by Audrey Couloumbis Published 2005

Go to the Internet to find the answers to these questions:

• When did the Vietnam War happen?Ê
• Where is Vietnam?Ê
• How did the Vietnam War end?

On the first page of the story, Grace is not entirely sympathetic to her brother's situation.Ê When does she begin to have second thoughts?

Sometimes a crisis overrides everyday life.ÊGrace really wanted a birthday party, but maybe it was just easier for her to complain about that than to worry about her brother.ÊFind places in the story where you think this might be true.

Grace thinks her brother, Collin, does not care about her desire for a birthday party.ÊWhen does she realize he wanted her to have a party, and a happy birthday? Why didn't she know this any sooner?

Where in the story does Grace find out some things she didn't know about Collin?

How do her cousins, Dolly and Theo, contribute to her understanding of the decision Collin has to make?

Many of the people in this story, including Grace, guard secrets.ÊWhich ones did you see revealed?

What is Grace's attitude toward Collin in the first paragraph of the story, and what is her attitude toward him in the last paragraph?