(4) YA While his older brother is stationed in Vietnam, teenage Jimmy reminisces about their childhood experiences and describes how the family is now dealing with Frank's absence. Letters from Frank begin each chapter and reveal that he has become addicted to heroin after being wounded. There is an aloof quality to the prose, but the author exhibits a sure hand in exploring the dynamics of a troubled family.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Bonnie Christensen. Unconvincing as the voice of a thirteen-year-old, yet intriguing for its use of image-laden language, Crist-Evans's free verse "journal" tells of one boy's journey with his father to join the Confederate forces as they move toward a fateful encounter at Gettysburg. Black-and-white woodcuts and a stark design add to the (sometimes overly self-conscious) sophisticated tone.

Reviewer: Jackie C. Horne