Daddy Left with Mr. Army: A Child's View of Military Deployment by Chandelle Walker

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MWSA Review

In her book, Daddy Left with Mr. Army: A Child’s View of Military Deployment, military spouse and author Chandelle Walker has created a powerful tool for military families. Although specifically targeted to those wearing Mr. Army’s green, the book will appeal to military families of all service branches—helping them cope with the stress of military life in general and deployment in particular.

The US military has participated in frequent and lengthy overseas deployments for decades now. The media often focus on the war-fighting aspects of these activities, but overlook the impact on our military families. These deployments cause stress for those left behind—and military children are especially vulnerable. 

The book includes short rhyming passages suitable for young children dealing with different aspects of deployment. Each facing page includes colorful and moving illustrations by Joshua Allen, which help tie together the various issues and emotions brought out as the story progresses.

The author includes a page of helpful suggestions for activities to help families—and especially children—deal with the tremendous challenges associated with having a military parent deployed. I recommend this book for military families with elementary to middle school-aged children.

Review by John Cathcart (February 2019)

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Author's Synopsis

 Living as a military child can often be challenging. Have you wondered what a military deployment is like from the eyes of these children? Have you thought about what they might be feeling, and do you question how to help them get through it? In Daddy Left with Mr. Army, author Chandelle Walker offers insight from a child's perspective to help you understand the emotions your child may be feeling as separation occurs. Based on Chandelle's personal experiences in a military family dealing with deployments, Daddy Left with Mr. Army helps both children and parents open a conversation about the time away. Through rhyme and illustrations, this picture book shares the challenges of deployment but also the joys of serving the United States in the military.

ISBN/ASIN: 1480868051
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book
Number of Pages: 30

Invisible Hero: Two Boys and an Exciting Tale of Honor and Valor by R. A. Sheats

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MWSA Review

 One world war and two heroes—one of whom is “invisible”—are the main ingredients of this incredibly moving and worthwhile story.

To find out who is invisible and why, you’ll have to read R. A. Sheats’s Invisible Hero. One thing is sure: the reader will be very glad they got to know childhood friends Ernest “Boots” Thomas and Jim Sledge. Invisible Hero begins with a poignant description of the upbringing and early lives of these two members of the “greatest generation.”

After covering the young boys’ early days in the small town of Monticello, Florida, almost everything changes in the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor. From this point on, the action centers on Boots’s initial training and his follow-on assignment as a Marine drill instructor at Parris Island, South Carolina. Young Boots immediately takes charge and impresses both his immediate superiors and the men he’s training and preparing for combat service in the now-raging battles of the Pacific Theater.

After training several classes of new Marines, the young leader finally gets his wish and is assigned to a combat unit. Boots would get his first taste of battle during the incredibly fierce fighting on Iwo Jima in February of 1945. The author’s descriptions of battle are detailed, riveting, and moving. Although Boots is involved in the iconic raising of the American flag on top of Mount Suribachi, that episode is not the main thrust of the story. Instead, we learn of a young man’s dedication and incredible bravery in the face of a determined and lethal enemy.

Although geared to the young adult audience, all ages will appreciate this story. Only a few technical problems detracted from this memorable portrait of two American heroes.

Review by John Cathcart (February 2019)

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Author's Synopsis

 From a small-town childhood to the bloody shores of Iwo Jima and a flag-raising that would be seen around the world, follow the exciting true story of Ernest “Boots” Thomas and Jim Sledge in this action-packed adventure of bravery and self-sacrifice. "Invisible Hero" captures the thrilling and dramatic story of two boys and their lives and adventures in the Second World War. Follow Boots Thomas and his best friend Jim Sledge and experience what life was like growing up in a small town in the shadow of the Great Depression, and then see firsthand how the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and World War Two transformed these boys’ lives forever. In this gripping tale of valor, self-sacrifice, and supreme love that lays down everything for a friend, learn the true meaning of loyalty, responsibility, and the solemn duty of honoring those who have fallen. The history of Platoon Sergeant Ernest “Boots” Thomas has inspired people of all ages for generations. His small-town childhood, the unswerving dedication he brought to every task, and his heroic desire to protect his family and home—joined with the wartime fame of raising a historic flag on the bloody sands of Iwo Jima—make the story of Boots Thomas an exciting and inspiring tale for young and old alike. As a young man who refused to glamorize his part in a justly historic battle and who bestowed all credit on his comrades instead of himself, Boots Thomas truly encapsulated the words of Solomon: “let another praise you, and not your own mouth” (Prov. 27:2). The history of his short life provides a stirring model for children of all ages. Thomas’ diligence in even the little things, his responsibility in positions of authority, and his willing acceptance of the difficult tasks laid before him are all examples from which generations of children can learn. As his company commander Captain Dave Severance said of him on Iwo Jima: “I know of no more appropriate praise than to say that [Boots Thomas] was a credit to his parents who raised him.” Alongside the history of Sergeant Thomas flows the story of Jim Sledge, Thomas’ closest friend. Raised in a little town in rural Florida, the two boys grew up together like brothers. When their paths diverged with college training and the coming of World War Two, they remained in contact through letters and visits. Boots joined the Marines and Jim enlisted in the Army Air Corps. After the war, Jim returned to Monticello alone. Boots’ death on Iwo Jima at only twenty years of age could easily have been regarded as the last tragic scene in a tragically short life, but for Jim Sledge the solemn duty of honoring the memory of his fallen friend drove him to a lifetime of preserving the history of Boots’ life and work and the lessons it provides to the rising generations. Jim’s selfless dedication of keeping alive his friend’s memory for over seven decades of life beautifully captures the truth of Solomon’s words: “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov. 18:24). Within "Invisible Hero" the history of Sergeant Boots Thomas and Jim Sledge (previously published under the title "Call Me No Hero") has been condensed and rewritten for a younger audience. Though the story has been greatly abridged, the facts remain the same, preserving the historicity of the book for younger readers.

