Review: Journey to Juniper Junction by Heather N. Quinn

After reading the blurb on today's review, I was excited about diving into it. This one is a wholesome story and centers around a vacation with cousins, the outdoors, and living on a type of farm.  It not only brought memories of my own childhood...and I can tell you for a fact that it's amazing how much trouble a kid can get into when their own ideas are joined with those of their cousins...but sounded like a nice, fun read.

Ready for adventure?

JOURNEY TO JUNIPER JUNCTION

My Country Cousins, Book 1

by Heather N. Quinn

Babblegarden Publishing Ltd

127 pages

ages 6 to 10

If you love fun-filled, lighthearted adventures you'll love the My Country Cousins series!

Ten-year-old Gemma Merriman longs for adventure. Leaving her home in England to spend the holidays with her Canadian cousins, she hopes she'll have the best summer ever. But will she? Right from the start Gemma faces challenges she never imagined.

Join Gemma as she explores her newfound independence in Journey to Juniper Junction. This story, the first in the My Country Cousins series, is a fun, fast-paced read. Glowing with warmth and humour, it celebrates the joys of growing up.

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MY TIDBITS

Simple fun and adventure radiate from every page in this easy to read, which centers around the wonder of cousins.

Gemma's best friend has moved far away, making the sights on summer camp more than gloomy. When her father suggests she fly to Canada and visit her cousins instead, she's more than a little nervous but also excited. Not only has she never flown by herself, but she has only very vague memories of her uncle's family. While things get off to a rocky start, she's in for an experience she'll never forget.

This is a great book for those readers, who are certain of their words but aren't quite ready to tackle longer, middle grade novels. The font has a nice sizing, making it easy to read, and the writing itself is great for the intended audience. As an extra bonus...and something I found to be a clever idea...the amount of words the reader has accomplished is placed at the end of each chapter. So, there is a sense of accomplishment along the way, too.

As for Gemma's adventure, this is a steady-paced plot, keeping something happening on every page. The characters are lively, dialogue is key, and the scenes flow from one situation right into the other. The authors also make sure to add just enough description to keep the tale grounded but don't swerve even close into going overboard on this end. The tale is wholesome and shows how exciting Gemma's discoveries are. There's also the simple fun of being with cousins, who know how to keep life on its toes. There isn't a great mystery or problem to really encounter, but rather, this one lets Gemma experience simple adventures, which are each exciting and informational, too. 

It's a lovely start to what promises to be a fun series.

And here they are...

Heather N Quinn is the pen name of the mother and daughter writing team of Heather MacDonald and Quinn Slobodin. They reside with their families in Ontario, Canada.

Heather was born in Scotland and emigrated to Canada with her family in 1963. She grew up in Ontario on a small hobby farm. In 1990, she moved to England with her husband and young daughter, Quinn. Heather worked as a magazine features writer for national magazines and had three more children while living in the UK. Returning to Canada in 1998, she was a full-time mum, during which time she published short fiction. Today, Heather once again lives in the country, where she tends a big garden filled with vegetables and flowers. She loves to cook and bake, and to spend time with her family. Writing children’s stories with Quinn brings her great joy. 

Quinn was born in Canada. She moved with her parents to England at the age of two and spent eight formative years on the Wirral Peninsula. Her childhood in England, and then her returning to Canada at the age of ten, is what helps her to understand Gemma, the protagonist in the My Country Cousins series. Growing up in a big family whose motto was the same as the Merrimans of Almosta Farm, “If you can’t behave, be funny!” Quinn has lots of funny childhood experiences to draw upon for her writing. Today, she has two little girls of her own. Their antics continue to provide lots of fun stuff to write about. 

Contact information: Heather N Quinn 

www.heathernquinn.com 

Instagram: @heathernquinn 

Facebook: /Heather N. Quinn 

Babblegarden Publishing Ltd., PO Box 58, Navan Stn. Main, Navan, ON, Canada K4B 1J3