This was one fun book to read. Bo is a 6th grader in a school full of kids from the local Air Force base families. Bo is also the son of the base commander. He has been known to get into a trouble at school, and his father is hoping 6th grade will be different.
Gari is Bo's cousin from the west coast. Gari's mom is gearing up for deployment to Iraq, so that means Gari will have to go live with her relatives, enter Bo, while her mom is gone. Gari wants to stay where she's at. She's already made plans for the school year. Gari tries to figure out different ways she can make her mom stay home...never mind her mom's orders from the Army!
Miss Loupe is their free spirited 6th grade teacher. Her motto is "Yes and...". I love how she gets her students to think and grow as learners. I wish I could have had a teacher like her! She teaches her students some improv techniques that help many of the students grow and develop in different ways.
The reader is also introduced to the brother of Miss Loupe. He's stationed in Afghanistan. The kids are involved in a project to collect things to send to him to give to kids in Afghanistan, but then the unthinkable happens. He is MIA. This starts another strand of the story...not knowing and everything that follows.
I don't know if it's because I'm the wife of an Army National Guard member or not, but I thought it was a great book. Based on what I've seen of other reviewers, it doesn't matter if you're knowledgeable about the military or not. It's a great story that gives you a little insight into what families of military members experience. It's a story that will have you laughing out loud in parts...thoroughly enjoyable.
Topics: military life, school, family, deployment, improvisation, theater, "yes and", U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan
Recommended audience: best MS fit is 6th grade, maybe 7th, too
Mrs. Beckwith's Rating: 5 of 5
Amazon reviews
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