
Reach for this book when your family is preparing for or currently navigating a military deployment and your child is struggling to express the complex mix of anger and sadness that comes with saying goodbye. It provides a mirror for the intense 'big feelings' that often surface when a parent leaves, helping children understand that it is okay to feel grumpy or upset. Lily is a young girl whose father is deployed, and the story focuses on her emotional journey rather than the logistics of military life. Through Lily's experiences, the book validates the frustration of waiting and the difficulty of keeping a brave face. It is an essential tool for parents of preschoolers and early elementary students to open a dialogue about the 'stormy weather' of emotions and the comfort of knowing that love remains constant despite the distance.
The book deals directly with parental separation due to military service. It is secular in nature and provides a realistic yet hopeful resolution. It does not shy away from the 'ugly' side of emotions, such as anger and acting out.
Your experience helps other parents find the right book.
Sign in to write a reviewA 4 to 6 year old child in a military family who has recently started throwing tantrums or withdrawing following a parent's departure. It is perfect for the child who 'hates' everything right now because they miss their person.
Read this book cold with your child, but be prepared for them to mirror Lily's frustration immediately after. It is a 'messy' book emotionally, which is its strength. Parents may find the depiction of Lily's 'meanies' or her intense sadness triggering if they are currently exhausted by their child's behavioral changes during a deployment.
For a 3 year old, the book is a simple validation of 'I'm sad Daddy is gone.' For a 7 year old, it provides a vocabulary for complex feelings like resentment and the 'waiting game' of the deployment cycle.
Unlike many deployment books that focus on the 'heroism' of the job or the mechanics of staying in touch, this book focuses almost exclusively on the child's internal emotional volatility, making it uniquely validating for 'difficult' children.
The story follows young Lily as she deals with her father's deployment. It focuses on the behavioral and emotional manifestations of her grief, including her 'meanies' (outbursts of anger) and her deep sadness. The book concludes with the joy of reunion while acknowledging the difficulty of the time spent apart.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.