Books That Heal Kids: deployment

Showing posts with label deployment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label deployment. Show all posts

Book Review: Papa's Backpack - A Tribute to the Bond Between a Child and Military Parent

Author: James Christopher Carroll
Interest Level: Ages 6 and Up

From the Book Jacket: When a soldier has to leave his or her family for extended service, it's an emotional time for all involved. It can be especially confusing and upsetting for children, who long for the comfort and security of a parent's presence. 

Papa's Backpack honors the bond between a parent/soldier and a child, and acknowledges the difficult and emotional process of separation during deployment. A young bear cub dreams of accompanying Papa when he leaves on a mission, wanting to stay close to provide comfort and moral support, so that ultimately the two might overcome adversity together. 

Why It's On My Bookshelf: If you are looking for a healing book to help children cope with military deployment - this is it. Papa's Backpack is absolutely beautiful. There is a longing to be with a parent when you are separated. Put the stress and fear of the parent being in a war situation and I can only imagine what a child might be feeling. Children need affirmation from the adults around them. I also think this would be a great classroom read aloud - it really stirred up a lot of empathy in me for families who are going through this. I am amazed by their strength and bravery. A favorite find for sure.  



A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:
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Book Review: Knock Knock - My Dad's Dream for Me

Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream For Me
Author: Daniel Beaty
Illustrator: Bryan Collier

From the Book Jacket: Every morning, I play a game with my father. He goes KNOCK KNOCK on my door, and I pretend to be asleep till he gets right next to the bed. And my papa, he tells me, "I love you."

But what happens when, one day, that KNOCK KNOCK doesn't come? This powerful and inspiring book shows the love that an absent parent can leave behind, and the strength that children find in themselves as they grow up and follow their dreams.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This is the one of the most powerful books I've read all year. There are many children in my school dealing with an absent parent. Their pain is real and very present. Can you imagine carrying that around all day? Knock Knock My Dad's Dream For Me tells kids they don't have to let this emotional baggage drag them down. They can knock down the doors and open new ones to their dreams. They can become their best and have a bright, beautiful future. The last few pages are full of these inspirational words with such touching illustrations of a father and son embracing had me teary.....but hopeful as a counselor that I can offer love and light though such a healing book.




At the end of the book Author Daniel Beaty gives the reader insight as to why he wrote this book. I'm forever changed because of it. Daniel, thank you for opening your heart so that so many others could be opened too.

Author's Note
When I was a small child, my father was my principal caregiver. While my mother was at the office working, my father would change my diapers, feed me, and let me ride on his shoulders to the grocery store. He also woke me up each morning with our private Knock Knock game. When I was three, he was incarcerated. My mother took me to visit him in prison, and he was behind glass. This experience was traumatic for me, and I was not allowed to visit my father again in prison for many years. As I grew older, I became aware of the tremendous void created by my father's absence. On my journey to adulthood, I realized how important it was for me to address the pain created by this separation. Later, as an educator of small children, I discovered how many of my students were also dealing with the loss of a father from incarceration, divorce, or sometimes even death. This experience prompted me to tell the story of this loss from a child's perspective and also to offer hope that every fatherless child can still create the most beautiful life possible.

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Guest Post! Book Review: Hero Mom



Author:  Melinda Hardin
Illustrator:  Brian Langdo
Suitable for: Ages 6 and Up

I saw Hero Mom on Amazon and I immediately thought of my friend Barbara Gruener who is an amazing school counselor and blogger extraordinaire over at The Corner on Character.  I would consider Barbara one of the school counselor experts when it comes to connecting, understanding, and caring for military families and children. Click HERE to read some of the amazing things Barbara has done to honor and acknowledge military families. And today she writes a guest post all about this wonderful new book - Hero Mom.

Why It's On Barbara's Bookshelf:  From the author of Hero Dad, and just in time for Mothers' Day, comes a book that focuses on the women in military who are not only soldiers, but also moms. Sometimes these hero moms serve close to home. But often times, these hero moms are sent far, far away. When that happens and these women deploy, it requires that they put their job as a mom on a back burner for a bit so they can serve their country. This book is simply powerful because it shines a light on the different jobs a military mom might get to do in a military job. And yet, they are, first and foremost, heroes in their role as mom. 

Use this book as an avenue for creating an awareness in young citizens about a soldier's sacrifice. These heroes willingly put themselves in harm's way to keep us safe and free. Cultivating respect, admiration, and gratitude for those who serve is a gift we must give our children. That's why last year at this time, we partnered with a local Jewelry Store to send Pamper-Yourself care packages to our deployed soldiers for Mothers' (and Fathers') Day. Our students wrote thank-you notes to these heroes and we sent fun stuff like scented lotions, flavored coffees, and Girl Scout cookies along with the basic-need supplies we'd collected. It felt amazing to support our deployed troops in this caring way. The bonus fun for us happened when we got to watch the soldiers open our boxes from their barracks in Afghanistan on the big screen in our cafeteria as we chatted with them via Skype (just like the mother and child in the book). We found that connecting with them truly was just a click away.

This book would also be the perfect lead-in to a Mothers' Day writing assignment; your mom doesn't have to work in the military to be a Hero Mom! Ask your students what their mom does that makes her a hero. Maybe her super power is her smile. Or it could be that she's a trustworthy carpool driver. Her super power might be caring 'cause she's the first one to make a meal for someone in need. Or maybe it's her positive attitude that makes her your hero. Have students draw a portrait of their very own hero mom and write a book, letter, or essay about their mom's super power. It'd also make a wonderful read-aloud at your Mommy Makeovers or Mothers' Day Tea. Enjoy!


Barbara Gruener is an elementary school counselor at Westwood Elementary. Barbara is a published author whose work has appeared in magazines such as Teaching Tolerance, Teaching K-8, and Daughters. She also has a wonderful blog full of helpful resources called The Corner on Character and writes for the website Character Counts!  

A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:
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Guest Blog Post Book Review: Sometimes We Were Brave

Today's review is written by Barbara Gruener who is an amazing elementary school counselor and past guest blogger on my site.

Author: Pat Brisson
illustrated by France Brassard
Interest Level: Ages 4-9

From the Book Jacket: Jerome's mom is a sailor. When her ship is in home port, she and Jerome bake cookies, read books together, ad take their dog, Duffy, for walks. When his mom's ship goes to sea, she gives Jerome a hug and says, "Be brave, Jerome. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Even though his dad takes good care of him, Jerome misses his mom and worries about her. Jerome doesn't feel brave at all. But he does what he needs to do every day - goes to school, helps his dad with chores, and takes care of Duffy. Then one day he learns that bravery means something very different then he thought it did.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: The first reason it's on my shelf is because Roxanne recommended it!  The second reason is author Pat Brisson penned The Summer My Father Was Ten, one of my all-time favorites.  The third and most important reason is because it is TOPS among illustrated picture books dealing with emotionally-charged and extremely-difficult issues of military service and sacrifice. 


This jewel's author, Pat Brisson, a former elementary school teacher and librarian first became interested in this subject when she traveled to Department of Defense Dependents Schools in Panama and Guantanamo Bay as a visiting author.  She tells me that she was struck "by the sacrifices expected of these children, who didn't volunteer, but are still giving service to their country by doing without the presence of a parent at very important times in their lives,"  which accounts for her uncanny ability to tackle the deployment of a parent head-on, with grace and sensitivity.  Telling the tale first-person-narrative style lends authenticity and credibility to the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of a boy (and his dog) trying to show courage, but struggling with missing their mom.  It's just SO real:  sometimes they have bad days, sometimes they get surprises, sometimes they have accidents, sometimes they get treats, sometimes they are afraid.

Complemented by amazingly gentle and strikingly soft illustrations, Sometimes We Were Brave will comfort and validate students whose parents are on active duty and serving in scary, far-away places and will undoubtedly stir up compassion and caring in the hearts of their friends and classmates.  We can't do enough for these families while their parent or loved one is away.  At our school, we offer preschool free of charge to kids like Jerome.  Last year, we partnered with Starbucks to send a shipment of coffee to Luke's dad, who was serving in Iraq.  Trained by the Military Child Education Coalition, I offer counseling support for these students.  We also pair them with a high-school Peer Assistance and Leadership (PAL) student for weekly visits. 

Each year in November, we study the branches of the military in preparation for Veterans Day, and we all write letters and draw pictures to send to soldiers overseas to salute, honor, and thank them for keeping us safe and free.  This year along with our letters, we sent 129 care-package APO boxes to Iraq and Afghanistan to spread holiday cheer to our heroes.  A few years back, we actually wrote letters to local families of fallen soldiers so that they, too, could be comforted and know we will always remember.  Check out this amazing book, it's a perfect companion for any or all of these ideas! 

Inspiration!
video of Barbara and her students putting together Christmas packages for the front lines.

Very Helpful Resources:
Students at the Center
Military Child Education Coalition
Operation Military Kids

More About This Elementary School Counselor Extraordinaire:
Barbara Gruener is an elementary school counselor at Westwood Elementary. Barbara is a published author whose work has appeared in magazines such as Teaching Tolerance, Teaching K-8, and Daughters. She also has an IMPRESSIVE web page called The Counselor's Corner and writes for the website Character Counts.

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