ISBN/ASIN: 1720050813
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Young Adult (fiction or non-fiction)
Number of Pages: 175

The Motive by Joseph Badal

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MWSA Review

 "The Motive" introduces a new character, Dr. Matthew Curtis an orthopedic surgeon with a background in special forces. His main antagonist is a wily and street smart Hawaiian who manages to keep more than one step ahead of the law.

Matt flies to Hawaii upon learning of the death of his sister, to whom he was very close. He does not believe she committed suicide as the main investigator believes. Meeting his sister's friends and colleagues takes him into various parts of the islands including an important flight to Kauai. When he realizes that his sister's best friend Renee may be in danger, he calls on former special forces comrades who come equipped to defend Matt and Renee, for whom he has a special attraction.

A complicated web of crime in this tropical paradise with some international players creates a fast-moving thriller with many twists in the story. Who can be trusted? Who is in charge? And who does that crime boss own? It's hard to put this book down, and the end leaves you wanting the next book in the series.

MWSA Review by Nancy Kauffman (February 2019)

Author's Synopsis

 The Motive is a 106,300-word thriller novel, and is the first in a 3-book series titled The Curtis Chronicles.

New Mexico physician Matthew Curtis flies to Hawaii to bury his sister, Susan—a reported suicide. Shortly after his arrival there, Matt suspects Susan was murdered. He collaborates with his sister’s best friend, Renee Drummond, in a search for the murderer and his motive. Their search uncovers a criminal conspiracy that involves Lonnie Jackson—the head of organized crime in Hawaii, Nathan Ballard—the senior partner of the law firm where Susan worked, and Dennis Callahan—the homicide detective in charge of the investigation into Susan’s death.

Matt does not want to believe Susan killed herself, but the evidence, at first, seems irrefutable. He is distressed because he believes an argument he recently had with his sister and her boyfriend might have contributed to her being depressed and committing suicide.

Matt meets Renee, who challenges him to search for the truth.

He learns from the coroner that, although Susan died in a fall, she had a lethal level of a narcotic in her system. Matt knows Susan abhorred drugs.

He meets with Dennis Callahan, the Honolulu detective in charge of his sister’s case. Callahan tries to convince him that Susan’s death was a suicide and that he should get on with his life and return to New Mexico. What Matt does not realize is Callahan is a dirty cop, on Lonnie Jackson’s payroll.

Matt learns that one of Susan’s neighbors, Muriel Goldstein, left her apartment moments after Susan’s death. He tracks here down at her daughter’s home on Kauai. She confesses to having seen Susan pushed off her balcony.

Matt’s old Army buddy, Esteban Maldonado, and two of Esteban’s friends, Richie and Angelo Caruso, who live on Oahu, ally with Matt and Renee after three men attempt to ram Matt and Renee’s car over a cliff.

Lonnie Jackson, aware that Susan Curtis, the in-house accountant for Nathan Ballard’s law firm, was suspicious about the imbalance between Ballard’s personal income and his spending, orders Dennis Callahan to murder Susan. Fearful that Susan had shared her suspicions with her friend, Renee Drummond, Jackson orders Callahan to murder Renee after the first attempt on her life fails. Callahan also fails and is severely injured in his attack on Renee. Jackson is frustrated by the two failed assassination attempts and sends heavily armed hitmen after Matt and Renee. Matt, Esteban, and the Caruso brothers repel the attack and capture one of Jackson’s men. The captured hitman incriminates Jackson.   

The police raid Jackson’s homes and businesses. They acquire evidence that Callahan injected Susan Curtis with drugs on Jackson’s orders, in order to prevent her from disclosing Nathan Ballard’s role in Jackson’s drug smuggling operation. But it wasn’t the drug injection that killed Susan. Nora Dunning, the mother of John Dunning, a young attorney at the Ballard law firm, pushed Susan to her death. John Dunning is Lonnie Jackson’s half-brother and Nora Dunning is Jackson’s mother. When the police try to arrest Nora, she leaps to her death from a cliff into the Pacific.

Jackson is about to flee the country when he hears of his mother’s death. He becomes unhinged and goes after Matt and Renee himself. He shoots and severely wounds Renee. Matt fights with Jackson, but Jackson escapes and flees to Brazil with tens of millions of dollars.

An Asian drug dealer, in retaliation for Jackson stealing a heroin shipment from him, murders Jackson’s half-brother, John Dunning.

Matt and Renee fall in love. She follows him back to New Mexico, where they marry.

The deaths of his mother and brother unhinge Jackson. He blames Matt and Renee for the deaths of his mother and brother and vows revenge against them. The second and third books in the series, Obsessed and Justice, continue the conflict between Jackson and Matt and Renee.

ISBN/ASIN: B01GQTS3LQ
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 392

Borderline by Joseph Badal

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MWSA Review

Sometimes an author you enjoy ventures into new territory. I’ve been a fan of every Joseph Badal thriller I’ve read. Now I’m a fan of his new mystery series featuring Detectives Barbara Lassiter and Susan Martinez.

In Borderline, the two detectives tackle a murder case involving a much-despised woman and the many people who wanted her dead. Badal knows how to develop believable characters. Both Barbara and Susan have plenty of moxie when it comes to their work, but on the home front problems plague them.

Badal lets us inside the heads of his characters as he spins a complex yarn. The story takes us to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department. Beautiful Victoria Comstock left few mourners when her killer hacked her up with a spear. Lassiter and Martinez find it difficult to nail the perpetrator when everyone they question has strong feelings about the victim and, in most cases, a stronger motive.

Politics, police work, revenge, and sex. Borderline has it all. The plot works and you never know what is coming until you turn the page. 

Review by Pat Avery (March 2019)

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Author's Synopsis

BORDERLINE is a 74,300-word mystery. The story is inspired by actual events.

Two homicide detectives, Barbara Lassiter and Susan Martinez, are assigned a case where the female victim, a narcissistic borderline personality, has made a lifetime game of destroying people’s lives. The murder case becomes more complicated as the list of possible perpetrators grows.

