old enough to stay home during the summer instead of doing all the chores Mrs. Greene (aka Grandma) asks of her. All she wants to do is read and study science. But when her wild-child cousin ends up staying with them, she has to find a way to keep them all out of trouble so her free summer isn't revoked.
  
  But when they stumble on a tragic secret that haunts the town and her very own family, trouble finds them.
  
  Sarah is a strong, smart, likable mc. She isn't perfect, but she is courageous about doing what she knows is right, even when it's hard. Even when she might lose things that matter to her (like her free summer to read). She is so relatable, and I loved how she and Janie were able to come together, and look past their perceived differences and become friends.
  
  When I bought this book, my 10-yo daughter stole it first, and it fast became her favorite. By the time I finished reading, she'd already read it at least 3 times. She loved the mystery. She loved the friendship. She loved the characters.
  
  And I loved that this kept her reading. For anyone who likes a good mystery and just enough scary to be fun (I'm not a fan of scary, but this one was perfect) . I highly recommend it!
• 
  Tricia

  It’s summer in Georgia, and Sarah’s mother has agreed to let Sarah and her little brother stay home alone, rather than suffer the tortures of their strict, chore-crazy grandmother, aka Mrs. Greene. All seems well, till their uppity city cousin arrives. Janie has a nose for trouble, and before long she’s drawn Sarah into scary, forbidden territory: old Creek Church, the scene of past racial atrocities. They unsettle restless haints, which pursue them all the way home. Sarah believes in science, not the supernatural, but she’s forced to admit that past evils still haunt the town. Once she and Janie discover Mrs. Greene’s connection to that past, they vow to lay the spirits to rest and help the town heal. A quick pace and spirited (!) voice make this blend of ghost story and history a perfect summer--or any time--read. Looking forward to what Karen Strong does next!
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  Poppy

  A truly exceptional book with amazing twists and turns that I loved! It is a superb book and I would love a sequel to it, in fact one of my deepest desires since a finished this book is to have a sequel to it.💟
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  Kirsten

  Really well done realistic/historical/fantasy fiction--unless you believe in troubled ghosts, then there's no fantasy. A compelling effort to unearth more of the (US) South's tragic past and the racism that prevails. I'd like that to say "prevailed" but sadly, it's still there. In many ways, Sarah's summer adventures with Janie, Jasper and Ellis are just like lots of other kids. In some ways, it's much more haunted. Spooky but not terrifying.
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  Sam

  4/5 *
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  Thistle & Verse

  Ghost story with supernatural elements. Contradictions of family- loving them when they're difficult and that they may be difficult for a reason. Fake friends. Historical memory.
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  Cindy

  One of my favorite 2018 reads was THE PARKER INHERITANCE by Varian Johnson. If you, too, were a fan of the way he wove together the past and present, the heavy and the light-hearted, into a fascinating and compelling historical mystery—boy, have I got the book for you!
  
  I first "met" Karen Strong when we both entered #dvpit in spring 2016. I was immediately drawn in by the pitch for her spooky middle grade mystery, and I've been impatient to get my hands on JUST SOUTH OF HOME ever since it sold! I can honestly say that not only did the story live up to my expectations, it exceeded them. Strong has written a beautiful mediation on memory, trauma, and the damage that can be done when we refuse to confront the difficult moments in our past. Sarah is an engaging and relatable narrator, and I especially loved the gentleness with which Strong depicted Sarah's female friendships—with her former best friend, who's been acting oddly; and with her cousin, who starts as something of a frenemy but reveals more and more layers as the book goes on.
  
  And maybe most importantly, JUST SOUTH OF HOME is genuinely FUN, with a delightfully creepy mythology anchored by haints, curses, and the neighborhood historian, who's the only adult who seems to see things for what they are. (And then there's Sarah's formidable grandma, who's far more terrifying than any ghost!) Like THE PARKER INHERITANCE, JUST SOUTH OF HOME feels to me like the rare middle grade book that will genuinely appeal to both kids and adults.
  
  JUST SOUTH OF HOME releases in May. Don't miss it!!! (Art card by the wonderful cover artist, Geneva Bowers. An e-ARC was provided to @mgatheart by the publisher for review.)
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  Josephine Sorrell

  
  Twelve-year-old Sarah Greene Is all about moon, stars and the planets. And aspires to be an acrobiologist. Cousin Janie from Chicago is all about movie stars and mansions. Janie is 11 and is a thief!
  
  She is staying with her family in their small, country town of Warrenville, Georgia, for the summer and continuously uses her “five-finger discount” whenever she wants.
  
  Janie is also a meddler and one day disturbs the town’s haints, restless spirits with unresolved business on this spiritual plane, by taking a necklace from the haunted ruins of a black church burned down by the Klan.
  
  Now to make things right, Sarah must lead her cousin, little brother, Ellis, and their friend Jasper into the woods during the dangerous Witching Hour in order to communicate with and save the souls trapped there.
  
  The characters are familiar Southern staples in black communities. Devoted deaconess Mrs. Greene, the children’s paternal grandmother, whom they always address formally, with her loose, wavy hair and light skin. There is grandmother’s nemesis, Mrs. Whitney, the town conjuring woman who is dark-skinned and always adorned in all white. She runs a “history museum” that memorializes the victims of lynchings in their county town.
  
  Do you believe in ghosts?
  
  Supernatural adventure. 8-12
• 
  Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book*

  Just South of Home by Karen Strong, 310 pages. Simon and Schuster, 2019. $18.
  
  Content: PG (ghosts and spirits)
  
  BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL
  
  AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
  
  Sarah, 12, has her summer plans upset when her Aunt Gina gets a small part in a movie and will spend most of the summer in Paris. It was bad enough that Sarah put up with her cousin Jane for two weeks, but now – even longer? Jane has a talent for getting in trouble – shoplifting, encouraging Sarah’s little brother Ellis to do dangerous things, and dragging both of the others with her to Creek Church, the negro church that was burned down by the KKK as a warning for the uppity negroes to keep their place. The only way to bring peace to Warrenville is for every family in the town to bring peace to their dead. The children may have to show the way.
  
  A little bit small town summer life, a little bit ghost story, a little family drama. I wish the ghost story part had come on a bit stronger earlier in the book – for most of the book I thought it was just small town family drama. That part was okay, but the ghost part, when it finally kicked in, was great!
  
  Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS
  
  https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
• 
  Heather

  I loved everything about JUST SOUTH OF HOME—most of all how it embraces the importance of family, friends, and having a community. At the start of the story, Sarah is trying to understand the distance her best friend has placed between them at the same time she (not so excitedly) welcomes her cousin for the summer. The exploration of these friendships (and Sarah’s relationship with her wonderful, hilarious, loveable brother Ellis) alongside their discovery of the ghosts of Warrenville, weave together so perfectly. This story is fun and adventurous and thoughtful and spooky, filled with love (as Sarah’s family is close-knit and caring—even Mrs. Greene, though she has a firmer way of showing it). The violent history of the town is handled with such care as Sarah and her friends remember and honor the past. This is absolutely one of my favorite reads this year!
  
  Thanks to NetGalley for providing the e-arc.