Nate Chance lives on a failing farm in Montana. It is 1966 and he is fourteen. The day that brings his family to its knees started early in the morning as usual. But by the time the school bus returns Nate and his little sister Junie, their lives have been torn at the seams. The police are in the drive way along with an ambulance. Nate's bloody father is being dragged from the fields.
Nate's dad tried to kill himself. The police can't find the gun and soon come back to the Chance farm to accuse Nate's mother of shooting her husband. Nate and Junie are ostricized at school. They are not told anything about their father. They are never taken to see him. Nate's mother is falling apart. The farm has to be auctioned off.
The only thing keeping Nate going is his little sister and a strange Bible Study girl at school. The two teens are partnered up for the science fair. Nate's dad always had big dreams and knew so many wonderful things. Nate decides that he and Naomi will build a cloud chamber just like his dad had always wanted to. The cloud chamber will show radiation from stars long ago exploded.
The story is sweet and unassuming. It illustrates the hard times many families go through and how they are still able to pull through even though things may never be the same.
Rating 3.5 The book was a hair depressing but still an okay read for tweens on up.
Rating PG Attemped suicide
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