Aim

“A boy grappling with life-changing decisions, unlikely friendships, and what it means to be a man is at the soul of this story… Hostetter’s well-crafted turn of phrase and timely humor all add to the richness of the era. A must-have for historical fiction collections.” — School Library Journal

“Set in the south in the early days of World War II, readers will find the times different, but not Junior’s struggle to grow into a man. Young adults who enjoy historical novels…will appreciate Hostetter’s attention to detail and the realistic way Junior reacts to the personal and political events around him…he learns his lesson about earning respect and overcoming generations of abuse to arrive at a sense of peace by the end of the book.’ – VOYA

“In this pre-World War II companion to the novels Blue (2006) and Comfort (2009), 14-year-old Junior Bledsoe fights personal battles at home as America’s entry into the war grows imminent…. Hostetter creates a vivid sense of time and place in her early-1940s rural North Carolina setting and a fully realized, sympathetic character in Junior…. An absorbing, well-crafted coming-of-age story with finely detailed historical background.” — Kirkus Reviews