Come Home Soon: A First Look at When a Parent Goes to War

by Pat Thomas, Lesley Harker (Illustrator)

This new title in Barron's A First Look At series encourages kids of preschool through early school age to understand and overcome problems that might trouble them in social and family relationships. Written by an experienced psychotherapist and counselor on a level that is always understandable to younger children, this book seeks to promote positive interactions among children, parents, and teachers. Thoughtful text is supplemented with child-friendly color illustrations on every page. A two-page How to Use This Book section for parents and teachers appears at the back of each book. A Parent in the Armed Forces speaks to kids about times when a parent in the military is called to active duty to a faraway place. Children are assured that it's normal for them to feel distress and anxiety because of separation from a parent. This title helps children understand that separation is only temporary, and that their Dad or Mom is being called to perform an important service for which the child should be especially proud.

29 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2012

About the author

There is more than one Pat Thomas in the Goodreads catalog. This entry focuses on Pat^Thomas, children's author.

Pat is a trained psychotherapist, naturopath and journalist. After working as a journalist and broadcaster in the USA, she now works in the field of child development and writes for various publications including 'Practical Parenting'.

Reviews

[Erin Buhr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to prepare a child for a parent being deployed. It is not lyrical or a spell bounding story, but it offers good advice on how to process your feelings and an accurate overview of what to expect.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice book for preschoolers or early elementary age kids who have a parent in the military. Simple and straight-forward text helps families answer the questions a child might have about their parent's deployment.

[Hillingdon Libraries]

Find this book at Hillingdon Libraries