Barbara Lassiter, a thirty-four-year-old homicide detective, is mourning the recent death of her husband. She poorly deals with the daily harassment meted out by a male co-worker, has found refuge in alcohol, and fights weight and depression problems. Her partner, Susan Martinez, a thirty-two-year-old world-class beauty with brains, guts, and an irreverent sense of humor, has marital problems.

The detectives must put aside their personal issues to try to solve the brutal murder of the wife of one of New Mexico’s richest and most powerful men. The victim, Victoria Comstock, had a narcissistic borderline personality disorder and collected enemies like most people collect coins. The detectives find themselves enmeshed in a helix of suspects with opportunity, means, and motive—and question giving their best efforts to solve the case the more they learn about the victim’s hideous character.

Their job gets tougher when Victoria’s psychiatrist, Nathan Stein, is murdered, and videotapes turn up that show the doctor had serial sexual relationships with a large number of his female patients, including Victoria Comstock and Connie Albans, the daughter of Marge Stanley. Marge had been Victoria’s best friend until she discovered Victoria in bed with Marge’s husband. Marge divorced her husband, who subsequently committed suicide. Victoria not only destroyed Marge’s marriage and contributed to Marge’s husband’s death by suicide, but she also had interfered with Marge’s relationship with her daughter.

A private detective, Shawn Navarro, who investigated Victoria Comstock on behalf of Marge Stanley, volunteers to share information with the detectives. Barbara develops feelings for Navarro and is motivated to stop drinking alcohol and embarks on a fitness program. For the first time since her husband’s death, she has a positive outlook about her future.

Victoria Comstock’s husband pulls political strings and gets Barbara and Susan taken off his wife’s case. But the detectives disobey orders and work the case on the side, convinced they are close to identifying Victoria’s killer. When Susan’s estranged husband critically wounds her, Barbara must continue alone. She is convinced Marge Stanley, the prime suspect, is not the murderer. But the path to the killer appears to go through Marge and her daughter, Connie. Both murder victims, Victoria Comstock and Nathan Stein, had given Marge plenty of reason for her to hate them, but Barbara is sure Marge is innocent. She comes to believe that someone who loves both Marge and her daughter, Connie, is responsible for the murders. She zeroes in on Marge’s father.

But things are not as they seem. It turns out that Navarro was in a long-term relationship with Marge Stanley. He is playing Barbara in order to learn about her progress with the case and to try to steer her away from Marge, because he believes that Marge actually murdered Victoria. Navarro also believes, based on what Marge has told him, that he is Connie’s father.

Barbara, with Susan’s help from her hospital bed, proves Navarro actually murdered Stein and Marge’s mother murdered Victoria.

Susan recovers from her wounds and returns to work. Barbara, whose heart has been broken by Navarro, realizes that, in actuality, he has helped her get her life back on the right track. Barbara and Susan’s success in solving the crimes earns them promotions.

The story offers an interesting cast of characters, two heroic female detective-protagonists, a diabolical villain, plenty of suspense, and an ending that will surprise and shock the reader.

ISBN/ASIN: B00YZSAHI8
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, Audiobook
Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 298

I Grew Up In War Housing. . . The History Of The Defense Housing Projects In East Alton, Illinois 1941-1954 by Phillip Walkington

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MWSA Review

The vast needs of a nascent peace-time military, transformed overnight into a multi-million-man world power, provided the economic stimulus needed to propel the United States out of the Great Depression and into prosperity. Thanks to countless government contracts, millions of men who heretofore had no work were desperately needed by companies to fill jobs in factories located in towns throughout the nation. But the sudden wealth of jobs was accompanied by a dearth of housing for these workers and their families. The federal housing project that built homes for war industry is the subject of the book I Grew Up in War Housing: The History of the Defense Housing Projects in East Alton, Illinois 1941-1954 written by Philip David Walkington.

East Alton, Illinois, a suburb of St. Louis located along the banks of the Mississippi River, was one such town affected by the sudden war industry needs. Home to one of Western Cartridge Company’s factories, it suddenly found itself overflowing with workers attracted to the factory by the high-paying war industry jobs the company offered. Among the many workers hired was Emory Walkington, Philip’s father. And, like all the other out-of-town workers now in East Alton, he and his family needed a place to live. Responsibility for providing housing for him and other workers like him throughout the nation was the job of the Federal Works Agency, which did so through the Defense Housing and Community Facilities and Services Act of October 1940, popularly called the Lanham Act.

Phillip has done an extraordinary job shedding light on a forgotten, yet vital, chapter in the home-front history of World War II. His research is excellent. In addition to highly-detailed accounts and descriptions of the design and construction of the housing units and sites chosen for them, his narrative includes contemporary newspaper accounts of the social impact of war housing communities like those in East Alton on host cities and their services. He includes stories from other communities, with attention paid to white cities suddenly finding themselves with a significant influx of African-American workers.

I Grew Up in War Housing includes illustrations of housing blueprints and photographs of families and their war housing homes, along with other contemporary documents. For history buffs interested in little-known facts about World War II, and for individuals interested in housing construction and the sociological impact on communities caused by the sudden influx of large groups, I Grew Up in War Housing is a must-have book in the library.

Review by Dwight Jon Zimmerman (March 2019)

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Author's Synopsis

 During WWII, two government defense housing projects were built in East Alton, Illinois. These projects became known as the “defense area,” where author Phillip Walkington lived from birth through high school. War workers flocked to our small village seeking employment with Western Cartridge Company and though jobs were to be had, there was nowhere for the influx of workers to call home. Multiple tiers of government worked together to build the defense housing projects under the Lanham Act, which provided federal funds to defense-impacted communities where the population had soared and local facilities were overwhelmed. Only now does Walkington fully understand the unique set of conditions in which he grew up. He says, “Those conditions created an unintentional experiment in social reorganization and a broad and ongoing lesson in community identity.” Written to praise the war workers who in-migrated throughout America to support the war effort --- and for his father, who was one of those workers --- Walkington's "I Grew Up in War Housing" is a firsthand account of an exceptional place created during an unparalleled time in history.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN: 978-1-64112-005-0
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Review Genre: Nonfiction—History
Number of Pages: 189

Saving Lou by Linda Loegel

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MWSA Review

Linda Loegel’s Saving Lou is an interesting and absorbing story about a family coming together to survive the depression and the separation of World War II.

