School shooting and a destroyed family with each family member trying to cope and no one on the same page. The story is told by a 1st grade boy who is having to tackle the loss of his brother and a school shooting alone because his parents are falling apart. Interesting way to see a tragedy.

i gave this a four because i think its an excellent book for discussion. It is amazing how she has told the story from a six year olds perspective. One critic had a hard time believing that a six year old could reason like this...i tend to agree. But who knows? I did have a hard time with how the adults, especially the mother seemed to ignore Zach's reactions to the incident. However maybe that is real life. I think the fact that this family had issues before the shooting makes the situation more complicated. A good read

Squeezed into a coat closet with his classmates and teacher, first grader Zach Taylor can hear gunshots ringing through the halls of his school. A gunman has entered the building, taking nineteen lives and irrevocably changing the very fabric of this close-knit community. While Zach's mother pursues a quest for justice against the shooter's parents, holding them responsible for their son's actions, Zach retreats into his super-secret hideout and loses himself in a world of books and art. Armed with his newfound understanding, and with the optimism and stubbornness only a child could have, Zach sets out on a captivating journey towards healing and forgiveness, determined to help the adults in his life rediscover the universal truths of love and compassion needed to pull them through their darkest hours.

Excellent page turner