Read more
Zusatztext Biden takes inspiration from her own family in relating this story about a five-year-old girl coping with her father’s military deployment. Natalie goes to school! church! the swimming pool! etc.! but each activity is underscored by her sadness and anxiety about her dad. The recurring phrase! “Be brave! Natalie!” reminds her that she has a responsibility of her own. The mom or dad is the heroic soldier! but the soldier’s families demonstrate courage as well. The illustrations! done in watercolor! colored pencil! and lithograph pencil! are vibrant and appealing. They capture the emotion of the story but also show that this situation is daily life for many people. The full-page or two-page pictures invite viewers into the frame; there are no borders as barriers to intimacy. While keeping the story at a child-appropriate level! Biden reaches out to military youngsters to help them understand their own feelings and increases awareness for all children about military families in their communities. Back matter provides practical ways to support these families.– School Library Journal Informationen zum Autor Jill Biden Klappentext Inspired by her own granddaughter Natalie, Vice President Joe Biden's wife, Jill, tells a story through a child's eyes of what family life is like when a parent is at war across the world. When her father leaves for a year of being at war, Natalie knows that she will miss him. Natalie is proud of her father, but there is nothing to stop her from wishing he was home. Full color. Zusammenfassung Inspired by her own granddaughter Natalie, President-Elect Joe Biden’s wife, Jill, tells a story through a child’s eyes of what family life is like when a parent is at war across the world. When her father leaves for a year of being at war, Natalie knows that she will miss him. Natalie is proud of her father, but there is nothing to stop her from wishing he was home. Some things do help her feel better. Natalie works with her Nana to send her dad and the other service men and women cookies and treats they have made. Natalie, her mom, and her brother can see and talk to Dad over the computer, and the kindness of friends at school and at church help her feel supported and loved. But there is nothing like the day when her Dad comes home at last....
Report
Don't Forget, God Bless Our Troops
Jill Biden, illus. by Raúl Colón. S&S/Wiseman, $16.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-4424-5735-5
Second lady of the United States Biden turns her family's experiences into an earnest picture book that encourages support of those serving in the military and their families. Natalie (inspired by Biden's granddaughter) misses her father desperately when he is deployed. "Soldiers have to do hard things sometimes," her mother quietly reminds her. But waiting and worrying about her father, and trying to be a strong example for her younger brother, Hunter, are tough. The words "Be brave, Natalie" appear as a frequent refrain as Natalie, Hunter, Mommy, and Nana celebrate holidays and milestones, wishing Daddy could be with them. Packages, prayers, video chats, and kind gestures from friends and neighbors make things a little easier, but nothing can match the joy of the day when Daddy arrives home to his "brave, brave girl." Colón captures the rhythms of everyday family life at school, church, and elsewhere in his textured, mixed-media compositions, depicting several tender moments of concern and love among family members. Biden also includes an author's note, information about the military, and tips for how children and adults can reach out to military families. Ages 5-up.
--Publishers Weekly, May 14, 2012
