Lily Hates Goodbyes

Helping children cope with emotions surrounding a deployed parent (or goodbyes, in general).

Marler, Jerilyn.
Lily Hates Goodbyes.
March 2011.
CreateSpace.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

When Lily's father is deployed, the four year old isn't quite sure how to handle her emotions and feelings. Lily (in the book) mimics Marler's granddaughter, "real" Lily, who deals with deployment on a somewhat regular basis. As different emotion surface throughout the story, children are presented with coping methods to help them work through the emotions in a safe way. The methods provided prove not only useful to children, but to parents as well, as parents will find new ideas to try out to help a child cope with a family deployment right through the loved ones arrival back home!

The book is very well written and would be extremely meaningful to any family who is facing a military deployment or a "goodbye" in general. Parents will welcome the information provided on the inside of the back cover, which focuses on how to get the most from the book... lots of great ideas!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Even if you are not facing a military deployment in your family, this book can be helpful in helping children to find ways to express and cope with their emotions. In his/her summer journal, have your child answer the following questions:
  * Name something that makes you angry. How can you express your anger?
  * Name something that makes you happy. How can you express your happiness?
  * Name something that makes you feel sad. How can you express your sadness?
  * Name something that makes you feel excited. How can you express your excitement?
  * Name something that makes you feel scared. How can you express being scared?
  

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If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

Happy Birthday to Charlotte Zolotow

Happy Birthday to Charlotte Zolotow!!!

Zolotow, Charlotte.
If You Listen.
1980.
Harper & Row, Publishers.

A small girl, missing her father, questions her mother about how to know someone loves you when they're not there with you. Her mother tries to explain to her all the little things that take place in the day that make you realize that even though someone isn't present, they're watching over you in other ways.

"Or," her mother went on, "it's like
staring at the mountains
on a hot summer day and nothing is moving, not a leaf or a bird or a blade of grass,
when suddenly a flash of lightening
streaks across the sky
and you hear the thunder behind it
coming close.

I think this book would be perfect for children who have family members who they don't see frequently enough - parents who are deployed in the military, or parents whose work takes them away from their children for extended periods of time. Despite it's near 30 year in print, this book could act as if it were published for the first time today, ensuring that it will be appropriate to share with children for years to come without fear of being outdated!

Zolotow, Charlotte.
The Seashore Book.
1992.
HarperCollins Publishers.
Guided Reading Level: O

A little boy who has never been to the seashore spends a day with his mother visualizing the sights that they'd see, the sounds that they'd hear if there were truly on the beach. The book is soooo good for visualization that you almost couldn't tell that the two were not at the beach!

This book would be perfect for teaching children the technique of visualization to be used for reading comprehension. It would also work as a summertime read-aloud!

Visualization and Reading Comprehension:

• Visualization (A Reading Comprehension Strategy)
• Visualization: Making Mind Pictures
• Guided Comprehension: Visualizing Using the Sketch-to-Stretch Strategy
• Mental Images
  

Other Books to Teach Visualization:

• Fireflies, Julie Brinkloe
• All the Places to Love, Patricia MacLachlan

Zolotow, Charlotte.
William's Doll.
1972.
Harper Trophy.
Guided Reading Level: L

All William really wants is a doll, but to his family, that's not something a boy should be in possession of. His brother tells him not to be creepy. His dad races out to the nearest toy store and bring home a basketball and net. William proves that he can play basketball. He even succumbs to playing with the train set his father bought. However, he's just not content without a doll. Grandma to the rescue!

But his father was upset.
"He's a boy!" he said
to William's grandmother.
"He has a basketball
and an electric train
and a workbench
to build things with.
Why does he need a doll?"
William's grandmother smiled.
"He needs it," she said,
"to hug
and to cradle
and to take to the park
so that
when he's a father
like you,
he'll know how to
take care of his baby
and feed him
and love him
and bring him
the things he wants,
like a doll
so that he can
practice being
a father."

I personally think a sweet message is being passed on to boys - that it's okay to enjoy playing with dolls. After all, Grandma's got a point! William has to learn from someone... and a doll allows the practice so that later on in life, William will be a perfect father!

