What a wonderful book! And what a blessing! In most of the stories I am right there beside "little Joey" seeing his old Philly neighborhood through the the eyes of a young boy who wanted to go places, but had no idea the wondrous places he would go. Bonsall paints such a wonderful picture with his words that I feel as if his experiences are my own. I ride with him on the tractor clearing the fields that have flooded yet again. I pet the tiny frightened barn swallow named Barney (yes Joe, I get it) and worry about the poor thing, hoping it will be ok. Bonsall is an amazing storyteller. It isn't often I can read a book and drift away so that is seems I am no longer reading but that I have actually experienced what has been written. In the story about the fellow author at the Washington Press Club who asked Joe the subject matter of his latest book.....Joe said "I have talking cats..." I started out smiling but it soon erupted into a loud guffaw, getting me some strange looks from everyone else in my workplace break room. As a long time Oak Ridge Boys fan, I could picture Joe saying those words with a straight face and a twinkle in his eyes. "A Lazy Moon" brought tears to my eyes and made me miss my mom even more. And now I can picture mom standing with Lillie and watching over their children; such different lives but the same empty spot in their hearts since their mothers have left their lives. When I finally put the book down, it took a moment to realize where I was and that I was experiencing this through someone else's eyes, not my own. This is a book that I will save and read again and again. This is certainly a 5 star book! ( )