A moving and inclusive tribute to our youngest servicepeople—known as “brats”—honors the bravery, resilience, patience, and adaptability of US military families.
When at least one of your parents is in the United States Armed Forces, you’re a military kid. Some say “military brat,” which stands for Born Resilient and Tough. Brats look like other kids but don’t live like other kids. In a military family, if one person serves, everyone serves. For Navy brats, making friends all over the world—learning to say, “So long till next time”—is another act of service. Staying brave on the home front when your dad, a United States Marine, deploys overseas is another act of service. And when one of your moms is stationed in Greenland, serving means celebrating Christmas late, among the daffodils, during her leave.Born to a mission that their parents chose, military kids are hardy like dandelions, always ready for the winds of change. Some even help care for wounded warriors or support parents with PTSD. Together or apart, at home or abroad, in peace or during war, military families boast heroes of all stripes. Illustrated with warmth and empathy by a former Army brat, this nuanced portrait captures their strength and sacrifice with grace and compassion.
Jeff Gottesfeld is the author of Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Honor Flight: Celebrating America’s Veterans, both illustrated by Matt Tavares. An acclaimed writer of books for adults, teens, and children, Jeff Gottesfeld has won awards from the American Library Association, the Writers Guild of America, and the National Council for the Social Studies. Jeff Gottesfeld is based in Los Angeles.
TeMika Grooms is the illustrator of Put Your Shoes On & Get Ready! and We're in This Together: Leo's Lunch Box, bothby Raphael G. Warnock; A Flea for Justice by Valerie Boling; Save the Crash-test Dummies by Jennifer Swanson; Nana’s Favorite Things by Dorothy H. Price; and many other acclaimed books for young readers. She is the founder and program coordinator for KidsLitATL, a grassroots organization that supports a diverse group of creators in Atlanta, where she lives with her cat, Nina Simone, and her two daughters, whom she affectionately calls Thing One and Thing Two.
A moving and inclusive tribute to our youngest servicepeople—known as “brats”—honors the bravery, resilience, patience, and adaptability of US military families.
When at least one of your parents is in the United States Armed Forces, you’re a military kid. Some say “military brat,” which stands for Born Resilient and Tough. Brats look like other kids but don’t live like other kids. In a military family, if one person serves, everyone serves. For Navy brats, making friends all over the world—learning to say, “So long till next time”—is another act of service. Staying brave on the home front when your dad, a United States Marine, deploys overseas is another act of service. And when one of your moms is stationed in Greenland, serving means celebrating Christmas late, among the daffodils, during her leave.Born to a mission that their parents chose, military kids are hardy like dandelions, always ready for the winds of change. Some even help care for wounded warriors or support parents with PTSD. Together or apart, at home or abroad, in peace or during war, military families boast heroes of all stripes. Illustrated with warmth and empathy by a former Army brat, this nuanced portrait captures their strength and sacrifice with grace and compassion.
Author
Jeff Gottesfeld is the author of Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Honor Flight: Celebrating America’s Veterans, both illustrated by Matt Tavares. An acclaimed writer of books for adults, teens, and children, Jeff Gottesfeld has won awards from the American Library Association, the Writers Guild of America, and the National Council for the Social Studies. Jeff Gottesfeld is based in Los Angeles.
TeMika Grooms is the illustrator of Put Your Shoes On & Get Ready! and We're in This Together: Leo's Lunch Box, bothby Raphael G. Warnock; A Flea for Justice by Valerie Boling; Save the Crash-test Dummies by Jennifer Swanson; Nana’s Favorite Things by Dorothy H. Price; and many other acclaimed books for young readers. She is the founder and program coordinator for KidsLitATL, a grassroots organization that supports a diverse group of creators in Atlanta, where she lives with her cat, Nina Simone, and her two daughters, whom she affectionately calls Thing One and Thing Two.
