No wasted words here; the poems can pack an emotional intensity in just a few simply worded lines. A weeper keeper. *SPOILERS* Narrative poetry tells the story of a little girl whose doctor father receives orders to serve in Vietnam for a year. As the year passes the family copes with his absence, receive daily letters, learn that he's missing in action and are finally reunited at book's end.

Almost Forever is a historical fiction book for young readers about a father going off to war in Vietnam and how his family, particularly his daughter, deal with and feel about the situation.

“I never cared much
about the mail
before,
never cared much
about the envelopes and packages
that were never meant
for me.

But Daddy wrote to us
every day
from Vietnam
and that changed
everything.”

The story is told from the point of view of a six-year-old girl whose name we never even learn. Since the story has such a young narrator, it was interesting too see how much she understood of what was going on around her. While I thought she grasped it really well for one so young, there were some points where you could see she didn’t fully understand. Like when she talks about her mom watching the news every night and how she thinks it’s because she’s in love with the News anchor.

Never the less, it only took ten minutes to read so you really can’t go wrong. ( )

Oh my gosh...I read this book in ten minutes at my desk. Mistake - I teared up numerous times. It's written in verse. Testa conveys so much in so few words. Written in first person from memories of events that occured when the narrator was 6, it is a masterful blend of insightful writing and childhood innocence. A true gem. ( )

This book is really good at sharing emotions and fear that some kids might go through when a parent goes to war. ( )

This is a very short verse novel about a little girl who must say goodbye to her father , a doctor drafted into the Vietnam War. Unfortunately, the father goes missing - will she ever see her father again?
p.2-3 Christmas 1967.