Between Mom and Jo
 | |
| Author | Julie Anne Peters |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Roger Hagadone |
| Country |
 United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Young adult novel |
| Publisher | Little, Brown and Company |
Publication date | 2006 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-316-73906-5 |
Between Mom and Jo is an American young adult novel by Julie Anne Peters, published in 2006.
Plot summary
The main character Nick has two mothers who conceived him through in vitro fertilisation. One of whom he simply refers to as Jo. Growing up, Nick gets along more with Jo than with his other mother Erin since they spend more time together and have similar interests. As he gets older, he questions certain aspects of his family life. Like the rift between Jo and Erin's family, or whether he will be gay just because he was raised by a same-sex couple. Meanwhile over the course of several years, Erin and Jo begin to grow apart. Ultimately separating by the time Nick is fourteen when Erin has an affair with another woman. After Jo moves out, Erin tells Nick that they can no longer see each other since she believes that Jo is too unstable. While Nick protests that she has rights, he finds out that since Jo never legally adopted him, she has no influence over visitation or custody. The separation between Nick and Jo causes Nick to go into a deep depression where he doesn't want to leave his room or be around people. When Erin confronts him over his behavior, he explains that even though she is his mother biologically, Jo has always been his real mom. Erin ultimately decides to let Nick move in with Jo since that would make him happy. By the end of the novel, Erin and Jo are now on civil terms.
Awards
- Lambda Literary Award for Children's/Young Adult, 2007