Lou Dyson is one half of a set of twins born in 1923. However, his brother Larry doesn’t survive to leave the hospital after birth, and Lou spends his whole life comparing himself to a brother he never knew. Struggling in school and life, Lou constantly feels that his brother Larry would have done it “better.” When the nation goes to war and Lou finds himself in the Navy, will combat at sea be enough to prove to himself that his life is worth living?

This book is a story of a family coming together to overcome challenges. It is filled with love, concern, and heartache as the Dyson family deals with the Great Depression and World War II on the home front. The author uses the events in history as a backdrop to illustrate the importance of family, hard work, and service to country. Fans of World War II historical fiction will find this read worthwhile.

Review by Rob Ballister (March 2019)

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Author's Synopsis

 Lou Dyson spends a lifetime comparing himself to his dead twin brother, and comes up short each time. If his family can't help him appreciate his true worth, will the United States Navy be able to? World War II brings Lou face to face with two formidable enemies--a kamikaze pilot intent on destruction and his biggest enemy of all, himself. Join Lou aboard the USS Enterprise as they sail full speed ahead into the heat of battle.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1548534219
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, Audiobook
Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 238

Hope in The Shadows of War by Thomas Paul Reilly

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MWSA Review

Author Thomas Paul Reilly has penned an interesting story in his book Hope in the Shadows of War. Reilly’s protagonist, Timothy, has arrived home from Vietnam where he suffered a severe leg injury and lost a close friend to combat. In addition to his leg injury, the memories of his last battle, during which he was injured and his good friend was killed in a chopper crash trying to rescue him, haunt his dreams almost daily. Trying to get a college degree while working two part-time jobs is hard enough, but pile on an unreliable car and a mother to care for, and Timothy’s future looks bleak. 

On the positive side, Timothy has a devoted girlfriend, a close friend whom he served with in Vietnam, and a wise old man who enters his life briefly, all trying to keep him moving in the right direction. The struggle is all too real, and the outcome in constant flux. Author Thomas Reilly has created an internal struggle of hope and despair that catches a reader’s attention and emotions. I recommend this book.

Review by Bob Doerr (February 2019)

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Author's Synopsis

 Since 1981, Tom has traveled globally sharing his content-rich message of hope. Tom literally wrote the book on Value-Added Selling. Tom has a B.A. in Psychology from St. Louis University and an M.A. in Psychology from University of Missouri in St. Louis with a special emphasis in motivation theory. He spent four years in the United States Army. Tom served with the Americal Division and 1st Aviation Brigade in Vietnam from 1969-1970. He honed his leadership skills as a Drill Sergeant. Tom is a prolific writer and researcher. He is a recipient of the Northeast Business Editors Silver Award, author of sixteen books, and editorial contributor to several magazines. Tom is an avid golfer, Harley-Davidson rider, and fountain pen collector. Tom’s writings cover a wide range of topics: patriotism, war, inspiration, humor, short stories, fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.

ISBN/ASIN: B07HDCWRNT, 1633937046, 163393702X
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 278

A Special Breed of Warrior by Joseph Mujwit

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MWSA Review

Unexpected. Heartwarming. Brutal. These are only three of the many adjectives I would use to describe A Special Breed of Warrior. The author, Joseph Mujwit, has done a fantastic job at writing this fiction book, which stars an unexpected character, Zip, a Belgian Malinois-German Shepard mix military dog who is deployed to Afghanistan along with his trainer and best friend, Petty Officer Todd Mitchell. The story, which is masterfully told, presents many different layers and involves readers' senses from the very beginning, with the Prologue opening on the familiar notes of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas." However, as readers can't help themselves but start humming the melodic song, they are quickly shocked out of their comfort zone when the author brings in incessant noise of riots and the constant thundering of the helicopters, thus creating a sharp juxtaposition of sounds that trap readers into the story and only let them go when the end comes.

Although the brutality of war fights to take center stage, it is powerfully overcome by the heartwarming relationship between a dog with a silly name and his best friend, who soon find themselves fighting for their lives, with a beautiful image of Zip trying to protect Todd till the very end.

The story is so well told it is hard to believe it is a fictionalized tale. Unfortunately, there are noticeable editing errors, and the book would have profited from a stringent line edit.

So, to conclude, well done to the incredibly talented author. While he thanks military personnel and military working dogs for inspiring the story, we thank him for writing this beautiful tale and for reminding us that there are indeed many who belong to a special breed of warrior.

Review by Brunella Costagliola (March 2019)

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Author's Synopsis

 Zip is a military working dog destined to serve in the U.S. Special Operations Forces. Uniquely trained, he joins a SEAL Team and is deployed in Afghanistan's dangerous Korengal Valley with his partner and best friend, Petty Officer Todd Mitchell. Todd, the team, and their new K9 have their skills continually tested by the sinister influence of the Taliban leader dwelling in the mountains. As they battle the insurgents, the team defuse IEDs, uncover caches of weapons and withstand harassing enemy attacks. Eventually, they face dire circumstances when pursued and ultimately trapped where they make a desperate attempt to escape. The circumstances of the ensuing battle and extraction cause the team leader, Lieutenant John Kelly, to make an agonizing decision that tears at Todd's dedication to duty and his devotion to his K9 partner and friend. Can Todd and the team carry out their orders knowing that it will probably cost their most beloved member his life? Elements of Tom Clancy and Jack London come together as A SPECIAL BREED OF WARRIOR chronicles Zip’s training from his time as a pup and the special people who shape him into a highly skilled military working dog; to the orientation with his SEAL Team and their trying ordeal while deployed in Afghanistan. The novel is a tribute to the dedication of those that serve our country under the most extreme circumstances and the astonishing attributes of their K9 partners.

ISBN/ASIN: B01M0YI6SQ
Book Format(s): Kindle, paperback
Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 175

Deliberate Deception by Joe Porrazzo

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MWSA Review

“Wow, I never saw that coming.” Just when I thought I was figuring things out, a plot twist hit me – not once, but over and over. Deliberate Deception is an apt title.

Joe Porrazzo knows how to draw the reader into the story and never let go until the last page. Even then, questions arise to pique one’s interest for the forthcoming third book in the Alex Porter Trilogy.

The author stirs politics, crime, greed, and love into the pot and delivers a good read. Good versus evil seems a clear concept until it becomes muddied. Porrazzo gives us an outstanding portrayal of one man’s reaction to morality, immorality, and amorality. Can the lines really blur, or is a clear-cut answer always the right one?

Can love flourish amid deception? Can the sins of the past be forgiven? Alex Porter wrestles with these questions as he races against the clock to stop an unknown killer from an unspecified crime.

The action in Deliberate Deception is non-stop, the dialogue is crisp, and the characters are realistic. It’s the kind of story that leaves the reader wondering what he would have done.

Review by Pat Avery (February 2019)

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Author's Synopsis

***** BOOK CRITIC ACCLAIM *****

“Readers looking for a thriller that grabs hold and doesn't let go will find Deliberate Deception just the ticket for a superior and satisfying blend of psychological detail and suspense.” - D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

“…excellent story…fast paced, action packed…adrenaline pumping and heart-pounding…”

- The International Review of Books

“Politics, terrorism, and greed together create a story that is filled with unexpected twists and turns…a fast pace and engrossing plot. Once begun, it's nearly impossible to put down.”

- D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

“The narrative voice is clean, making the story easy to read and follow. Excellent word choices and visual pros made for an amazing read like I was really there in the midst of the action.” - The International Review of Books

“Joe Porrazzo's attention to detail flushes out Alex's personality, motivations, and conundrums to create not just compelling action scenes, but a character who is completely realistic and likeable.” - D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

Description:

Following the award-winning mystery thriller, SOLEMNLY SWEAR...Alex Porter is back…and the stakes just got higher!

Things are heating up in Tucson, Arizona. A greedy corporation rigs a multi-million dollar raffle creating false hopes for ticket buyers. They're not winning, they’re dying! What comes next will shock the world!

DELIBERATE DECEPTION heralds the return of Alex Porter; retired United States Air Force OSI agent turned private investigator, in another heart-pounding Joe Porrazzo suspense thriller.

Seven months after leaving New England, Alex, still grieving the tragic deaths of his wife and daughter, gets a call from his friend Joe Prater. Prater’s old army buddy has gone missing from his home in Tucson, and Joe wants Alex to check it out.

HEADLINE NEWS: Tragedy in Tucson

While investigating, Alex gets too close to the truth and finds himself caught in the deadly crosshairs. He finds himself teamed with the very person hired to kill him as they race against the clock to prevent a mysterious group from striking in Tucson and shocking the world.

Don’t miss the nonstop action. The deception is deliberate. The results are deadly.

ISBN/ASIN: ISBN-13: 978-0578422626 ASIN: 057842262X (Kindle ebook ASIN: B07KPV4L46)
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook
Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 408

Winged Brothers by Ernest Snowden

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MWSA Review

Winged Brothers: Naval Aviation as Lived by Ernest and Macon Snowden is American history of interest to a specialized audience. Much of this history is not new, but it is nicely packaged with the never-before-published biographies of two U.S. Naval Aviators whose careers overlapped from before World War II until the Vietnam War. Neither of the main characters rose to flag rank on active duty, but the story of why they did not get that promotion informs the readers about the inner workings of the U.S. Navy. In the case of Ernest Snowden, after an exemplary combat career, apparently he was selected but at the last minute, his name was removed from the flag list to make room for a returning Vietnam prisoner of war. However, he was permitted to voluntarily retire with the rank of rear admiral.

In Winged Brothers, we learn what traits mattered in these two brother’s careers. First, both brothers loved and were highly skilled in piloting aircraft. Second, they embraced and found their identity in the traditions and ceremonies of the naval service. Third, they had an aptitude for combat. All traits that made for a successful career that exemplifies those who rose to the rank of captain from the mid-1930s until the late 1970s.

Sea duty and combat flying were not the only traits that these brothers recognized as necessary for success. They were both leaders who had a genuine concern for the sailors, airmen, and junior officers under their supervision. They also were confident in their decision-making and were tough disciplinarians. Naval aviators at the time were known for “…an abundance of confidence, aggressiveness, and bravura…” – exemplified by an attitude of kick the tires, light the fires, brief on guard.

The book emphasizes the naval doctrine of offensive warfare from aircraft carriers, which served it well during the Pacific War. The reader is shown how the loss of American battleships at Pearl Harbor was overcome by the ingenuity of men like the Snowden brothers, who did what had to be done to win battles, operations, and the war. The author does an excellent job with the interplay of tactical level actions, the operational level, and the strategic levels of war. It was men like these that overcame Japanese naval aviators, the vast majority of which were enlisted men who followed inexperienced but senior commissioned officers to their death.

World War II was won by reservists. The regular forces could not field the army or the navy that was needed to defeat the Axis powers. Naval aviators, like the Snowden brothers, were less concerned with commissioning sources, pedigrees, and rank as they were with appreciating basic airmanship and aggressiveness as the most important factors required for success in aerial combat.

Winged Brothers is not a biography, but it is history with biography added in. These two officers’ stories are those of senior line officers who played important roles on staffs where they applied their combat lessons to briefings and presentations to more senior officer and congressional committee members. Both brothers were damaged by Washington politics where advocating concepts not unanimously endorsed within the Navy, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, or in Congress did not always win the day.

