Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King

King, A. S. (2011). Everybody sees the ants: a novel. New York: Little, Brown.

Lucky’s having a tough time at school and home. His dad is busy being a chef, and his mom swims laps. Lucky gets tormented by the school bully, Nader. Lucky’s mom is tired of their situation and decides she and Lucky will go live for the summer in Arizona with her brother and sister-in-law. To escape from all the torment, Lucky dreams he is saving his grandfather, Harry, who is a POW in Vietnam.  During his dreams Harry gives Lucky advice and encouragement about what to do in his life. Lucky also meets, Ginny, who is also having trouble with her parents, who want her to continue to be a hair model. As their bond grows, they lean on each other for advice and support. Eventually, Lucky and his mom move back, and their family starts becoming close again, and he learns to stand up to Nadar. Throughout Everybody Sees the Ants, by A. S. King, Lucky envisions ants following him, giving him comical and sarcastic comments and advice about the various situations he is in. Conflict between two people and the importance of family bonds are two influential themes portrayed all through the book, and help the reader see how both can impact a young kid. This book merges realism and fantasy because not only is Lucky narrating about his current life circumstances, but he dreams about saving his grandfather in the war. I would recommend this book to junior high readers who enjoy reading about war. Here is a book trailer for Everybody Sees the Ants: https://youtu.be/5juiTIH2qTI