I picked up this book from the carts of used books for sale for only 10 cents at the Surratts-Clinton branch of the Prince George's County (Maryland) Library System.

I have a hard time resisting books when they are such a good price.

From the back cover:

Park can't figure out why his mother refuses to talk about his father who died in Vietnam eleven years ago. Park has no memory of him ... But he is determined to find the answers to his questions. When Park's search finally takes him to his grandfather's farm in rural Virginia, he meets obstacles beyond his imagining. Instead of being welcomed as the long lost heir, he is taunted by a young Vietnamese girl. Who is she and what is she doing on the family farm? And will Park be able to accept the ultimate truth he has sought?

I chose this book primarily because the author is coming to speak at the National Book Festival and I wanted to release as many of her books there as I could in hopes that one of her fans will find them and journal them. I liked the first book that I read by this author Bridge to Terabithia but I have been disappointed by Lyddie and this book. I think that perhaps they are a little too tramatic for youth and I don't really like reading them as an adult and I think I would have liked them even less when I was at the target age.

The pieces of the puzzle were too easy for me to put together in this book. I seemed to know the ending right when I started. Although I wasn't sure how Park would get to the revelation he made about his father I certainly saw it coming.

The thing I liked least about this book were the "scenes" that Park would play out from the fantasy world. I found myself just skimming over them since I am not all that into fantasy and I didn't see where they really fit into the story other than being something that Park liked to play at.

The only thing that I found that I really liked about this book is that it is set in the D.C. area where I currently live. There is a picture of the Vietnam Wall on the front cover and I think I would like to release the book near there if possible.

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

This author is scheduled to appear at the festival. I hope that the finder enjoys getting to see the authors at the festival maybe even this one!

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The Library of Congress Celebrates the Joy of Reading

The 2008 National Book Festival, organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress and hosted by First Lady Laura Bush, will be held on Saturday, September 27, 2008, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., between 3rd and 7th streets from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The festival is free and open to the public.

I will be wandering around the festival with a bright yellow wagon full of books. I hope that many are found by eager readers.

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You have found a very special book! This book was left on purpose because it needs to find a new reader. You can help this book travel on by passing it to a friend or leaving it "in the wild" when you are done with it. It doesn't have to travel far or soon. Feel free to enjoy it for as long as you like.

You may always make a journal entry without joining the website but if you do decide to join please use the screenname crrcookie or any other previous journaler of this book as the referring member.

Have a great day and Happy BookCrossing!!!