A Soft Place to Land by Janae Marks – Book Review
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Title: A Soft Place to Land Author: Janae Marks Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books Release Date: September 14, 2021  |
The only constant in Joy’s life seems to be change. She’s moved away from her beloved home, left her friends behind, enrolled at a new school, and given up her most enjoyable activity – piano lessons. Now, Joy and her family must live in a cramped, thin-walled apartment. With her parents’ arguments getting more frequent, Joy desperately needs a quiet place, a sanctuary away from all her problems. Luckily, Joy’s neighbor, Nora, knows just the place. As the two become fast friends, Joy learns about the apartment building’s secret room, nicknamed the Hideout. Her new friends, the Hideout, dog-walking business, and a secret message mystery writer give Joy the strength to keep going in spite of all the family problems she faces. However, a series of mistakes, missteps, and miscommunication threaten to take way all those things that Joy values. She must face the music and try to right her wrongs, hoping in the end that she can finally find a soft place to land.
A Soft Place to Land by Janae Marks is a realistic and moving story about a young person’s struggle with adjusting to change and shifting family dynamics. The novel’s drama is understated compared to many middle grade novels. Yet, this realistic portrayal underscores the universality of Joy’s challenges. Every reader will be able to relate to one, two, or maybe even three of the problems she endures. These opportunities for real-life connection make the novel a wonderful text to use for discussion, book clubs, or parent-child reading.
Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Katherine Tegen Books, for an eARC of this book.
Classroom Applications
- Literature Circles – Use novel for small groups or choice reading with a variety of books that focus on family, friendship, and the meaning of home.
- Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading realistic fiction.
Nonfiction Connections
The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.
- Starting a Business
- Filmmaking & Music
Book Companions
The following are great books to pair with A Soft Place to Land. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.
- Front Desk by Kelly Yang (Character Connections, Themes)
- From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks (Character Connections, Themes)
- Partly Cloudy by Tanita S. Davis (Character Connections, Themes)
- Many Points of Me by Caroline Gertler (Character Connections, Themes)
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