No matter what country you are from when your country is involved in a war it is always a devastating time for everyone. Families are separated with moms and dads marching off to fight for their beliefs and to stand up for their country, while their kids are left behind experiencing separation anxiety. Today's book touches on that subject and will remind you of all the children in the world who are anxiously waiting for their loved ones to return home safely to them ... where they belong.
Unwrapping...
Authored by Vanita Oelschlager
Illustrations by Mike Blanc and Colonel Wildred Bauknight U.S.A.R.
Unwrapping some illustrations...
Thus begins the story of "Postcards From a War." Brian and his Grandpa have a very close relationship and Brian feels free to discuss his feelings with him about his mom, who is in the airforce, and who has been called to fight in a war far away. He tells his Grandpa that he feels sad, scared and concerned all the time because he does not want anything bad to happen to her and he wants her to come back home safely.
Grandpa tenderly explains how he felt exactly the same way when his dad went off to war when he was six years old more than 60 years ago. He too felt scared and cried often because he was so worried for the safety of his dad, just how Brian was feeling about his mom now.
Grandpa leads Brian upstairs into the attic. He opens up an old dusty trunk and pulls out a stack of letters tied up with a string. He asks Brian to sit down and join him and together they to through the correspondence he is holding.
Grandpa's dad had kept in touch with the family by writing letters, drawing pictures and letting them know what he was doing, that he was safe and that he would be home soon. Grandpa then showed Brian his favourite postcard. It was a picture of his dad jumping with delight because he had received his orders to go HOME.
Grandpa lovingly talks to Brian about why wars occur, why people (like his mom ) want to go and fight in a war, and what might happen to people if she decided not to help. Brian, encouraged by Grandpa's words, decides he will start checking his mailbox just in case his mom sends him a letter. He tell Grandpa that he will ask his mom to call him on her cell phone and he will keep every one of the notes, emails and pictures that his mom sends to him on the computer. Grandpa very graciously tells him that no matter how his mom sends things to him they can put it all together and make a special book then both he and Brian will have a place to home all those special memories.
"It will be our "Love Daddy" and "Love Mom" book."
What a fabulous book to remind us all that as parents and guardians it is so important to take time to explain, comfort and help families stay connected and tell their stories.
The author "leaves us with a renewed pride in military service and the hope that perhaps our children may be the last generation to say goodbye to a parent called away to serve his or her country in a time of war."
-David Rozelle
About the author...
VanitaBooks publishes books for children ages 4-8 that are short tales teaching a moral or value. Each book presents a dilemma or fear that a child may have, and resolves those issues through the loving and reassuring guidance of a parent, or through the plot of the story itself. VanitaBooks donates all net profits to charities where "people help people help themselves."About Vanita
Vanita Oelschlager is a wife, mother, grandmother, former teacher, current caregiver and, for almost ten years, author and poet.
She was born and raised near Pittsburgh. She is a graduate of Mt. Union College in Alliance, Ohio, where she currently serves as a Trustee.
She has also supported and helped Jim as he built Oak Associates, ltd. into a successful investment management firm.
Today, as an accomplished author, Vanita shares openly the experiences that she, Jim and their families have had with multiple sclerosis. She has likened MS to living with an elephant, one that won't go away or be ignored. Together, she and Jim have found ways to live with this "elephant", and to share some of the larger lessons about life they've learned through the disease.
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It's a wrap.
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