Florida

Jake and his friends and family live in Florida. They do not live far from where the September 11 hijacker, Mohamed Atta, lived. Because of their proximity to Atta, the students wonder if they have seen him around. Mr. Madina works at a bank that Atta used. Because of this, Atta had a business card of Mr. Madina’s in his home, and Mr. Madina is questioned about the attacks and is eventually falsely detained. The children have a unique relationship to the attacks because even though they live on the opposite coast, they likely may have seen Atta before.

Jake's House

Throughout the novel, Jake’s house is often a place of contention. He is frequently in trouble because of the poor choices he makes while trying to defend against bullies. He is angry at both of his parents frequently, and his mom struggles with extreme anxiety. He...