Meet Max Houston, an Air Force brat who is left at his grandfather's farm for the summer. Furious over being abandoned, Max throws monumental teenage temper tantrums, which anger his parents and grandparents.
When Max discovers Granddad's duffel bag from Vietnam, he unzips the bag and drags it to the porch, where his grandfather sits. Granddad, who has rarelyspoken of his experiences in Vietnam, and Max, who is insatiably curious, begin to talk. Max's tantrums decrease as the bond between the two Houston males is sealed.
This coming-of-age story appeals to the young adult reader who can relate to anger, the possibility of disasters and their consequences, and, if he or she is fortunate, to the love of parents and grandparents.
