The Wild Journey of Juniper Berry - by Chad Morris & Shelly Brown

Book Synopsis

Eleven-year-old Juniper Berry lives in a cabin with her family deep in the wild woods. Living off the grid is usually exciting, like the time she chased off three growling raccoons with a tree branch and some acorns, or when she thought she glimpsed the legendary Bigfoot. But her happy life in the wild ends abruptly when her younger brother gets sick, and the family moves to the city to be closer to the hospital.

Juniper and her older sister are sent to live with cousins they hardly know and attend a public school for the first time, which is harder to navigate than the wild woods ever were. Juniper feels like a wolf cub separated from her pack.

When Juniper notices that her cousin, Alayna, is being bullied by so-called friends, she's ready to fight back like the wild geese do when protecting their goslings, but her cousin tells her to stay out of it; she doesn't want Juniper making things worse.

As the hospital bills for her brother start piling up, Juniper knows they'll need to be paid before the family can go back to the woods, so she decides to make enough money to help out. With Alayna's support, Juniper starts posting videos filled with her wisdom from the woods, hoping to get a following. But what if it doesn't work? What if the bills never get paid? Not going home to the wild is Juniper's worst nightmare. But while she's stuck in the city, she might as well make the most of it, like sticking up for her cousin, for starters.

The Wild Journey of Juniper Berry is a story about perseverance when faced with difficult and unfamiliar challenges, belonging and finding your identity, compassion for others, and learning that our differences can sometimes be our strengths.

Review Quotes

Selected for the 2025-2026 List

-- "Sunshine State Young Readers Award" (4/17/2025 12:00:00 AM)

2025-2026 Nominee

-- "Missouri Truman Readers Award" (4/17/2025 12:00:00 AM)

2025-2026 Nominee - Intermediate (Grades 3-5)-- "Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award" (3/6/2025 12:00:00 AM)

Chosen as a 2025-2026 Nominee for the Children's Book Award-- "South Carolina Book Awards" (2/7/2025 12:00:00 AM)

2024-25 nominee-- "Volunteer State Book Award" (8/7/2024 12:00:00 AM)

"Make room on the bookshelf for a fantastic and unique middle grade story! ... Juniper's story is genuine, and her character is authentic to the reader. Her misunderstandings about society create mishaps, adding humor and tension to the plotline. The primary and secondary characters are well-developed and relatable. The plot unfolds well, keeping readers engaged. Oftentimes, readers experience newcomer stories to America, especially as characters navigate a new culture. Readers of those books will appreciate and enjoy a new perspective from Juniper's story. This book is a great addition to the upper elementary classroom or library and would be a fantastic read aloud."

-- "Children's Literature"

"As she struggles to adapt to [her] new life, Juni finds out that she wants to make friends and that there are society people who care. This is a high interest book with a complex and compelling protagonist, that addresses mental health issues, the importance of family, connecting to nature, valuing different strengths, and standing up for what is right."-- "School Library Journal"

"Juniper is a marvelously developed character navigating extremely uncomfortable situations. Alayna, too, is developed with depth and care; she and Clara have their 'storms" (panic attacks) in common, for which they eventually get help. A fascinating, touching story of an off-the-grid family facing changes and the invisible threads that connect people."-- "Kirkus, starred review"

"Juniper's first-person voice and the many memorably developed characters she meets cultivate a feel-good story that reminds readers of both the pitfalls and the benefits of coexisting with others."-- "Publishers Weekly"

Selected as a "recommended title" and a "top pick"-- "2023 Kansas National Education Association's Reading Circle Commission"

Selected as a 2024 Award Book-- "Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts"

Selected for the Best Books of 2023 List-- "Kirkus Reviews"

About the Author

Chad Morris loves hiking in the wild from the redwoods to slot canyons. He even wrote parts of this book on an overlook in the mountains, and others in the small woods behind his and Shelly's house. He loves the views, the animals, and the adventure. But unlike Shelly, he can't tell you the names of most plants and trees. And if he tried to live in the wild, he'd probably accidentally eat poison roots and trip into a bear. (Not to mention the terrible sunburn he'd get on his bald head.) But he still loves spending time in nature, especially with his wife, Shelly, and their five kids.

Shelly Brown loves the smell of dirt and pine and looked up to the rangers she met as a kid. She wanted to be one until her mother reminded her that she talks too much and would scare away the wildlife. So instead, she writes children's books with her husband, Chad, so she has someone to talk to. And sometimes they sit down and write in places where it smells like dirt and pine. (Big thanks to whoever invented laptops!)