December Stillness by Mary Downing Hahn: This was another Christmas gift that I received when I was in grade 8 or 9. I was so moved by it that I forced my mother to read it and discovered her in a fit of tears when I came home from school one day after she had spent the afternoon reading it. Kelly, a serious and sensitive girl, embarks on a Social Studies project to befriend and interview a homeless man who spends his days in the local library. After a rocky start, Kelly discovers the man to be a Vietnam War vet who suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Her exposure to his struggles ultimately brings her closer to her father, who is a veteran of Vietnam as well.
– Guest post by Sandra
