148 pages
"The whole world was golden with forsythia in bloom that noontime when Bill walked me home for lunch. He'd come off the morning train with just time to see Mom first. His uniform buttons sparked sunlight, and there was a little strut in his step. I rode all the way home on the wings of my hero. So did Scooter, as far as his house.
When Bill and I got home, Mom had all our favorites. Toasted cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. A pie was in the oven.
Bill was only home for a few days before he had to report for training. On Saturday he went out to Dad's station, and I tagged along. I shadowed him the whole time, trying to match his stride and memorize him for later." -Dust Jacket
This is my second Richard Peck book and I'm starting to realize that he is a genius at writing books about delightful, normal, everyday people. He manages to bring characters alive in a few short pages in a way that few authors can and I think I'm going to have to read one of his books to my kids. They're great for families. I laughed out loud several times reading both this book and A Long Way From Chicago.
In 148 short pages the reader experiences typical life on a suburban American street before the war, then the effects of the bombing of Pearl Harbor - rationing, blackouts, loved ones going off to war, and the toll war takes on a community. Davy's family is full of lovable characters, but Miss Titus steals the show for me. Everybody needs a teacher like Eulalia Titus. Oh, and a dad who plays hide-and-seek on Halloween and lies in wait for the teenagers out playing pranks.
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