J Dowell
no rating

A very powerful theme written in such a simple story. 12 yr. old Jamie grew up in an army family and her dad is a colonel. Both she and her older brother idolize him - he is their hero for his passion about serving one's country. Both feel being able to fight in a war the most exciting thing that could happen to someone.

so ...her older brother enlist to fight in Vietnam, although the game plan had been that he attend med school on a football scholarship.. He shocks and scares his parents even though his dad is top dog in the Arny at the latest post.

So he leaves and is in Vietnam and rather than write letters to his siter, he sends her photographs of what war is like knowing that just talking won't be as realistic as having her see it. We find out early on that her older brother is an incredible photographer and has a real passion for it. the plot revolves around how the gal finally decides war is not the "end all." This is all spoken in the 1st person.

A subplot is her playing cards with a soldier. He befriends out speaker and then one day his time is up too and he gets shipped off never to return. She learns that war can be pretty horrific. When her card dealing buddy is drafted, he asks her to use her dad's influence to get him out because we find out his brother has already been killed in Vietnam and he thinks his mother won't be able to handle two. Then we find out near the end her brother comes up missing - finally found out he has been taken as a POW and I won't tell you the rest. A great read-aloud with humor as well as sadness.