Books for Military Children
ENG 290

1422 South Tech Lane,
Meridian, Idaho, 83642

November 26, 2013

Mr. Thomas Luna
Superintendent State Board Of Education
650 West State Street,
Boise, Idaho, 83720

Dear Mr. Luna,
We are a concerned group of students from University of Phoenix who want to address a lack of appropriate reading material for our students from military families. These children, and their families, are seemingly always on the move. The culture shock a typical military child goes through every time his family moves can be stressful. Although there are communities within the confines of the base, the world outside the gates can be overwhelming and even scary. Within the gates and fences there is relative safety, and a sense of security. However, outside those parameters are challenges that most children may have no idea how to handle or what to expect when they arrive in their new temporary home. There is a need for children of military families to make friends easily, and to find a community of his or her peers, but many of them find it hard to be accepted into a group when continually viewed as a temporary “new kid.” Rarely do military children have lifelong friendships from their childhood. They will better equip themselves to make friends easier and form meaningful relationships if they would prepare themselves with a sneak peak at the culture they will be living in ahead of time. Our goal is to put more books regarding these issues into the general school libraries. It is our hope that the children who read these books, about different United States and global cultures will be able to relate to their classmates and neighbors more easily, no matter where they may live. In this letter, we want to express the need for military and cultural books in the libraries dealing with the developmental phases of childhood. These developmental phases include:
1). First books and picture books for infants and toddlers, which help to develop perception and coordination, and improve communication skills,
2). Folk tales, which provide morals and are rich in cultural lore,
3). Fantasy stories, as these will spark the child's imagination and encourage thinking with a little more open-mindedness,
4). Contemporary realistic fiction,
5). Contemporary non-fiction, and
6). Historical Literature, which helps draw children into learning about the past.
First books and picture books for the younger readers often include fun pictures with bright colors, silly rhymes, and short stories. There are many picture books describing deployed parents in the armed services, leaving behind their children to be brave and face their fears without Mommy or Daddy. We believe some of these would be excelent additions to our school libraries such as Sometimes We Were Brave, by Pat Brisson, and Dear Baby, I’m Watching Over You, by Carol Casey. By learning about a character in a similar situation, children not only relate to the story but also gain a sense of security, understanding, and belonging.
Folk literature is appropriate for military children worldwide. According to Russell (2009) folk literature refers to ancient folktales handed down from generation to generation. The stories are entertaining, depict fundamental truths, and provide hope. They also build cultural beliefs, answer questions, and provide reassurance. The stories explain natural events, make dreams obtainable, and satisfy the need for entertainment.

Classic folktales bring the reader back to the time and place where the story occurred. Children can visualize the stories, recognize specific details, and relate the stories to the world around them. According to “American Folklore” (2013) Paul Bunyan is an American classic. The story starts with a friendship between Paul and an ox named Babe. The ox grew so large that Paul dug Lake Michigan for the animal’s watering hole. The story continues with the tale of the lumberjacks who left their lanterns in the woods setting Northern Michigan on fire. Paul stomped the fire out with his large boots to rescue the lumberjacks. Another tale tells how Babe knocked a large container of peas into the hot springs creating a lake of split pea soup.

Fantasy literature is another form of literature military children will benefit from. According to Russell (2009) fantasy literature tells a story of impossible events. The stories include magical events, tales of talking animals, and travels to alternate worlds. The stories focus on cultural awareness, influence thought, and develop children’s minds. Fantasy literature ensures children use their imaginations, and to see people like themselves depicted in the stories.

The classical story by John Tolkien is a good example fantasy literature. According to “Fantasy Book Review” (2013) The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one of the most exciting set of fantasy books ever published. The story depicts an amazing friendship, endless love, and a heroic quest that readers will remember for the remainder of their lives. The stories capture children’s imagination, and set precedence for future fantasy books.

