Military Parents

Three years ago, I left South Carolina and the woman I love without looking back. Okay, that's a lie. I've spent a fair amount of time imagining myself lounging under that Spanish moss with her. Back then, we didn't have a care in the world. It was simple. Easy. Right. In fact, I'd been about to propose. Then I found out I had a kid I didn't know about, and just like that, everything changed.

Through historical newspaper accounts and the personal letters of soldiers, the events leading up to the battle and the battle itself are stunningly recreated. You will enter the mind of Robert E. Lee as he makes the fateful decision to cross the Potomac River and take the offensive. You will feel the frustration of Abraham Lincoln as he struggles to convince George McClellan to fight. And you will stand side-by-side with foot soldiers as the peaceful Maryland countryside explodes.

An investigative study of the far-right’s attack on education and an on-the-ground look at the parent activist battle, on either side of the debate, to control the future of public schools For well over a century, public schools have been a non-partisan gathering place and vital center of...

Author Joanne Steen tackles the subject that terrifies parents of military personnel - the death of their son or daughter on active duty. In short, accessible chapters Gold Star parents find thoughtful explanations and trustworthy advice for coping with military grief. Steen weaves together realistic examples with voices of other Gold Star parents, connecting the listeners to the wisdom of those parents who have walked in their shoes.

A poignant World War II story about a boy and his dog and his dad, and the many meanings of bravery, from Newbery Honor author Kirby Larson. With World War II raging and his father fighting overseas in Europe, 11-year-old Hobie Hanson is determined to do his part to help his family and his country, even if it means giving up his beloved German shepherd, Duke. Hoping to help end the war and bring his dad home faster, Hobie decides to donate Duke to Dogs for Defense, an organization that urges Americans to "loan" their pets to the military.

When her father goes soldiering for a year, a girl decides that without Dad at home, it’s not a family photo album. Though her beloved Nanny is in charge of the album that year, the girl makes sure that photographs of her never turn out well. Photos are blurred, wind blows hair in her face. April rains bring umbrellas to hide behind. Halloween means a mask. This poignant, yet funny family story expresses a child’s anger and grief for a dad whose work takes him away for long periods of time. It’s a tribute to the sacrifices made by military families.