This is a beautiful, heart-warming, reassuring book about a young boy, Brother, who is the last of five brothers to live on the family ranch. His father leaves to command an Army unit in Iraq and Brother begins to sort out who he is and where he is headed. Sensitively guided by his grandfather, Brother sorts out the complexity of girls at school, the impact of fire on his own security and that of his neighbors and the courage it takes to make promises in this world and then live up to those promises. His older brothers have gone off to school and joined the military. Where will life take Brother? Sensitive, poignant and a welcome search to do what is right and not just what is easy. 176 pages Ages 9-13
Read alikes: Almost Forever by Maria Testa and The Quilt by Paulsen