According to Tara Crooks (2013), “Moving is a necessary and inevitable part of military life. It is also a very large emotional and physical challenge,” (para. 1). One way the child of a military family can adjust to the constant changes of moving is to read realistic fiction and nonfiction about the trials and tribulations of always being the new kid in a way they can relate to. The Military Child Education Coalition (2012) has a long list of both fiction and nonfiction available for children of all age groups to help with the anxiety of moving to a new state or country, and fitting into a new culture. In order for a book to be beneficial for military children when reading a realistic fiction the author will have believable characters that are dealing with true to life scenarios (Russell, 2009). Books such as Lion’s Pride: A Tail of Deployment, by Grace Anne Remey and The Brand New Kid, by Katie Couric, are perfect examples of contemporary realistic fiction that would be beneficial to our military children if they were found in the libraries of our school district. Contemporary nonfiction is an excellent resource for the older children, who may have a harder time dealing with the abrupt change in their life. The characteristics that make great nonfiction are suitability for the age group it is written for, specific details that are clearly organized and written, and information that will help our youth understand and cope. Two titles in particular that would be an excellent addition to our schools libraries are My Story: Blogs by Four Military Teens, by Michelle D. Sherman, and H is for Honor: A Military Family Alphabet, by Devin Scillian. It is important for children of all ages to know and understand the history of our military. This allows children to relate to other families and accept that they are not alone. By adding historical works of the military to libraries across the country children will be able to access this information on their own. Calvary of the American Revolution by Jim Piecuch will show children what the soldiers and their families endure within the military. Military history is a subject that has fallen out of many school's curriculum. If a child shows any type of interest on the subject, the learning must come from home. The history of the military can be disturbing for a young child. It is filled with violence, death, and despair. The teaching of this subject should be done in an environment where a child can ask questions. Learning these things in school can help to filter the things a child should learn with care.

Military children have to face many challenges throughout their lives. Having an absent parent, who may not ever come back, is something they constantly struggle with. These kinds of struggles can carry heavy on a child and they may withdrawal from the rest of society. Therefore, other children see children of the military as loners. Educating children on these issues is important to help other kids understand the burdens military children face. The culture inside the military base is very different from the outside world. There is more structure and discipline then in regular society. People within the military base form their own communities and cultures. Although they can relate with the outside world better once educated, they should know that other families go through the hardships of moving around and having an absent parent. Educating children on ways to deal with cultural shock, stereotypes, and new environments will help their transition go smoothly. This will also prepare them for what life is life outside of the military environment.
We want our military children to grow up with the best advantages possible to them. We believe that by giving them the foundation, through children’s literature, they will be able to adapt more quickly to their surroundings and be able to cope with the struggles military families face daily. We thank you for your time, and hope that this letter will effect a change in our school libraries.
Sincerely,

Enclosures (2)

References
American Folklore. (2013). Retrieved on November 23, 2013from http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2010/07/babe_the_blue_ox.html
Couric, K. (2000). The Brand New Kid. Doubleday. Retrieved November 23, 2013, from website: http://www.amazon.com/The-Brand-New-Katie-Couric/dp/0385500300
Crooks, T. (2013). Military Children and PCS. Retrieved November 23, 2013, from Military.com: http://www.military.com/spouse/military-relocation/pcs-moves/military-children-and-pcs.html
Fantasy Book Review. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/JRR-Tolkien/The-Lord-Of-The-Rings.html
Military Child Education Coalition (2012). Online Store. Retrieved November 23, 2013, from https://netforum.avectra.com/eweb/Shopping/Shopping.aspx?Site=MCEC&WebCode=Shopping
Remey, G. (2012). Lion's Pride: A Tail of Deployment. Lisa Remey. Retrieved November 23, 2013, from website: http://www.amazon.com/Lions-Pride-A-Tail-Deployment/dp/0985544503
Russell, D. L. (2009). Literature for children: A short introduction(6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.
Scillian, D. (2006). H is for Honor: A Military Family Alphabet. Sleeping Bear Press. Retrieved November 23, 2013, from website: http://www.amazon.com/Honor-Military-Family-Alphabet/dp/1585362921
Seeds of Hope Books. (2009). My Story: Blogs By Four Military Teens. Retrieved November 23, 2013, from Seeds of Hope Books: http://www.seedsofhopebooks.com/my-story.html