Self-Published Books - Reviews
These books are listed separately because so many picture books for military children have been self published recently (which means that they weren't published through major commercial publishers). These vary enormously in quality. Some of them are excellent and many of them will be useful for small military children.
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Algeo, Kristie (2006). When Daddy Comes Home. Pleasant Word Kids - A Division of WinePress Publishing
ISBN: 978-1414106670
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Algeo, Kristie (2006) When Daddy Goes Away. Pleasant Word Kids - A Division of WinePress Publishing
ISBN: 978-1414106434
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Carnet, Giovy My Name Is Baby Jeff. Trafford Publishing
ISBN 1-4120-5706-x
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Brunson Jodi A Year Without Dad.
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Colón-Franceschi, Angelina & Giovanni (2011). Mommy the Sailor. Xlibris Publishing
ISBN 978-1-4653-6540-8
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Ehrmantraut, Brenda, (2005). Night Catch. Bubble Gum Press. Jamestown. North Dakota.
IN PRINT
ISBN: 0972983392
This warm book is written in the words of a soldier father talking to his son. The father is going away so as a connection he invents a game of pretending to send the star Polaris back and forth between him and his son. The concept of the time difference is introduced and both father and son are shown sleeping and awake; the father in the desert and the son in America. The endnote information about and diagram of the North Star add to the utility of the book. Military parents and children could use this book as a start for a "Night Catch" game of their own.
Recommended
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Ehrmantraut, Brenda Hope Weavers.
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Hallowell, Kirsten. (2004). Daddy is a Soldier. Trafford Publishing. New Bern. North Carolina.
IN PRINT
ISBN: 1412018536
"Ricky's Daddy is a soldier and doesn't spend much time at home.
Ricky loves his father and is proud of Daddy's job, but is angry when
Daddy is away."
(Information from Trafford Publishing https://www.trafford.com 7 April 2005. Link checked OK 2022-11-11).
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Hilbrecht, Kirk and Hilbrecht, Sharron, (1992). My Daddy is a Soldier. New Canaan Publishing Company Inc. New Canaan. Connecticut.
IN PRINT
ISBN: 1-889658-01-4 (Paperback)
This is the first of the picture books purpose written for military children seeing their own worlds reflected or to show non-military children what it is like to be a military child. It uses simple declarative sentences that describe what it is like to have a parent in the military, "While he was gone, Daddy wrote to me. I checked the mailbox every day." (page 17). The simple illustrations complement the text.
Recommended.
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Hilbrecht, Kirk and Hilbrecht, Sharron. (2002). My Daddy Is a Guardsman. New Canaan Publishing Company Inc. New Canaan. Connecticut.
IN PRINT
ISBN: 1-889658-30-8 (Paperback)
This book has almost identical words and pictures to the Hilbrechts' earlier book, My Daddy is a Soldier. The only words that have been changed are the those needed to make the story about a Guardsman instead of a soldier. For example in My Daddy is a Soldier the father goes to the field and in My Daddy is a Guardsman he goes to a base. Also in My Daddy is a Soldier the family has to move, but the family in My Daddy is a Guardsman go to a unit picnic. It will be useful for small children with a father in the National Guard.
Recommended.
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Hilbrecht, Kirk and Hilbrecht, Sharron. (2005). My Daddy Is an Airman New Canaan Publishing Company Inc. New Canaan. Connecticut. (Release date April 25, 2005)
IN PRINT
ISBN: 1889658383
The two newest books from the Hilbrechts appear to be along the same lines as their other three books. They have already been sold in quantity to the Air Force. See:https://www.newcanaanpublishing.com/html/news.html#booksale Link broken 2022-11-11
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Hilbrecht, Kirk and Hilbrecht, Sharron. (2005). My Mommy Is an Airman. New Canaan Publishing Company Inc. New Canaan. Connecticut. (Release date April 25, 2005)
IN PRINT
ISBN: 1889658391
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Hilbrecht, Kirk and Hilbrecht, Sharron. (2004). My Mommy Is a Guardsman. New Canaan Publishing Company Inc. New Canaan. Connecticut.
IN PRINT
ISBN: 1889658332 (Paperback)
This book is the same as the Hilbrechts' other two books, except that the parent shown is a woman and not a man. This is a useful addition considering that in 2001 women made up over 17% of the total the selected reserves which was around 160 000 women (from Total Distribution Of The Selected Reserve By Sex And Reserve Component, September 30, 2001. Selected Manpower Statistics, FY2001. Office of the Secretary of Defense. 2002. Accessed from Lexis Nexis Statistical Universe, 5 December 2003).
Recommended.
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Hoffman, Mary Ann and Filomena Sitler (1981). A Special Family Published by: Naval Institute Press 1981
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Judd, Christopher M. With Jim Flanagan. Illustrated by Dale Herron (2005). Bearable Moments Acadian House, Columbus, Ohio
ISBN 978-0976666615
Blake's Mommy is going "far away for a long time" with the Army. Blake's father finds Mommy's old teddy bear for Blake and he carries it around to remind him of his mother.
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Madison, Ron. Illustrated by David Covolo Ned And The General: A Lesson About Deployment. Ned's Head Productions. 2004
ISBN: 1887206248
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Mitchell, Kathy Daddy Got His Orders. TJ Publishing Company. 2004
ISBN: 0976081105
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Sportelli-Rehak, Angela. Illustrator: Hinlicky, Gregg. (2004) Uncle Sam's Kids: When Duty Calls. Island Heights, NJ. Abidenme Books Publishing.
IN PRINT
ISBN: 0971451516
Nick belongs to Uncle Sam's Kids (a fictitious organization similar to Boy Scouts). He is excited about a competition to show their friends and family members out at sea how much they care. The winning troop will get a tour of the USS Liberty Bell. Nick and his two little sisters then discover that Daddy is deploying on the same ship for six months. Nick's troop win with "Care Sackpacks" and get to tour the ship. Soon their Daddy is gone and Nick has the idea of sending Daddy a Care Sackpack. This book talks about the family praying for each other. Extra touches include the national anthem related names of characters, Sergeant Spangle and Colonel Redglare and the fifty hidden stars representing states.
Recommended
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Sportelli-Rehak, Angela. Illustrator: Hinlicky, Gregg. (2004) Uncle Sam's Kids: Moving Again Mom. Island Heights, NJ. Abidenme Books Publishing.
IN PRINT
ISBN: 0971451524
A companion book to When Duty Calls.
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Thomas, James. (2010). What Will I Play While You Are Away? Trafford Publishing.
IN PRINT
Perfect Bound Softcover
ISBN: 9781453773307
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Updated 2014