cover image The Saturday Boy

The Saturday Boy

David Fleming. Viking, $16.99 (240pp) ISBN 978-0-670-78551-3

Eleven-year-old Derek has been having a rough time, both at school and at home, since his helicopter pilot father returned to Afghanistan with the Army "eight months, one week, and four days" ago. Derek's mother is struggling with worried exhaustion, and his former best friend Budgie is antagonizing Derek at every opportunity. Derek relies on the comforts of his father's letters, his wild imagination, his favorite superhero show, and his rehearsals for the school play (along with his crush Violet), but when his deepest fears are realized, Derek is forced to navigate a tumult of complex emotions and reevaluate what he values most dearly. Fleming's debut skillfully depicts how the stresses of loss and other forces beyond one's control test the bonds of family and friends; Derek's relationship with his mother is especially honest and tender. The weight of the tragic, topical events is tempered by moments of laugh-out-loud humor and Derek's energy and resilience as he muddles through the uncertainty of grief. Ages 10%E2%80%93up. Agent: George Nicholson, Sterling Lord Literistic. (June)