Missing in Action

Written by Dean Hughes

Narrated by Kirby Heyborne

Dirty. Lazy. Good-for-nothing. Jay Thacker is used to being called names because his dad is half Navajo. But things are different after he and his mother move to a small town in Utah to stay with his grandparents during WWII. Jay makes friends and earns money working the fields for his well-respected grandfather-but he encounters a problem in Ken, a fellow worker who's from the nearby Japanese internment camp. Ken's a Jap. And Jay's dad, who's been fighting for the navy out in the Pacific, is missing in action. This moving story about an unlikely friendship deftly addresses themes of prejudice and intolerance, providing readers a glimpse of the past that enlightens the present.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 18, 2016
• ISBN: 9781501929335

Dean Hughes

Dean Hughes is the author of more than eighty books for young readers, including the popular sports series Angel Park All-Stars, the Scrappers series, the Nutty series, the widely acclaimed companion novels Family Pose and Team Picture, Search and Destroy, and Four-Four-Two. His novel Soldier Boys was selected for the 2001 New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age list. Dean Hughes and his wife, Kathleen, have three children and nine grandchildren. They live in Midway, Utah.

Reviews for Missing in Action

[carolinebraden · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Set during the time period of World War II, this book tells the story of Jay Thatcher – a young boy who faces discrimination because he looks Native American (his father is half Navajo), has a father missing in action in the war, enjoys playing baseball, and develops an unexpected friendship with a Japanese-American boy. A well-written and engrossing example of historical fiction, this book effectively paints a picture of the World War II era, particularly the discrimination against and distrust of Japanese Americans, the reality of Japanese internment camps, and the sense of uncertainty felt by having a family member missing in action in the war. It is a touching coming of age story, in which Jay is forced into tough situations but grows from dealing with them. The book is fast-paced and filled with insights about how to treat others who are different from oneself, what it means to be an American, and how the choices that one makes while growing up impact how one will be as an adult. This book is recommended for young adult sections of libraries. It teaches important lessons but in an accessible and relatable way for young adult readers.

[lindap69 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jay is dealing with a lot of issues from his part-Indian heritage when he and his mother move in with his grandparents after his father is missing in action. His friendship with Ken, a Japanese American interred in a camp nearby has complications but also redemptive qualities.