Combat Zone

Support and Defend

by Patrick Jones

Justin's got it all planned out. He's going to graduate high school, enroll at the Naval Academy, and become a Navy SEAL, just like his dad. But when he finds out a secret his dad has been keeping, Justin's world is turned upside down. He feels betrayed by his biggest role model. When his aggression spins out of control, his future with the Navy is on the line. Justin might not be in combat yet, but he'll have to figure how to readjust under pressure before it's too late.

112 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2015

About the author

Patrick Jones is the author of five realistic teen novels, most recently Stolen Car((Walker / Bloomsbury, 2008). His first young adult novel Things Change (Walker & Company, 2004) was named by the Young Adult Library Services Association as a best book for reluctant readers, and was runner-up in the Teen Buckeye Book Award selected by Ohio teens. His second novel Nailed was published by Walker / Bloomsbury in spring 2006 and was a runner-up for the Great Lake Book Award. His 2007 novel, Chasing Tail Lights, is nominated for the Minnesota Books Awards. His most recent (and last) professional publication is Connecting with Reluctant Readers (Neal-Schuman, 2006). In 2006, he won lifetime achievement awards from both the Catholic Library Association, and the American Library Association. Jones is a frequent speaker at library conferences, having visited all fifty states, as well as in Canada, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. Jones grew up in Flint, Michigan, but now lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Read more at his web page www.connectingya.com, including FAQs about Things Change and Nailed (perfect for book reports!). NOTE: After a bruising experience with another author, he's limited his reviews on Good Reads to only raves as not to disturb the "fellowship" of YA writers.

Reviews

[Chrissy]

No. Violent, racist, homophobic, chauvinist character who does not learn or change by the end of the book.

Zero stars.

I had high hopes for a high interest easy reader, but this has no place in a library.

[Diane Ferbrache · Rating 2 out of 5]

Justin is happily living in Hawaii biding his time until graduation and enrollment at the Naval Academy. He's popular, athletic, and can get any girl he wants. The problem is he's somewhat of a bully and definitely homophobic. This creates a big problem for him and might just change everything.

A short novel clearly aimed at teens who want one of those teens with problems novels, but won't commit to something more in depth. Probably a good choice for reluctant readers, but there's little here to captivate others. The characters are pretty stereotypical, and the plot twist is glaringly obvious. The story ends with a somewhat happy ending, but the resolution seems forced and unrealistic. Part of a series called Support and Defend aimed at young teens. OK, just not great.

[Ryan Risedorf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Combat Zone by Patrick Jones is a good book. It's also different from most war stories. It is more about the trouble that children and their families face during war than about war. I wouldn't recommend reading it if you are into war stories. It is a good book but a little different, more like family issues than war.