“Good luck, Magic Cat!”

From Audra Winslow’s Jo & Rus.

Constantly bullied because she lives in a trailer park, eleven-year-old Jo is depressed and isolated. When she rescues a cat from a trap, she senses the cat wants her to follow it, so she follows the rough feline into a junk yard where she’s soon surrounded by other cats and kittens. While she’s playing with the cats, Jo meets sixteen-year-old Rus whose family owns the junk yard. Despite their obvious differences, Jo and Rus are able to connect over the bullying they have endured in life. Rus sees how much Jo is struggling at school, so he befriends her and invites her to hang out at the scrap yard with his family and garage band. With encouragement from Rus, Jo joins the school band and is able to begin making friends. As things start to look up for Jo, Rus continues to struggle with a way to afford college and follow his lifelong dream. Connecting at a junk yard with the help of a haggard cat, Rus and Jo soon find that genuine friendships can come from the most unlikely places and the answer to Rus’ problem might be closer than anyone realized.

This story is sweet and engaging, but the story’s realistic elements will be the real driving force for the reader. Winslow’s animation is colorful and attractive, and it pairs well with the development of the characters’ struggles and wins. Both title characters will connect with readers of various ages as both face different challenges, which makes Jo & Rus a quick and captivating read.