"Year of the Jungle" was probably the best depiction of how to explain any of the wars where families are deployed. I think it was an emotional book. I felt it had the 'oh yeah this is all fine' to the "it got bad" feelings. It gave me a feeling of despair from the mom and the dad, how much it was kept under wraps from children, and how important keeping in touch with your family means. I say that because when the dad came home Suzy felt as though her dad was home but HE was not home, he was still in the Jungle. A feeling/emotional battle that every service member feels to many levels of degree. ( )

I did not enjoy this book. Though the illustrations were cute, I am not interested in the author's style of writing. She writes as if she were still the age of when the book took place. Because she was a young child, her book is written in short, choppy, almost annoying sentences. This story is of a girl whose father is deployed to Vietnam. It tells of the time she was waiting, the postcards she received, and the moment she believed her father was never coming home. While, in my opinion, it is a good story, it is not a good book. ( )

Often I try to avoid finding out what a book is about before I read it, so as to come to it without too many preconceptions. Usually that's a good mindset for reading a new book. But probably not for this one.

This is about the year Suzanne's father spend on duty in Viet Nam. He was there in '68. My dad was there in '69. Her dad sent her postcards. My dad sent us audio tapes. She noticed people trying not to look worried when she said where her father was, I was four and oblivious. She saw the news and became deeply concerned, whereas I don't recall watching anything about the war. Her father came home, eventually, but later than expected. As far as I know my dad came right back on schedule. We both got dolls. I didn't notice any changes in my dad, except that he was insistent we call him 'Sir," which I don't think we'd done before.

There's a tremendous amount of emotional resonance underneath all this. For some readers all that subtext will slide by, unnoticed. Others may find themselves swamped, but relieved that someone is talking about the thing that no one talks about. For me it was mostly just a "there but for the grace ..." moment, because I could have been Suzanne, and that would be dire.

It would be a really good idea for every public and school library to have a copy of this out, within easy reach, all the time, and for all the staff to know about it. The only other book I can think of with a similar storyline is Carl Hiassen's Scat, which should likewise be ubiquitous.

Library copy. ( )

No blood or gore, but plenty intense nonetheless - read it with your child and discuss your family views on war. Well-done. ( )

this book is about a girl who's dad goes to war in vietnam. she talks about her year and her experience while her dad is away.