I read this yesterday at my niece's prodding.  She read it last Spring in 5th grade.  It's the story of a family torn apart by Vietnam.  The mother is emotionally unstable as it is.  When she learns her husbands is being sent to Vietnam, she moves the family (son and daughter) to Washington to spend their final days with him.

When he leaves, she begins to lose it.  The kids are left to start new schools with no friends and to support themselves because their Mother isn't capable.

It was a really moving story.  It may sound depressing but it does end up uplifting at the end.

The themes might be strong for some kids.  The war is always in the backgound.  There is the mother's mental issues.  Also, their is a child in the book who is mentally disabled.

I highly recommend it!  Adults will like it too.