Though this book has the Vietnam War as kind of a backdrop and I wasn't alive for it, I could feel the bits of tension in this novel when it's talked about and with Hoagie having been hurt in that war.
This is reminiscent of childhood summers and made me nostalgic for the wonder you can find.

I love the Vitale family and their relationships with each other. I love that the girls act as if Joey is their brother and not just a family friend that visits in the summer. They include him in their adventures. They (and the neighbors) include him in the neighborhood and make him feel at home.

I love that Vita and Joey connect with each other this summer as they both pursue their dreams (Vita has always known she wanted to be an actress on the stage and Joey found this summer his knack for photography). At all 400 pages, it seems a bit daunting but it flies by and I was sad when it was over.