Jennifer Nielsen is known for writing historical fiction and fantasy but now she steps into the world of contemporary fiction. THE FREE STATE OF JAX brings an often amusing and touching story that will have young readers asking for more.

Most tweens at some point think about running away with no solid plan in place. Usually this comes after they don’t get what they want. For 12-year-old Jaxson Averett his reasons go a lot deeper.

Jaxon’s parents were killed when he was only three in a tragic boating accident. His Grandma Averett raised him until she couldn’t anymore due to Alzheimers disease.. The past three months he has lived in Walkonby, Kansas with Aunt Helga, Uncle Clive, and their six mostly obnoxious and mean children: Denise, Dutch, Daisy, Delijah, Danger, and Chet-Chet. The family can’t even call him by his correct name and mostly bully and ignore downtrodden Jax. He’s had enough.

Jax escapes with a unique plan, He goes next door and floats a self made raft onto a small pond and declares himself president of a new micronation. Jax even wrote his own Declaration of Independence for anyone who thinks he is kidding. This brings him more attention from the property owner, Owen O’Keefe. Own is the least popular man in town after his brother went missing with a lot of the town’s money. Mr. O’Keefe is guilty according to most of the town’s residents of killing his brother, despite their being little evidence, including a body.

Jax is now in the middle of a mystery while lawyers, his aunt and uncle, and new friends bring much attention to his new country. He chooses to stay and investigate while hiring a lawyer for a nickel, and appointing her daughter as general. Of course this won’t work, will it? The results are a compelling and entertaining read. Despite the length of 352 pages the plot flies by as it did for me in just a few days.

Jax is an endearing character with so much courage. His first person narration is spot on for a 12-year-old. Family gets a whole new meaning in THE FREE STATE OF JAX and I highly recommend it for middle grade readers of all ages.

BOOK BIRTHDAY: October 21, 2025

FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: THE FREE STATE OF JAX by Jennifer A . Nielsen.

1. The secondary characters also shine like his new friend and 3-star general, Alicia, and the mysteriously supportive land owner, Owen. Jax is center stage but these other characters bring out the best in him.
2. Uncle Clive’s family are horrible and dishonest, just the nemesis and conflict that makes the reading experience even more appealing.
3. Asking for help when you need it was a great takeaway for young readers to employ in their own lives.
4. The cousins are a ridiculous lot and many of their fights with Jax turn into some of the most humorous parts of the story.
5. It’s nice to laugh and smile while reading, and after so many recent dire tales I have experienced in MG books, Jax won me over.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer lives at the base of a very tall mountain in Northern Utah with her husband, three children, and a naughty puppy. She loves the smell of rainy days, hot chocolate, and old books, preferably all at once. She is a former speech teacher, theater director, and enjoyed a brief but disastrous career as a door-to-door pollster. In her spare time, Jennifer tends to panic, wondering what she has forgotten to do that has allowed her any spare time. (Visit Jennifer’s Author website)

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