School Library Journal
Gr 5–8—It's been more than eight months since Derek, 11, has seen his dad, a soldier who flies Apache helicopters and is stationed in Afghanistan for another tour. They keep in touch through letters that Derek keeps in his dad's old school lunch box. He's read them so often he knows exactly which one to grab for each of his moods. Derek is a good-hearted kid who just naturally attracts trouble-he doesn't mean to, but he's always in the wrong place at the wrong time and often the victim. He's also impulsive and has a hard time staying focused, which adds to his problems. Budgie, who vacillates between being a friend and being a real pain, has something going on with him, but what it is Derek can't figure out. He and his mom have a loving relationship and are trying their best to take care of each other while his dad is away. Derek's life, although complicated, is not too bad, until the day he sees his dad on the news and his world falls apart. Fleming has done a superb job of not only making the characters believable, but also of keeping an underlying tension in the story. Children with parents who are deployed will find a kindred soul in Derek, and other readers will come to better understand what it's like for them.—Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC