Jane Harrington (Children's Literature)
Set in 1961, on an American military base in France, this story would be a good extension to any twentieth century war studies. Terry O'Brien (O.B.) has moved to France the summer that tensions in Berlin are leading to the creation of the Berlin Wall, and, when the Russians begin closing off East Berlin, area military bases are put on "high alert" (a term which, to kids, may have seemed just an abstract part of the military lexicon until recent events put it in the everyday vernacular). While these problems build in the world around him, O.B. is wrestling with his social standing in his new community. He finds himself torn between a friendship with a French boy"Claude the Clod"and the popular boys of the base (called "Aces") who ridicule and ignore Claude. O.B. tries to keep this friendship secret from the Aces, as he and Claude explore the French countryside and the nearby battlefield of Verdun, where Claude's grand-père fought during World War I. In the end, O.B. is forced to decide to whom he must be truehimself and Claude, or the Aces. The first-person, overly descriptive narrative does not ring true as a boy's voice, but it is an easy read that kids will enjoy. Although there are no girl characters, the story and the writing should also appeal to girl readers. 2001, Farrar Straus and Giroux, $16.00. Ages 8 to 12.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 2001 (Vol. 69, No. 14))
It's the summer of 1961, and the tensions in divided Berlin are leading to fears of World War III. For Terrence O'Brien, the 12-year-old son of an American army officer, the anxiety and unease become part of his daily life when his father is assigned to a base near Verdun, France. O.B., as he is called, had enjoyed life in Boston where he had friends, grandparents, and baseball. Now, uprooted one more time, he has to adjust to life in an insular French town where people must still walk carefully to avoid the thousands of live mines left unexploded in the WWI battlefield. O.B.'s parents are supportive and gently encourage him to try out for the army's little-league baseball team, but he doesn't make the cut. The army brats his age, led by Cannonball (so named for his spectacular pool dives), are all on the team and O.B. wants to be part of their group. At the same time, he is drawn to a local French boy named Claude, whom Cannonball loves to ridicule. Claude is musical and doesn't like baseball. The inner conflict that besets O.B.-wanting to fit in with the American kids and really liking Claude-drives this gentle story. O.B. chickens out of entering a church to hear Claude's recital because Cannonball and the other boys are nearby. But in a dramatic climax, it is quiet Claude whose courage and sensibility saves the lives of the American boys who have wandered dangerously close to the battlefield. Donahue ("An Island Far from Home", not reviewed) warmly conveys a feeling for life on the base and in France at this time. O.B. is realistic and appealing in that he is not always strong enough to face ridicule and exclusion from Cannonball and his group. As Claude puts it, friends say "a demain"-until tomorrow-and that is how these boys will spend their time together. 2001, Farrar Straus & Giroux, $16.00. Category: Fiction. Ages 8 to 12. © 2001 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Patricia Crawford (The ALAN Review, Fall 2001 (Vol. 29, No. 1))
The son of an army officer, 12-year-old Terrence "O.B." O'Brien has logged a lot of miles in his young life. The family's latest move has taken them to 1961 France, where they must begin to build a brand new life. O. B. is a self-conscious adolescent who longs for the support of a peer group. In his quest for meaningful friendships, O. B. finds himself caught between many worlds---that of the army base and the surrounding village, and between a very popular set of local boys, and a faithful, but unconventional companion, who he fears may tarnish his unblemished reputation. Set against the backdrop of the building of the Berlin War just after the close of WW II, Til Tomorrow situates O. B.'s personal struggles within the context of an ever-evolving and often frightening world situation. Readers will relate well to O. B.'s struggles, as well as those of the other well-developed characters in this engaging read. Genre: Growing-up/Historical Fiction. 2001, Farrar Straus & Giroux, 165 pp., $16.00. Ages 12 up.Orlando, Florida

Elizabeth Bush (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, November 2001 (Vol. 55, No. 3))
Terry “O.B.” O’Brien and his army family have moved yet again, this time to a base outside Verdun, France. Loquacious “Cannonball” promptly takes O.B. under his wing, introducing him to all the right guys (the “aces”), cautioning him against getting too chummy with the wrong social set (the “deuces”), and hauling him off to baseball tryouts, where he bombs miserably. While consigned to scorekeeping duties, O.B. makes the acquaintance of a local boy, dubbed Claude the Clod by the base kids, and reluctantly finds that Claude has a lot to offer as a friend. Predictably, O.B. is tempted into betraying his new buddy; predictably, Claude slugs O.B. right in the conscience (“I hear what people call me . . . but I thought you were different. I thought you were better”); predictably, Claude saves the aces from being blown to bits by unexploded shells around Verdun and proves that they can all be friends. The standard Cool vs. Doofus plotline gains some interest from the hidden perils of the locale and from the 1961 setting that finds the base on alert during the Berlin partition, and the inviting trio of war, baseball, and hangin’-with-the-guys themes promises an engaging, undemanding read. (Reviewed from galleys) Review Code: Ad -- Additional book of acceptable quality for collections needing more material in the area. (c) Copyright 2001, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2001, Farrar, 176p, $16.00. Grades 4-6.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2002)
When his family is stationed at a U.S. military base in France in 1961, O.B. must choose between friendship with the popular American kids or a kind, clever, but somewhat odd French boy. The coming-of-age story is well told, and O.B.'s maturation is believable. The setting, near the World War I battlefields at Verdun, is vivid and detailed. Category: Intermediate Fiction. 2001, Farrar, 168pp, $16.00. Ages 9 to 12. Rating: 3: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration.