Sunrise Over Fallujah
by Walter Dean Myers
Instead of going off to college, like his parents had hoped, Robin joins the Army and heads off to Iraq. He is placed in a diverse Civil Affairs unit that includes many women as well as men. Robin writes letters home to his Uncle Richie, the main character of Myers' Fallen Angels set in Vietnam and starts to realize why his uncle was reluctant to talk about his experiences with war. While he initially signed up for the good of his country, he, like his uncle in Vietnam, increasingly become distanced from his original reasons and from understanding the innerworkings of war. As the book progresses, readers will be acquainted with the horror, violence and feelings of insecurity that couple with the experience of serving in Iraq, though the narrator tries to remain hopeful and dutiful. Readers will also gain insight into the experiences women serving in Iraq might encounter.
