The Legend of Juggin Joe sometimes reads like Forest Gump meets The Dillards. It's funny. It's warm. It's full of mountainisms.

The author has drawn on his own experiences with the people of upstate New York and his own fascination with the jug. He has written the book in what he calls "country speak," a phonetically-written dialect of the mountain people of the region. I found myself wanting to give this language a southern twang but soon I realized that this is closer to Down East than Down Home, with its more New England flavor. It was a bit difficult to read at first and probably is best read out loud for full effect.

For this reason, and because of the frequent draws on the "Pick Me Up" (what usually occupied those jugs) and subtle references to what's best left between a husband and a wife, the book is best read by adults or older teens. Some parents may choose to read aloud parts of the book, and other parents may decide it's right fine for their more mature youngsters to read by themselves.

What is clear as spring water is that we sure haven't heard the last of Juggin Joe and his misadventures. We're all going to be waiting for the next installment, Mr. Yakel.