These two men were not faultless – a refreshing change to the traditional military history or biography. It is only later in the story that the author admits that hard drinking, partying, and failed marriages may have also played a factor in the brothers’ plateauing careers. Many successful naval aviators partied hard, drank to excess, and had difficulty in balancing the skills needed for a successful marriage with those needed in combat. Finally, as time and society moved on but Macon did not grow out of his “Old Navy” attitudes, his senior’s notations on being “brusque and blunt” were found on a less-than-stellar fitness report. The damage was done. Mac was able to continue his service to the nation and naval aviation in capacities outside that of being a commissioned officer.

There are some rather lengthy sentences that may slow down the reader already confused by naval jargon. The average naval aviator will have no problems with these minor flaws in the beginning of the book.

Excellent workmanship by both the author and the Naval Institute Press. A well-researched book, there is ample documentation in notes, an extensive bibliography, an index, and an abbreviated author’s biography that does not do justice to the author’s own distinguished career. Highly recommended.

Review by Jim Tritten (March 2019)

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Author's Synopsis

 Winged Brothers recounts the service exploits of two brothers over more than forty years of naval aviation history in both peace and war. They were deeply committed to each other and to advancing their chosen profession, but due to the vast difference in their ages and the fourteen years between their respective graduations from the U.S. Naval Academy, they experienced carrier aviation from very different perspectives. The older brother, Ernest, entered naval aviation in an era of open-cockpit biplanes when the Navy’s operations from aircraft carriers were still taking form, when Fleet Problems were still the primary means of determining aviation’s warfighting utility and proving its merits to the fleet. Macon’s story guides the reader through the Navy’s transition from piston-engine aircraft to jets. For the entirety of their time in uniform, the one constant was a close fraternal bond that saw Ernest as mentor and Macon as devoted admirer and protégé, only to see those roles recede as the younger brother’s achievements transcended those of the older brother. Through personal letters, official reports, first-hand accounts, and first-person interviews, their symbiotic relationship is revealed to the reader.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-68247-296-5
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 222

Call Me No Hero: Two Ordinary Boys and a Tale of Honor and Valor by R. A. Sheats

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MWSA Review

I was beginning to think that everybody had forgotten me." Ernest Thomas, affectionately called Boots because of his love for the footwear, wrote to his beloved mother in a letter dated November 19, 1941.

Call Me No Hero shines a light on a very important part of American history: World War II and the unsung American heroes that are so easily forgotten, simply because they were born and raised in small-town America. The protagonists, Jim Sledge and Boots, were two young men whose friendship proved to overcome and defeat barriers and time, and who chose to be selfless and serve their country with pride and honor.

From rural Florida all the way to raising a flag on the volcanic shores of Iwo Jima, Boots's dreams came to an abrupt and irreversible halt when he was killed in action. A heartbreaking telegram revealed the news to his mother, who had lovingly sent him countless letters (and candy!) to remind her darling son just how much he meant to her.

The book, filled with photos, letters, maps, and journal excerpts, does a very good job at bringing back to life a story that, had it not been for Boots's best friend Jim Sledge, as well as the author of the book, R. A. Sheats, would have probably been lost to history amnesia.

And so, to conclude, let's take our hats off, look up at the American flag, and with a smile on our faces, reassure Ernest "Boots" Thomas: No, darling son, we haven't forgotten about you.

Review by Brunella Costagliala (March 2019)

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Author's Synopsis

"Call Me No Hero" is the true story of Ernest "Boots" Thomas and his friend Jim Sledge, two young boys whose lives were dramatically changed by the arrival of the Second World War. Born and raised in rural Florida during the days of the Great Depression, Ernest and Jim's boyhood dreams and aspirations were quickly forgotten when their nation entered World War Two. Jim entered the Air Corps after graduating high school while young Ernest enlisted in the Marine Corps, pledging to do his part in protecting his family and his home. During the American drive against the Japanese in the Pacific, Ernest found himself catapulted into national fame as he and his platoon landed on the volcanic shores of Iwo Jima and raised a flag that would be seen around the world. With the use of letters, journals, and first-hand accounts, "Call Me No Hero" brings to life this captivating tale of valor, self-sacrifice, and the solemn duty of honoring those who have fallen.

ISBN/ASIN: 1938822552
Book Format(s): Hard cover
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 322

Fighting Cavaliers: The F-105 History of the 421st Tactical Fighter Squadron 1963-1967 by W. Howard Plunkett and Jeff Kolln

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MWSA Review

The history book Fighting Cavaliers shines a light on the story of the 421st Tactical Fighter Squadron, assigned to fly the F-105 Thunderchief in the 1960s. Written by W. Howard Plunkett and Jeff Kolln, two Air Force veterans who have clearly done extensive research on the topic, Fighting Cavaliers details the stories of the pilots who had been training to help bring peace in the Cold War, but instead found themselves playing a significant role in the Vietnam War. The book offers plenty of additional information (in the form of appendix and supporting documents) that give readers a detailed account of the squadron's mission in Vietnam. Moreover, the addition of photographs of military members who participated in the mission helps readers visualize the events that are described in the main text.

Although the story is certainly worth learning about, the book presents editing mechanical errors, design, and accuracy issues that, had they been avoided, would have allowed the already interesting story to truly shine through. Although Fighting Cavaliers does not present conventional footnotes that a history book would be expected to offer its readers, it does offer a detailed section titled "Notes on Sources," which the authors included at the end of the book. To conclude, the passion and commitment the authors felt toward the topic certainly came through, and they should be proud of their effort in bringing this important story to light.

Review by Brunella Costagliola (February 2019)

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Author's Synopsis

 This history of the 421 Tactical Fighter Squadron, the Fighting Cavaliers, tells much more than the story of a single F-105 squadron in the early to mid-1960s. The 421st was only one Thunderchief squadron during this period to become combat ready in the Air Force’s newest fighter-bomber. Its history is intertwined with the histories of sister squadrons in the 355 TFW at George AFB in California and McConnell AFB, Kansas, as well as in the 388 TFW at Korat Air Base, Thailand. You can read about Cold War alerts with nuclear weapons in Turkey, Korea, and Okinawa and understand how pilots in a new unit developed their combat skills in a new aircraft to prepare them for flying their planes in the hot war over North Vietnam. Read also about destroying SAM sites with the Wild Weasels, as well as successes and failures of squadron pilots during Rolling Thunder bombing missions. There are airborne battles with MiG-17s and MiG-21s as well as stories of pilots flying high-risk missions and earning high awards - Air Force Crosses and Medals of Honor. During the four years they flew the Thunderchief, the Fighting Cavaliers lost 32 of their supersonic jets to accidents and combat. This book details each loss in context with the mission and how the pilots were rescued, became POWs or died. This book covers all these topics and many more based on solid historical research together with combat stories from the F-105 pilots themselves.

