War and Military Life | Separation Anxiety | Books about the Military

War and Military Life
B For Buster by Iain Lawrence. YFIC LAW
Kak lies about his age, so he can join the Canadian Air Force during World War II.

A Boy at War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor by Harry Mazer. YFIC MAZ
While fishing with his friends off Honolulu on December 7, 1941, teenaged Adam is caught in the middle of the Japanese attack and through the chaos of the subsequent days tries to find his father, a naval officer.

Captain Cat by Syd Hoff. JR H
A cat makes friends with a soldier and learns about military life when he joins the army.

Exiled: Memoirs a Camel by Kathleen Karr. JFIC KAR
A first-person narrative from a camel’s viewpoint about being sent from Egypt to serve in the U.S. Camel Corps, and life on the Mojave Desert before and during the Civil War.

The Greatest Skating Race: A World War II Story from the Netherlands by Louise Borden. JFIC BOR
During World War II in the Netherlands, a ten-year-old boy’s dream of skating in a famous race allows him to help two children escape to Belgium by skating past German soldiers and other enemies.

My Father Is In the Navy by Robin McKinley. JP MCK
A young girl doesn’t remember her father, a ship’s captain who has been at sea.

The Quilt by Gary Paulson. JFIC PAU
During World War II a young boy lives with his grandfather in Minnesota.

Till Tomorrow by John Donahue. JFIC DON
In 1961, newly arrived at the U.S. Army base near the World War I battlefields at Verdun, France, twelve-year-old Terrance is torn between the popular boys on the baseball team and a French boy they tease for being different.

When My Name was Keoko by Linda Sue Park. JFIC PAR
With national pride and occasional fear, a brother and sister face the increasingly oppressive occupation of Korea by Japan during World War II.


Separation Anxiety
Coming on Home Soon by Jacqueline Woodson. JP WOO
Ada Ruth’s mama works in Chicago during World War II, and Ada Ruth misses her very much.

Goodbye, Charley by Jane Buchanan. JFIC BUC
A rhesus monkey helps Celie cope with the difficulties that World War II has brought into her life.

If You Listen by Charlotte Zolotow. JP ZOL
A mother reassures her little girl there is a way to know that someone far away loves you.

Jezebel’s Spooky Spot by Alice Ross. JFIC ROS
When Jezebel’s papa goes to war, she finds a special place in the woods to do battle with her own fears.

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. JP PEN
When Chester the raccoon is reluctant to go to kindergarten for the first time, his mother teaches him a secret way to carry her love with him.

The Magic Box: When Parents Can’t be There to Tuck You In by Marty Sederton. JP SED
Casey hates it that his dad has to travel so often. But this time Dad leaves a special gift that will help Casey cope with his absence and future trips as well.

Red, White, and Blue Good-bye by Sarah Wones Tomp. JP TOM
Before shipping out with the Navy for six months, Daddy gives his young daughter a goodbye ritual that will help them stay connected in their hearts.

When Duty Calls by Angela Sportelli-Rehak. J 355.12 S
Three children discover Daddy will leave on deployment. They learn fun ways to deal with separation anxiety and show they care while Dad is gone.

When I Miss You by Cornelia Spelman. JP SPE
A young guinea pig describes situations that make him miss his parents, how it feels to miss them, and what he can do to feel better.


Books About the Military
Count on Us: American Women in the Military by Amy Nathan. J 355.008 N 2004
That's what Colonel Mary Hallaren said in 1942 when an Army recruiting officer asked why she thought she should sign up to serve in World War II. That same spunky spirit has prompted American women to take part in every major war in the nation's history.

Desert Storm—The First Persian Gulf War in American History by Debra McArthur.
J 953.67 M 2004
In the early 1990s, Operation Desert Storm accomplished its main objectives of liberating Kuwait from an occupying force of the Iraqi Army. The Persian Gulf War helped the United States military regain the respect of the American public, and allowed many nations to work together to accomplish a common goal.

I Remember Korea Veterans Tell Their Stories of the Korean War 1950-53 by Linda Granfield. J 951.9 G 2003
What is it like to go to war? How does a war affect the men and women who are fighting in it? Here are vivid first-person accounts that address these questions and offer powerful insights into what it means to serve in the armed forces in an unfamiliar country far from home.

Life as an Army Demolition Expert by Robert C. Kennedy. J 358.23K 2000
The On Duty series celebrates the exciting and rewarding life in the armed forces. Written in easy-to-understand language, each book offers readers a panoramic view of the work, responsibilities, and opportunities to be expected by a member of the army, navy, marine, and air force branches of the military.

Life in Army Basic Training by Gene Gartman. J 355.54 G 2000
Learn about the cornerstone of all army training.

Weapons of War by Bob Italia. J 623.4 H 2002
Briefly describes the history and gives examples of military weapons and technology including various types of ships, guns, missiles, planes, tanks, and weapons of mass destruction.

When Johnny Went Marching: Young Americans Fight the Civil War by G. Clifton Wisler. J 973.78 N
Orion Howe was just thirteen years old when he stole away from his Chicago home and traveled alone to Mississippi to join his father and younger brother's Union regiment. He received a Medal of Honor for his heroism on the battlefield at Vicksburg.