For the child grappling with family worries and the shadow of big historical events, this book explores the quiet anxieties of a family during the Vietnam War.
A parent might reach for this book when their child is carrying the weight of family worries, especially those tied to large, uncontrollable events like a military deployment or distant conflict. Set during the summer of 1965, the story centers on three teenage cousins whose family is fractured by the Vietnam War: an uncle is missing in action, one brother is drafted, and two others are hiding to avoid the draft. It's a quiet, character-driven novel that beautifully captures the simmering anxiety and deep love of a family trying to hold itself together. For thoughtful readers aged 11-14, it normalizes complex feelings and provides a gentle entry into understanding how historical events impact individual lives.
Presents draft-dodging as a complex issue, with characters holding differing, valid viewpoints.
Sensitive Topics
The book deals directly with the themes of war, potential death of a loved one, and grief. The uncle is MIA, and the family is processing this ambiguous loss. The approach is secular and focuses on the emotional and psychological impact rather than graphic details of war. The topic of draft-dodging is handled with nuance, presenting it as a complex moral choice with no easy answers. The resolution is realistic and hopeful, not a neat and tidy ending. The family finds strength in each other, but the external conflicts remain unresolved, reflecting the reality of the situation.
Ideal Reader
The ideal reader is a thoughtful, introspective 11 to 14-year-old who is sensitive to the emotional atmosphere of their family. This book is perfect for a child who is grappling with a loved one's deployment, a family member in a dangerous job, or is simply an empath who feels the weight of the world's problems and needs to see those feelings reflected and validated.
Parent Prep
Providing some basic historical context about the Vietnam War and the military draft would be very helpful, but not essential. The book stands on its own as a family story. Parents should be prepared for conversations about war, loss, and the moral complexities of choices like draft-dodging. There are no specific scenes that require previewing; the tone is consistently gentle. A parent has noticed their middle-schooler seems anxious or withdrawn after hearing news about a conflict or has been asking worried questions about a family member who is away or in danger. The child seems to be internalizing a lot of stress about things they cannot control.
Age Experience
A younger reader (11-12) will connect most with the cousins' relationships, the farm setting, and the immediate family mystery. They will feel the sadness and worry on a personal level. An older reader (13-14) is more likely to grasp the historical significance, the political tensions surrounding the war, and the nuanced moral debate about the brothers' different choices. They will appreciate the literary quality of the quiet, observational prose.
What Makes It Special
Unlike most war-related fiction for this age, this book's focus is entirely on the homefront. Its unique strength is the masterful portrayal of ambient anxiety, the persistent, low-grade worry that families experience when loved ones are in danger far away. It explores the emotional labor of waiting and the quiet ways a family shows its love and resilience, making it a powerful story about the unseen costs of war.
Read plot summary
The story follows three teenage cousins (Grace, the narrator; Lucy; and J.D.) over the summer of 1965 at their family's farm. Four generations of their family are gathered, all living with the constant, quiet anxiety of the Vietnam War. Their Uncle Martin is missing in action, their brother Will has been drafted, and their other two brothers, John and George, are in hiding to dodge the draft. The narrative focuses on the emotional homefront, exploring the family's tensions, grief, and resilience as they wait for news and navigate their complicated feelings about the war and their loved ones' choices.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
The brothers make different choices about the Vietnam draft: Will goes to war, while John and George go into hiding. Why do you think they made such different decisions? How do the adults in the family seem to feel about each choice?
2
Grace, the narrator, watches the three older generations of women (her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother) cope with their worries. What does she learn from them about being strong?
3
The family spends the summer doing farm chores like canning vegetables. How do these repetitive, everyday tasks help them deal with their huge, uncontrollable fears about the war?
4
At the end of the book, the family still doesn't have definite news about Uncle Martin. Why do you think the author chose to end the story this way instead of with a clear answer? How did this ending make you feel?
