YA can be very satisfying. Nothing like a truly poignant and moving read to inspire a cathartic cry on the couch one lazy post-breakup afternoon. Set during the cold war missile crisis this novel captures the hopelessness and chaos of a time when the world seems to be spinning out of control. As the world perches at the brink of atomic warfare, children miss class and join families lighting bonfires on the beaches of northern England. With today's fears of terrorism, avian flu, nuclear arms proliferation...something about this tale rings true, and may even strike a cord with youth.