Third grade is a disaster!
Josee’s grades are failing; she has only one
friend left; and her relationship with her parents
is falling apart.
She feels scared and alone. When she is invited
to attend a mysterious new school, she decides
to takes the risk.
Even though she has to keep it a secret.
She finds herself in difficult situations while
mixing magic with reality, and her impulsive
actions cause her man red-faced moments.
But she also finds ways to make new friends
and enjoy unique adventures. Slowly her
self-confidence grows as she learns to calm
her fears and anxieties.
But all this might not be enough if she can’t
learn to overcome her biggest fear, the one
she can’t even talk about.
Third grade is a disaster!
Josee’s grades are failing; she has only one
friend left; and her relationship with her parents
is falling apart.
She feels scared and alone. When she is invited
to attend a mysterious new school, she decides
to takes the risk.
Even though she has to keep it a secret.
She finds herself in difficult situations while
mixing magic with reality, and her impulsive
actions cause her man red-faced moments.
But she also finds ways to make new friends
and enjoy unique adventures. Slowly her
self-confidence grows as she learns to calm
her fears and anxieties.
But all this might not be enough if she can’t
learn to overcome her biggest fear, the one
she can’t even talk about.
“Monday again.”
Josee shivered in the cool morning breeze. She leaned against her mom, trying to get warm. She listened intently. As each vehicle passed by, another muscle tensed in her thin body. The clock in the bank building struck eight o’clock. Any minute now. She closed her eyes and wished the school bus wouldn’t come so she could stay home. But no, the familiar rumble came closer and stopped. She reluctantly opened her eyes, hugged her mom, and trudged onto the yellow bus.
She spotted Alysa waving and smiling at her from the rear of the bus, their favorite seats. Josee breathed easier and slid in next to her best friend. Alysa always made her feel better.
“How was your weekend, Josee?”
“Okay. It was better than going to school. My parents were pestering me—”
“Josee,” Alysa hesitated, “what are you going to do about—?”
“STOP!” Josee’s words tumbled out, “You know the rules!”
The kids around them grew silent, staring.
“Oh no, I’m sorry, Alysa, I didn’t mean it.” Josee shrunk down on the seat.
“I know, I shouldn’t have mentioned it.”
Josee took her friend’s hand and squeezed it. Her temper dissolved. Both girls were quiet. The kids nearby began talking again.
In the silence, Josee sensed a change in the ride. The bus had slowed down. Josee’s body was bouncing up and down. She stood, grabbed the seat to steady herself, and looked out the window. Her eyes opened wide; she was surrounded by open fields of yellow grasses. This doesn’t look like Belton, Ohio!
She started to say something to Alysa, but she couldn’t find her. Her seat was empty. Josee looked around. Her friend had disappeared. What have I done?
To make matters worse, her classmates were missing too. In their place were a bunch of noisy girls.
Josee stiffened with panic. She needed to get out of there, but how?
The bus was on a narrow road approaching a row of stone buildings that looked very old. There were people moving about on the sidewalks. Many were carrying bags or packages, and some had what looked like a loaf of bread under an arm. The bus was moving slowly to avoid hitting anyone, or maybe it was going to stop to drop her off? Please, no!
But the bus didn’t stop. A small reprieve. They continued along a lane lined with rows of pretty cottages painted in bright blues, greens, and yellows. They looked so cozy and safe. For an instant, Josee imagined sitting at a small table in one, eating pancakes with gooey syrup.
That was not to be.
Children with backpacks were walking or riding bikes on the sides of the road. Maybe I’ll be going to school with them today.
They passed three large farms with herds of cattle in fenced areas or in fields. All of them looked more comfortable than how Josee felt at that moment.
Up ahead, there was a forest of trees with beautifully colored leaves. The bus eased around a bend in the road, then turned into a hidden driveway. Her thoughts jumped to the fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood. Could I meet some kind of wolf today?
