ALA Booklist (Fri Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2006)

In his small Alaskan town, Deet is certain that everyone in his school will learn that his stepfather has been jailed for drug possession. He faces his classmates with trepidation, but even more intimidating is the prison, where Deet goes to visit his stepdad. Through these visits, Deet comes to know some of the prisoners and gains insight into their stories. Most of these insights are explained in Deet's homework assignment for English class, and he forms a friendship with a fellow student whose brother is also in jail. Hill is a master of the telling detail; she conveys the atmosphere of the visitor's center of the jail, for example, in a few vivid sentences. Best is her portrait of Deet, a strong, thoughtful teenager, forced through circumstances to hold things together for his family. There's not a great deal of action here, but the story is compelling nonetheless.

Horn Book (Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2007)

When Deet's beloved stepfather is arrested for drug possession, Deet is mortified. He gradually overcomes his anger and shame to visit the jail and learns that small-town prison life isn't as bad as he'd assumed. Set in Alaska, this slow, character-driven story has an unsubtle message ("Jail wasn't the end of the world"), but Hill tackles the subject with class.

Kirkus Reviews

Deet's parents are happy-go-lucky and financially irresponsible, so he compensates by being compulsively organized and extremely judgmental. Early on, his dad is working a second job to help pay bills and gets arrested for possessing drugs to help him stay alert. Initially, Deet is utterly mortified and embarrassed. His mother gets a job and Deet realizes he has to go visit his dad in jail, a terrifying prospect. Many visits later, Deet undergoes a transformation. He learns not to be contemptuous of the prisoners—a number of schoolmates have relatives there—and he realizes that the most unexpected people can be the most thoughtful. Hill is an expressive writer who realistically conveys this boy's journey from superiority to kindness. She renders the criminals as real people, noting that illiteracy is at the root of many objectionable behaviors. Unfortunately, in a story where the whole tenet is not to judge a book by its cover, frequent snide remarks about overweight people seem out of place and cloud the moral. Still, this powerful character study, where everyone in Deet's family grows, shows that Hill has a gift for quietly but realistically portraying the journey. (Fiction. 9-14)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Readers influenced by Hollywood depictions of jailhouse violence and brutal inmates may broaden their view of penitentiary life after reading Hill's (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Dancing at the Odinochka) quiet, insightful novel. Alaska native Deet is deeply shaken when his mother tells him that his overworked stepfather, Charley, who has been taking pills to keep himself awake, has been arrested for drug possession. Deet fears that when the news gets out, he and his two younger sisters will be teased at school. He is also concerned about what will happen to Charley: "Dad in there with horrible criminals, murderers. Gentle, cheerful Dad." Over time, however, Deet discovers that many of his worries are unwarranted. Instead of being taunted by acquaintances, he is consoled by classmates and neighbors, some of whom know what it's like to have a family member in jail. Deet also learns that the prison where his father serves time is not quite as dangerous and dismal as he had imagined. While visiting his father, Deet observes that other prisoners and their families are mostly ordinary people, "like anyone else you might see in the streets." Yet Hill does not sugarcoat the hardships that plague Deet's family—financial problems, added responsibilities, uncertainties about the future. Deet emerges as a sensitive, courageous protagonist who is smart enough and open-minded enough to look past people's mistakes. Ages 9-14. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Jan.)

School Library Journal

Gr 6-9-High-schooler Deet is a good kid but feels alienated at his school in Fairbanks, AK, because his family has less money than his classmates. When his father is arrested for drug possession and sent to prison, his first thought is about what the kids at school will think of him. Reality sets in as life in Deet's family changes dramatically. His mother goes back to work and Deet spends every day after school with his dad. His view of prisons and prisoners begins to change when he learns people's stories. Deet's notebook entries for his English class give readers insight into the internal changes he is experiencing. The teen sees the bleakness of prison life but learns to see the positive effects of his father's incarceration. While the message that prisons aren't necessarily set up to rehabilitate criminals is not subtle, this a good story with a believable main character. The book wraps up a bit quickly with Deet's father's release to a halfway house, but is still satisfying as it doesn't tie things up too neatly.-Kristin Anderson, Columbus Metropolitan Library System, OH Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

Voice of Youth Advocates

Deet's life is not so bad in Alaska. Although his family is poor and his father works two jobs, he and his younger sisters get along. His parents are a bit foolish with their money, but are loving and caring. Deet is smart and very organized and spends too much time perfecting his homework and criticizing his parent's decisions. Everything is turned upside down when Dad is arrested for possession of illegal drugs. Overnight Deet must help his mother make important decisions about legal assistance and childcare. He dreads school for fear of what everyone will think now that his father is a criminal. He soon discovers that the local jail is not so bad and that several "normal" families have a relative there. Deet regularly visits his father and makes friends with the other visitors. Seeing his father in handcuffs and a prison jumpsuit is traumatic for Deet, but he learns that life goes on and hopes that his father will be stronger when he is released. Deet becomes a better brother, learns to be more moderate with his schoolwork, and in turn is helped by a concerned teacher at school. His alienated grandparents re-enter his life to help his mother work through things. This story is told with great compassion. Hill, a popular juvenile author, does not shy away from the poignant scenes. It would be great recommended reading for teens in Deet's situation, illustrating how a strong role model makes the best of such a negative situation.-Kevin Beach.