So many unanswered questions weigh down thirteen-year-old C.J. as he struggles to understand why his father walked out. His father is back now, though C.J. is not as quick to forgive as the other members of his family. He still feels the weight of responsibility that fell on his shoulders when Daddy was gone, and he's not prepared to give that up. But C.J.'s anger is making him a stranger in his own home, and instead of life seeming better now that Daddy has returned, it feels worse. Through powerful poems, Hope Anita Smith chronicles the nuanced emotions of a family that is slowly learning to heal and put the pieces back together. Keeping the Night Watch is a 2009 Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book and a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year. Starred Review. Grade 5–8—This book picks up where The Way a Door Closes (Holt, 2003) left off. Now that C.J.'s father, who had left the family, has returned, the teen notes that dinners are like "a roomful of strangers" and that he feels weighed down by "brick heavy" questions. Wise beyond his years, eldest son C.J. felt it was his role to "keep the night watch" during his father's absence. Now, he feels displaced in his own home and seethes with anger and resentment. Gradually, everyone starts to move on: C.J. experiences the awkward elation of first love, tries his hand at shaving, and argues and makes up with his best friend. His little sister sends love notes to each family member, and, at book's end, C.J. and his family come together: "We dance on our tears." As in the previous book, Smith masterfully brings her characters to life from the inside out in straightforward free verse. Lewis uses his brilliantly composed, watercolor-and-ink paintings to underscore the strong emotions of the text. This hopeful book celebrates the power of families to heal and overcome hard times. It will speak to the hearts of many readers.— Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. *Starred Review* Smith’s The Way a Door Closes (2003), illustrated by Shane Evans, ends when Daddy returns home after leaving his family. In this sequel (with art by Lewis), 13-year-old C. J. struggles with his anger, pain, and sense of betrayal, unable to forgive Daddy, scared to hope or let his feelings show. The words are simple (“Am I safe? Will you stay?”), and the beautiful watercolor pictures of the African American family have the same quiet intensity as pictures in the first book, whether they depict the standoffs between characters or the seething teen all alone. Daddy says he’s sorry, but  can C. J. hear him? Gradually, as things get better, the scene shifts to C. J. having fun with his friend and his crush on a classmate, but at the core is family: “Momma wears a painted-on smile that says everything is okay, now,” but the portrait shows her stress as well as her strength. Although mainly free verse, there’s also a sonnet, and in one chatty 26-line piece, each line begins with a different letter of the alphabet, arranged in successive order. Unlike the first book, there’s nothing idyllic here, even in the stirring climax, in which C. J. surprises everyone, including himself. Grades 5-8. --Hazel Rochman “* Beautiful.” ― Booklist, starred review “A lovely melding of accesible beauty, hard truth, and aesthetic inspiration for young readers and budding writers.” ― The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books “[an] affecting portrait of one family's rebirth.” ― The Horn Book Hope Anita Smith is the author of The Way a Door Closes, the prequel to Keeping the Night Watch . A professional story-teller, Hope teaches poetry-writing workshops to all grade levels. She lives in Los Angeles, California. E.B. Lewis has illustrated over 35 books for young readers, including Coming on Home Soon , for which he received a Caldecott honor, and His Talkin' About Bessie , winner of the Coretta Scott King Award. He teaches illustration at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and lives in Folsom, New Jersey. Used Book in Good Condition