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Jumping Off Swings

Jo Knowles - Author

A pregnancy follows Ellie and Josh’s sexual encounter. The story traces how they and their friends Caleb and Corinne respond, with each teenager’s perspective contributing to the unfolding situation.

More about this book

Ellie remembers how the boys kissed her. Touched her. How they begged for more. And when she gave it to them, she felt loved. For a while anyway. So when Josh, an eager virgin with a troubled home life, leads her from a party to the backseat of his van, Ellie follows. But their "one-time thing" is far from perfect: Ellie gets pregnant. Josh reacts with shame and heartbreak, while their confidantes, Caleb and Corinne, deal with their own complex swirl of emotions. No matter what Ellie chooses, all four teenagers will be forced to grow up a little faster as a result. Told alternately from each character's point of view, this deeply insightful novel explores the aftershocks of the biggest decision of one fragile girl's life—and the realities of leaving innocence behind.

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Book Analysis

At a Glance

Discover

Perspective· ExplainedFriendship· ExplainedEmotional response· Explained

Consider

Relationships and intimacyRomance

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

perspectivefriendshipemotional response

FictionNovel

Themes in Context

Four points of view

The novel alternates among Ellie, Josh, Caleb and Corinne as they respond to the pregnancy and its effects on their lives.Exploratory / explanatory

How the book presents it: The shifting perspectives give the characters’ differing reactions space in the narrative; the structure presents the situation through more than one person’s experience.

Talk about: Which character’s perspective most changed how you understood the situation?

Why It May Be Worth Reading

The changing viewpoints make room for several teenagers’ reactions, rather than focusing only on Ellie. This may suit readers interested in how a shared event affects a friendship group.

What Deserves Attention

Sexual activity and pregnancy are central to the plot.

A Conversation Worth Having

If the story reaches Ellie’s decision, how does hearing several characters’ viewpoints shape your understanding of the choices and feelings involved?

Reading Approach

Let the reader choose whether to discuss the characters’ feelings or continue reading first.

Confidence & Basis

Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.

What remains unconfirmed

Four points of view: The plot outline does not establish how evenly the viewpoints are developed or how their relationships change.

Jumping Off Swings - Jo Knowles - Google Books

Limited information

Checked: 1 October 2026.

Relevant to: Four points of view

Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles | Open Library