ISBN/ASIN: 9781986882743
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Review Genre: Nonfiction—History
Number of Pages: 414

Kato's Grand Adventure by Jasmine and Jim Tritten

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MWSA Review

Jasmine Tritten has written a wonderful story for children in her book Kato's Grand Adventure. The story is about a cat, Kato, who is adopted by a nice family. The day before the family adopted Kato, his sister disappeared from the home in which they were staying while awaiting adoption. Kato is happy with his new home and family, but knows he must leave and search for his sister. In setting forth the trials and adventures Kato experiences in his attempt to find his sister and then return to the safety of his new home, the author spins an interesting tale for any child who likes to read or be read to. The use of a variety of animals to befriend Kato and help him during his adventure adds depth to the story. I recommend this book for all children.

Review by Bob Doerr (January 2019)

Author's Synopsis

 An adventure story written from the perspective of lost kitten. Kato is the cutest little gray/black striped young male cat with white paws and a rusty colored nose. He sets out to look for his missing sister. In the process he gets lost in the woods by a rushing stream. With the help of a rabbit, then an owl, and finally a coyote he overcomes many obstacles on his journey. Assisted by newfound friends, Kato is reunited with his sister and arrives safely at home. Kato’s Grand Adventure is a perfect to be read-aloud to children and grandchildren at an early age. It can then be a first chapter book for anyone with a 4th or 5th grade reading level. Original illustrations by the author.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1722769222; B07FRNLSCQ
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Chapter Book
Number of Pages: 60

Prowler Ball - A Yankee Station Sea Story by John Bushby

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Author's Synopsis

Genre(s): Fiction
Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
ISBN/ASIN: 9781492861126

Onishiwan, 1945 by David Andrew Westwood

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Author's Synopsis

 Too old for the draft, Gil Rossiter spends his days in a basement of a Seattle newspaper typesetting articles about the war. His wife, a Japanese American, is incarcerated with her family in a Wyoming relocation center, her ethnicity the reason for his lack of advancement to reporter. Meanwhile, Ray Ingersoll has been sent back Stateside for sentencing after shooting Japanese prisoners on Iwo Jima. Because he has an otherwise exemplary record, the authorities decide to assign him guard duty at the same internment camp. But Ray has been damaged more than just physically by the fighting, and he brings his hatred of the enemy to his new job. When one of the paper’s combat correspondents is killed, Gil is offered the chance to finally write for the paper, but on what will become the arena for the last battle of WWII, the Japanese-held island of Okinawa. Gil flies out, and follows a unit of Marines around the island until they are stopped at the hideous battle for the south. He watches as one after another of his new colleagues is killed. But there is a larger destiny in store for Gil, one that affects his wife back home.

Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction
Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
ISBN/ASIN: 978-1520932354

Kanaga Diary: Lost in the Aleutians, 1938 by Estelle Lauer

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MWSA Review

Kanaga Diary—Lost in the Aleutians, 1938 by Estelle Gibson Lauer is a moving tribute compiled and written by a daughter in memory of her father. Lauer’s father, Navy Chief Pharmacist's Mate Royce Rainey Gibson, unexpectedly and inexplicably disappeared into the wilderness after setting out for a hunting trip on January 18, 1938, while serving on a remote outpost in Alaska’s Aleutian Island chain.  Relying primarily on her father's letters and his diary entries, she documents the details associated with her father's final days and months.

A combination of Lauer's observations, as well as her father's various writings, provide an interesting look into the pre-World War II time frame in general.  The book also provides a thorough accounting of Gibson's experiences—both during his years of Navy service and while braving the barren wilderness in the middle of the Aleutian Islands.  The author’s description of how her mother, sister, and she came to grips with the loss of a well-loved husband and father are particularly poignant.  

Although the specifics of Gibson's disappearance will likely never be unraveled, the reader will certainly get a detailed look at one man's struggle to deal with the elements, boredom, and the challenges of family separation.  Perhaps more importantly, you’ll appreciate how one family learned to cope with loss and move on with their lives.

Review by John Cathcart (August 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

It’s the winter of 1937-’38. World War II is brewing. At a remote duty station on Kanaga Island, Alaska, in the middle of the Aleutian chain, eight men are engaged in a U. S. Navy mission whose aim is secret even from them. Six of the men record weather data and monitor radio communications between Japanese fishing boats. A seventh is the cook. The eighth man, the medic, Chief Pharmacist’s Mate Royse Gibson, has little to do — no one in this small contingent gets sick, no one is injured. There will be no mail in or out for months, and radiograms, the only other means of communication with home, are expensive and difficult to arrange. So Gibson keeps a diary in the form of letters to his wife and two young daughters, to be mailed if ever it’s possible. Then one day Gibson and the cook go seal hunting, and disappear without a trace. Gibson’s letters, finally delivered to his family months later, comprise half of "Kanaga Diary," detailing his daily routine and his far more interesting spare-time activities on the island. The other half of this “double memoir” is his daughter Estelle’s story of the family, struggling, eventually moving on, but keeping his memory alive. In 1995, fifty-seven years after the loss of her father, Estelle and her husband set out on a long-planned visit to Kanaga, to investigate her father’s disappearance and to finally say goodbye.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-0-99700-328-4
Book Format(s): Soft cover
Genre(s): Memoir, Nonfiction, History
Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography
Number of Pages: 132
 

Land of Wolves: The Return of Lincoln's Bodyguard by Tj Turner

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MWSA Review

T.J. Turner’s Land of Wolves is in some ways alternative history. In his first book of this series, Lincoln’s Bodyguard, Abraham Lincoln does not die at the hands of an assassin at Ford’s Theater. Instead, his half-Indian bodyguard, Joseph Foster, manages to kill John Wilkes Booth. Then Joseph and Lincoln team up to stop a Consortium of industrial magnates who are trying to seize control of the U.S. government to benefit their own financial goals. Land of Wolves jumps forward in time to the 1870s, only to find that the forces of the evil Consortium still pursue Joseph and the “Old Man,” Lincoln. Now their evil designs also threaten to steal the Great Plains from the Native American tribes who live there.