A large red brick building appeared in a clearing up ahead. She had felt somewhat safe up until now. It seemed the time had come to find out where she was and how much trouble she was in.
She saw a sign in front of the building: École Saint Étienne. She tried to read it but couldn’t. I must have missed more schoolwork than I thought.
But that wasn’t important now. She had no clue where she was: that was the problem!
Josee’s insides were swimming. This was much worse than a scary movie. Should she hide under the seat? She absolutely did not want to talk to anyone. No one was looking her way. Maybe she could. She was too scared to move.
And then it was too late. The bus parked near the building. The driver opened the doors, stood, and turned to look at his young passengers, including Josee in the back.
She had no choice. Her legs were wobbly as she rose; she picked up her backpack and slowly moved up the aisle. With each step, her tummy flipped.
She screamed, “Help!”
Not out loud, of course. She didn’t want everyone to laugh at her.
When Josee was closer to the girls, she saw that they were all dressed in maroon and navy skirts and matching sweaters. Everyone would definitely notice her; she was wearing worn jeans and a faded blue T-shirt. She looked down to avoid their stares.
Wait, that’s not what I have on! She was dressed in the same outfit as the other girls.
I must be going crazy!
Josee felt ill. She swallowed hard to keep from throwing up. She knew fear because she felt it every day at school. That was nothing compared with how she felt right now. This was FEAR!
When eight-year-old Josee Dupont becomes the target of bullies at her local elementary school, she finds herself lost in a world of fear and anxiety. As her grades plummet and her relationship with her parents becomes strained, she begins to suffer noticeable side effects and isn’t sure what to do or who to talk to. Looking for an escape, she is magically whisked off to a new school in France, where she learns to cope with her everyday problems and focus. Josee is learning many new and fascinating things, but will it be enough to confront her greatest fears?
Her Secret Odyssey: Josee’s Magical Adventure by Anita Boisvert is a middle-grade fantasy novel that explores the reality of bullying and its effects on young students. Through Josee’s eyes, readers will navigate the paralyzing fear and anxiety that often makes it difficult to talk to trusted grown-ups.
The fantasy aspect opens the door to a new learning environment that gives Josee a fresh start and many valuable lessons. When Josee first arrives at Saint Stephen’s School, she is timid and afraid. As she meets a new friend and builds relationships with the faculty and staff at the school, she slowly begins to build confidence and try new things. Young readers will enjoy visiting the library, bakery, and pastry shop as they learn French vocabulary along the way.
Josee also learns how to take care of her mental health and rekindle her relationship with her parents. It was deeply satisfying to watch Josee apply breathing techniques, exercises, and a healthy diet to help her overcome the rush of emotions that would hit her when facing something uncomfortable. Josee has several opportunities to confront her fears in a safe environment before the book climaxes with a final confrontation with the problem-causing bullies.
While the book is well-paced and engaging, it may have helped the story to have the problem present sooner in the narrative. For example, Josee’s symptoms could also have been indicative of a terminal or debilitating illness, and it didn’t become clearer until closer to the halfway point that bullying was the real issue. Learning this sooner could help the reader understand the applications of the lessons more effectively. Still, the lessons learned are relatable and have the potential to help young readers facing school bullies, abuse, or suffering inappropriate touches find the courage to tell a trusted adult and seek the help they need.
Other than some minor editing issues that could be fixed with an additional round of proofreading, the book is well-written and suited to the target audience. The French-to-English glossary in the back of the book provides a nice follow-up to the numerous French words included and explained throughout the story. The author also provides a brief note about available helplines. Therefore, I rate this book four out of five stars.
I’d recommend Her Secret Odyssey: Josee’s Magical Adventure to teachers and parents looking for an easy-to-read book that may help with building confidence and confronting bullies. This book could help children and parents become more aware of the symptoms and behaviors expressed when another student or child suffers in silence. It may also be a good confidence-building adventure for middle-graders who need help speaking for themselves.