Lesson Plans/Reading Activities:

• Using Literature to Teach Tolerance
• William's Doll Revisited

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com.

National Flag Week

Yesterday, like many of you probably realize was Flag Day... but the American Flag and all that it means is worthy of much more than just one day of celebration!

National Flag Week is a Presidential Proclamation that has been issued every year since 1966 for the week that includes Flag Day, June 14th. American people to participate in public ceremonies in which the Pledge of Allegiance is recited. So, in honor of National Flag Week, I have a couple flag-related reviews for you!

Ryan, Pam Munoz.
The Flag We Love.
1996.
Scholastic, Inc.

This book is perfect for sharing with children the importance of the American flag! It can be used as a simple introduction to all that the flag stands for, in words that they are able to connect with.

Explorers carried a weary flag
Through snow and sun and wind
And left the banner on the spot
That marked their journey's end.

It could also be used with older children as a research tool!

* In 1926, Richard E. Byrd and his pilot, Floyd Bennett, were the first to fly over the North Pole. Three years later, after Bennett died, Byrd and three companions were the first to fly over the South Pole. Before that historic flight, Byrd took a stone from Bennett's gravesite and tied it to a small American flag. Then, as eh flew over the South Pole, he dropped the flag and stone as a tribute to his ex-pilot and to all polar expeditions. * Explorers often plant flags when they reach their destinations to show that someone from their country has been there. *

Definitely worthy of a read and discussion this week!

Tomp, Sarah Wones.
Red, White, and Blue Good-bye.
2005.
Walker and Company.

This book isn't entirely focused on the American flag, but it does celebrate the colors of the American flag and tells a wonderful story that is so perfect for children with parents serving in the military, that I just had to share it with you... it would be perfect to pass along to military families!

A young girl is dealing with the emotions as it nears time for her father's deployment. Daddy can see his daughter is upset at his pending departure and tries to show her that even though he won't physically be with her, he'll always be with her...

Daddy says, "Look at the mailbox. See that bright red fag on the side? The red flag goes up when you have something for me. Draw me a picture, write me a letter. Anything, anytime. Stick in in the mailbox and I'll get it."

"It'll travel all the way out to the middle of the sea, all the way round the whole world.
It'll come right to me. Whenever the flag is down, I'm thinking of you.
Just keep your eye on the flag."
Red flag.

Next, the pair takes a walk and wind up racing to the end of the street.

Daddy and I go for a walk. We race to the end of the sidewalk.

Daddy says, "Look up at that sky. See those white clouds floating along?
Whenever you miss me, look for clouds and know that I'm under the very same sky.
Those clouds can float between us."
Red flag, white clouds.

At last, Daddy and Daughter head off to the beach.

Daddy and I go to the beach. One last time before he leaves. It's cold, but it's never too cold for us.
We run in and out of the water. Waves rush at my toes;
Daddy swoops me up and out, just before they hit.

We stand in the water. Our feet sink into the wet, soupy sand.
The waves try to pull us out, out to where the big ships sail.
Daddy says, "Look at the ocean. See all the blue water? I'll be
sailing in this same water. I won't be so far. Just right across the
ocean."
Red flag, white clouds, blue ocean.

Somehow though, Daddy has to connect these three things to something concrete in order for his daughter to make sense of it all and understand...

On Daddy's last night, he tucks me in and hands me a flag.
"I have this same flag on my ship. Think of me whenever you see red, white, and blue."

Red, white and blue become symbols throughout the entire story... it's perfect for military families because of this... the flag symbolizes all that our country stands for. Using red, white and blue to help military children deal with deployment is a wonderful idea, and I think Tomp did an incredible job in writing this story!

Other Related Reading:

• Betsy Ross, by Alexandra Wallner
• Coming to America: The Story of Migration, by Betsy Maestro
• F is for Flag, by Wendy Cheyette Lewison
• Flag Day, by Kelly Bennett
• What Freedom Means to Me: A Flag Day Story, by Heather French Henry
  
• Red, White and Blue: The Story of the American Flag, by John Herman
  

Flag Week Fun

• Printable Coloring Pages
• Poems and Rhymes
• Flag Day/Week Crafts
• Ribbon Door Flag
• Splatter Stars
• Patriotic Clothing
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com.