Willow Run by Patricia Reilly Giff

This book is a companion to Lily's Crossing. I read Lily's Crossing a few weeks ago and so when I read Willow Run, I was surprised by the character of Margaret. I don't remember the Grandpa in Lily's Crossing, yet he was a valuable, important character in Willow Run. Margaret was a much gentler person I thought and more vulnerable in Willow Run. However, the value of families, the stress of war, the development of friendships and acceptance of differences are all strong here. It was well worth reading. It was good that it was not the same characters all the way through. I really related to the desire for her brother Eddy to be safe, to have hope because I remember when #3 son Michael was in Iraq and communication was slow and the news reports so negative. I related to the panic of the mom more than Meggie, but the belief that we should all do what we can, I related to as well. I felt the pride when Meggie reached out in honesty to Arnold and was impressed with the growth that she experience in that short time in the book.