We just received next year's list of nominated books for the Rebecca Caudill Award. One of the books is Shooting the Moon by Frances O'Roark Dowell. It focuses on a time period in our country-The Vietnam War- that left so many people struggling to understand. Jamie Dexter, an "Army Brat" living at Fort Hood, Texas during the summer of 1969 shares her "struggle to understand " in the book. Jamie is THRILLED to hear her brother, TJ is going off to fight the enemy in Vietnam. Jamie and TJ grew up believing the Army life was the ONLY life- and to serve was the most heroic thing in the world. Their father-The Colonel- had taught them well. Jamie, however, is confused and a little disappointed when her father is less than thrilled when he hears TJ's plans to put off medical school and to enlist in the Medical Corps. He seems even more resistant when he learns TJ's first assignment will be in Vietnam. As Jamie's summer begins, the first without her brother and friend, TJ, she is swept away with her emotions. She is excited and proud, maybe even a little bit jealous, (She would like to serve, too, even if she is only 12 and a girl) She takes a job at the PX where she learns to play gin with her supervisor, Private Hollister, who has already experienced the anguish of war through the death of his brother--in Vietnam. As a means of communication, TJ starts sending rolls of film to Jamie for her to develop for him. Through his love of photography and because of his love for his sister, he allows her to see the reality of war through his pictures. It would be a summer Jamie would never forget.
