When twelve-year-old Jamie Dexter's brother joins the Army and is sent toVietnam, Jamie is plum thrilled. She can't wait to get letters from thefront lines describing the excitement of real-life combat: the sound of helicopters, the smell of gunpowder, the exhilaration of being right in thethick of it. After all, they've both dreamed of following in the footstepsof their father, the Colonel.
But TJ's first letter isn't a letter at all. It's a roll of undevelopedfilm, the first of many. What Jamie sees when she develops TJ's photographsreveals a whole new side of the war. Slowly the shine begins to fade off ofArmy life - and the Colonel. How can someone she's worshipped her entirelife be just as helpless to save her brother as she is?
From the author of the Edgar Award-winning Dovey Coe comes a novel,both timely and timeless, about the sacrifices we make for what we believeand the people we love.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Will draw you in with its simplicity and astound you with its powerful story:
Sticking to your convictions often takes courage and willpower. But sometimes, questioning what you believe and allowing room for doubt can take even more determination and requires a different kind of courage. How far are you willing to go to stand up for what you believe? And how much does it take before you're able to change your stance? This is the dilemma presented in SHOOTING THE MOON, a touching coming-of-age novel set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, by critically-acclaimed author Frances... more info
Book Review: Shooting the Moon:
"Shooting the Moon" is middle grade fiction at its best: a setting that draws you in, a story that makes you think, characters that make you care, and a pace that keeps things interesting. One of the best books I've read in aught 8. The Vietnam war is in full swing and the Dexters are an army family through and through. Instead of "dad", the kids call their father "The Colonial". Like I said, through and through. 12 year old Jamie and her older brother TJ have been preparing for war their whole lives,... more info
...and hitting it!:
On the recommendation of a kid lit blogger, I ordered a copy of this small, unpretentious book and had a read-through. It is wonderful!
Jamie Dexter is a military brat whose father is a colonel and whose brother has enlisted to be sent to Vietnam. As the story progresses Jamie, who has been pro-war and battle-ready her whole life, begins to reconsider things as she sees her brother's photos from Vietnam. Instead of sending her letters to describe the war, he sends her his undeveloped film rolls to... more info
A Must Read!:
SHOOTING THE MOON is a deeply moving, gorgeously written novel about one military family's gradual disillusionment with the Vietnam War. It's the most realistic, searching kids' book I've read about that neglected period in American history. It's also a delicately nuanced family drama with unforgettable characters: the richly drawn heroine Jamie, who slowly develops an understanding not just about the war but about love and honor; her soldier brother who communicates by sending her undeveloped photos of... more info
