Book : Missing In Action - Hughes, Dean

-Titulo Original : Missing In Action

-Fabricante :

Atheneum Books For Young Readers

-Descripcion Original:

A boy confronts prejudice and intolerance in this striking, “emotionally honest coming-of-age story” (Publishers Weekly) set on the American homefront during World War II, from the acclaimed author of Search and Destroy and Soldier Boys. Dirty. Lazy. Good-for-nothing. Jay Thacker is used to being called names because his dad is half Navajo. But he gets a chance at a new life and a new identity when he and his mom move to the small town of Delta, Utah, to live with Jay’s grandfather. In Delta, Jay can convince everyone, and maybe even himself, that his dad-who is missing in action as he fights in WWII-is really a POW and military hero, and not gone forever. As the summer wears on and Jay finds himself growing up a little faster than he expected, he learns to look at some truths that had previously been impossible to face. Truths about his father; about Ken, his new friend from the Japanese internment camp nearby; and about himself, too. In this understated and moving story, Dean Hughes offers a glimpse at the choices a boy must make as he decides what kind of man he’ll one day be. Review “[A] wonderful novel that is sure to appeal on many levels…the issues explored will make many think.” Library Media Connection, Highly Recommended “Subtle and engaging.” Kirkus Reviews About the Author Dean Hughes is the author of more than eighty books for young readers, including the popular sports series Angel Park All-Stars, the Scrappers series, the Nutty series, the widely acclaimed companion novels Family Pose and Team Picture, Search and Destroy, and Four-Four-Two. His novel Soldier Boys was selected for the 2001 New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age list. Dean Hughes and his wife, Kathleen, have three children and nine grandchildren. They live in Midway, Utah. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Missing in Action CHAPTER 1 JAY THACKER WAS STANDING BY the backstop. His baseball glove was tucked under his arm. For now, he was just watching. He was new in town and he didn’t know any of the boys who were out on the field. Most of them weren’t very good players-he could see that-but then, he wasn’t that great himself. He thought he’d like to play, but he didn’t want to say so. The boys were playing workup, not teams, and one guy-Gordy, everyone kept calling him-had stayed up to bat three or four times. He was standing at first base now, chattering on and on, trying to bother the pitcher. His voice sounded rough, like the sound a shovel makes, hitting into gravel. “You better watch me, Freddy,” he kept saying. “I’m taking off. I’m gonna steal second.” And then, after Freddy bounced a pitch in the dirt, “You throw like my grandma. You can’t pitch.” Jay couldn’t help smiling. This Gordy kid really thought he was good. Gordy turned and looked toward the outfield. “Move back, boys. Lew’s going to hit the ball over your heads. He’s gonna bring me home.” Lew was big, but he swung at the next pitch and knocked a little blooper out into shallow left field. Gordy ran hard to second and then kept right on going for third. The boy in left ran in for the ball and fielded it okay. He should’ve thrown Gordy out, easy, but he tried to hurry and tossed the ball clear over the third baseman’s head. The ball rolled out into the street and Gordy ran on home. He jumped on the plate with both feet, then spun around and yelled, “You’re never going to get us out. We’re the Bronx Bombers.” Then his head jerked around and he said, “Hey, kid, do you want to play?” It took Jay a second or two to realize Gordy meant him. “I guess so,” he said. “Head out to right field. That’ll give ’em four outfielders, but it won’t make no difference. Those guys are sorry excuses for ballplayers. You any good?” “Not really. I-” “Who are you anyway?” By then he was walking around the backstop, which was nothing more than chicken wire nailed onto some pine poles. “My name’