April is Month of the Military Child which honors the experiences of the 1.6 million American children with family members serving in the armed forces. Check out the titles and links below to celebrate these young people and learn more about how you can support them on their unique path.
All titles are available through the Debra S Fish Early Childhood Resource Library, a branch of the St. Paul Public Library.
Books for Children
Gone Again (Age Focus: PreK – Gr. 2)
“Gone again is designed to help children of first responders and military families deal with the departure of a parent who works long hours or is deployed. The book promotes resilience and recognition of support systems, and helps children maintain their normal routine while a parent is fulfilling a duty to defend, protect or serve.” From the publisher.
Hardcover, audiobook, and e-book editions are available
Brave Like Me (Age Focus: K – Gr. 3)
“When someone is serving our country, far from home, everyone in their family has to be brave. Including — and sometimes especially — the kids. This book speaks to all kids in this situation in telling the story of a boy and a girl with parents away on duty. It captures the children’s worries, fears, trials, and triumphs while waiting for their parents to return from service. Although the narrative tells one universal tale, the photographs depict multiple perspectives so that every reader has someone they can relate to. In the end, each child finds the strength and patience to endure the wait, showing admirable bravery and inspiring us all. An afterword looks further at the meaning of bravery and offers resources for helping kids deal with transition, deployment, and separation.” From the publisher.
Night Catch (Age Focus: PreK – Gr. 3)
“When a soldier’s work takes him half-way around the world, he enlists the help of the North Star for a nightly game of catch with his son. Night Catch is a timeless story that connects families while they are apart and offers comforting hope for their reunion.” From the publisher.
Hardcover and paperback editions are available
Poems in the Attic (Age Focus: K – Gr. 4)
“A young girl learns much about her mother as she reads a collection of poems written before she was born that capture her mother’s memories of living around the world and growing up as a child of an Air Force serviceperson. Includes author’s note, list of Air Force bases, and explanation of the free verse and tanka poetry forms used.” From the publisher.
Hardcover and audiobook editions are available
Hero Mom (Age Focus: PreK – Gr. 1)
“A tribute to moms who serve their country in the military reveals their contributions as unsung heroes who construct buildings, fly planes, drive tanks and do many other important things to make the world a safer place.” From the publisher
Hardcover and eBook editions are available
Hero Dad (Age Focus: PreK – Gr. 1)
“Some superheroes wear rocket-propelled boots, drive super-powered cars, and have X-ray vision.
But other superheroes wear army boots, drive tanks, and go away for long trips to make the world a safer place. It is a tough job, but superheroes can do it.
With Melinda Hardin’s simple text and Bryan Langdo’s endearing watercolor-and-pencil illustrations, Hero Dad makes a difficult and tender subject more accessible to children with parents serving far from home.” From the publisher.
Hardcover, paperback, and eBook editions are available
Books for Educators
Deployment: Strategies for Working with Kids in Military Families
“Children with parents in the military face unfamiliar and complicated emotions. This comprehensive handbook is for civilians and military personnel who work with or care for children who experience separation through deployment, death, or divorce. Written by an internationally known, hands-on trainer and presenter in the field, this book contains theory-based, practice-driven strategies for handling separation and helping young through elementary-age children move forward and live full lives.” From the publisher.
Trauma-Responsive Family Engagement in Early Childhood: Practices for Equity and Resilience
“Designed for all professionals working with parents and families of young children, this practical guide offers comprehensive resources for building trauma-responsive family engagement in your school or program. Throughout this book, you will find:
- Evidence-based practices that promote trauma-response family engagement.
- Exercises and tools for identifying the strengths and learning edges within your program, school, or agency.
- Vignettes from people and programs striving to create trusting, asset-focused partnerships with families that improve equity and promote culturally responsive practices.
- Reflective inquiry questions and sample conversations to help you examine your own practices.
With concrete examples and easy-to-implement strategies, this critical book helps readers put theory into practice while providing essential support for individuals and groups both new to and experienced with trauma-responsive practices in early childhood.” From the publisher.
Healing Stress in Military Families: Eight Steps to Wellness
“Based on the latest scientific research and best practice guidelines—as well as the authors’ experience treating veterans and their families—Healing Stress in Military Families offers answers for the stress that comes not only from war, but also from other related issues, including deployment and redeployment, relocation, and reunion.” From the publisher.
“Trauma Informed Practices for Early Childhood Educators guides childcare providers and early educators working with infants, toddlers, and preschool aged children to understand trauma, its impact on young children’s learning and development, and the range of trauma informed practices they can use in their early childhood programs to create strength-based environments that support children’s health, healing, and well-being. The book also explains how trauma informed practices can be integrated within workforce development and the wide range of quality rating and improvement initiatives transforming the early childhood field” From the publisher.
Socially Strong, Emotionally Secure: 50 Activities to Promote Resilience in Young Children
“The strategies and activities in Socially Strong, Emotionally Secure provide teachers with the tools they need to help children become socially and emotionally healthy for life. Organized into five chapters, the activities support and build resilience in children ages three to eight.” From the publisher.
Additional Resources
MN DOE Resources for Educators Serving Military Families: Thousands of Minnesotans serve our country in the military and in turn, thousands of military families and children are impacted by their service. Resources are available to assist Minnesota educators serve and support children in their classrooms and learn more about how students may be affected by the military service of a parent or family member.
US (United States) DOD Month of the Military Child: find ways to celebrate the military child in your life during the Month of the Military Child
Military Child Education Coalition: MCEC® invites you to join us in recognizing our resilient military-connected children this April during the Month of the Military Child (MOMC). Every year we take this time to celebrate these amazing children for their selflessness and sacrifice as they serve our country as part of a military family.
Contact Jennie with any questions: librarian@thinksmall.org or (651) 641-3544
Available through MNLINK (www.mnlink.org) or St. Paul Public Library (www.sppl.org)
All you need is a library card. Resources can be delivered and returned to any Minnesota public library.
