The Decomposition of Jack

By Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

A boy juggles family turmoil and a mysterious cougar sighting in Tennessee.

4.0/5 Goodreads · 162 ratings

208 pages

$16.99Save 6%

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Bookroo's summary

Jack, known as the Roadkill Kid, navigates his parents' divorce while helping his mom with her unusual job. When he spots a supposedly extinct cougar near his home, Jack's curiosity leads him to choose it for a school project. As he delves into the mystery, he faces mounting pressure from school and family. Can Jack solve the cougar enigma and mend his fractured family? Discover the unexpected connections between life, loss, and renewal in this heartwarming tale.

From the publisher

Award-winning author Kristin O’Donnell Tubb delivers a funny and poignant middle grade contemporary novel about family and friendship as Jack deals with his parents’ divorce while also searching for a mysterious cougar in the Tennessee hills. Perfect for fans of Leslie Connor and Lynda Mullaly Hunt. A Junior Library Guild Selection!Middle school is always hard, but when you’re known as the Roadkill Kid, well, it’s even harder. Jack’s mom collects roadkill–it’s her job, and she’s very good at it. Ever since Jack’s mom and dad got divorced, Jack has stepped into the role of Mom’s co-scientist.One day while tending to the roadkill garden, Jack believes he spots a cougar in the wilderness beyond his backyard. A cougar in Tennessee? They’re supposed to be extinct. So, when Jack has to choose an animal to research for his Earth Science class, he picks cougar.As pressure mounts on Jack to complete his project and to be Mom’s business partner, the mystery of the cougar feels too big to solve. Jack knows what the decomposition of an animal–and a family–looks like, so can he figure out how to bring them back to life?

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