The storyline of the book is in every sense a “thriller.” Without too much emphasis on characterization or settings, the author relies on non-stop action—bloodshed, violence, torture, rape, brutality, and revenge dominate the pages. One life-threatening event follows another until the reader must surely believe all is lost. Plot twists change the outcomes with dizzying frequency. The same lost and stolen knife keeps cropping up whenever the hero needs it. A child faces serial kidnappings and emerges bravely from each one, scarred but unbowed. The faithful woman saves the day—again and again. This is the stuff movies are made of. 

Review by Carolyn Schriber (Aug 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

Land of Wolves finds Joseph Foster with Molly as they settle into a new-found life in the hills of Tennessee. But Abraham Lincoln’s former bodyguard, the man who saved the President’s life, cannot escape the Consortium as they come roaring back, killing his mother, abducting his daughter—all to coerce his Congressional testimony on their behalf.

Instead, Joseph and Molly strike the Consortium in their own safe haven of New York City. In a Bonnie and Clyde-like twist, they rob from the Consortium to draw out their leader—General Dorsey. But the hidden plan reveals more than they counted on, exposing the true intention to steal the Black Hills and the gold underneath from the Lakota Sioux. Land of Wolves traverses the American landscape, where only a full reconciliation with Joseph’s native heritage and a cast of characters ripped from history—including Lincoln—can bring true peace and stop General Dorsey and the evil Industrial Consortium.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-60809-202-4
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Soft cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook
Genre(s): Historical Fiction, Mystery/Thriller
Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 336
 

Into a Dark Frontier by John Mangan

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MWSA Review

If you're a person who loves reading a thriller where the main character often enjoys near-superhuman powers—where the "bad guys" are unbelievably bad, and the "good guys" tend to be a bit shady—you'll probably want to give John Mangan's Into a Dark Frontier a try.  Mangan takes the reader on a dangerous journey, filled with nonstop intrigue—and plenty of action and violence.

In the book's early chapters, its main character, ex-Navy SEAL Slade Crawford, is forced to confront enemies who used to be his friends and brothers-in-arms.  He quickly jumps out of the American pan and into the African fire—where civilizational norms have broken down to the point of pure evil and savagery.  Slade's journey will prove to be an exciting and page-turning experience for the reader… as long as he or she is not too squeamish.

Review by John Cathcart (August 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

In the near future, Africa collapses into an enormous failed state, leaving the continent lawless and severely depopulated. For most, the breakdown brings horror, but for others—the outcast, the desperate, the criminal, and the insane—it allows unparalleled opportunity: a new frontier of danger and unlimited possibility. 

In America, ex-Navy SEAL Slade Crawford, emotionally crippled after twenty years of frontline combat, the dissolution of his marriage, and the accidental death of his son, is falsely accused of terrorism. Slade flees to Africa to build a new life and escape his past, but he is captured by an enigmatic American colonel, Gary Kraven, and blackmailed into tracking down a blood cult that is rampaging across the sub-Sahara. Struggling to stay alive and to free himself from Kraven’s grasp, Slade pursues the cult across the lawless African frontier. He soon learns that nothing is as it seems and that he is standing at the epicenter of a global struggle that will determine the course of history. Slade must decide whether to fight for his life or his honor—he can’t have both.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-60809-261-1
Book Format(s): Hard cover, Kindle, ePub/iBook
Genre(s): Mystery/Thriller
Review Genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller
Number of Pages: 356
 

Holy in the Moment: Simple Ways to Love God and Enjoy Your Life by Ginger Harrington

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MWSA Review

Let’s face it—holiness is no easy topic to write about! The whole concept of holy can feel esoteric, unwieldy and largely irrelevant to our daily lives. We tend to think of holiness as something that resides in the realm of the divine rather than the rough and tumble of daily life, right? 

Well, not exactly. After all, the Word is clear, “Be holy, as I am holy.” But how?

Perhaps this is what makes Holy in the Moment work. Ginger Harrington is no advocate for pious perfectionism or holier than thou religious endeavor. Holy in the Moment aspires to practical life strategies and meaningful moments that create patterns of holy living and right alignment with God. Harrington’s approach to holiness is less about religion than real life choices and meaningful relationship.

Holy in the Moment is a reminder of Richard Foster’s powerful insight into what he calls the principle of indirection—We do not become holy by trying to be holy; we only become holy by growing into right relationship with God (Celebration of Discipline). God takes our small daily offerings of ourselves and makes something that far exceeds our wildest expectations. 

Harrington translates the spiritual disciplines into something less about regimen than real life choices and faith in action. Through her own journey of discovery, Harrington offers simple reminders and holy habits to enable us to live less self-centered and more God-centered lives.

Get real with God about your true feelings. Set the atmosphere in your home. Choose holiness over legalism. Count the cost of perfectionism. Make the sacred choice to forgive. Call someone else's unrecognized gift to the surface. Extend the gift of invitation. Get rid of toxic attitudes.

This pragmatic approach to holiness lays out a road map of intentional moments, daily behaviors, and practical decisions that reorient our lives and put us on the path to deeper relationship with God. Holiness is fruit--the supernatural byproduct of incremental change, daily surrender, and simple obedience. Only God can make us holy.

“Sacred simplicity is a secret to a life well lived,” the author writes, “when we make the most of all our moments for God to change our lives one spiritual choice at a time.”

Review by Dana Tibbitts (August 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

Enjoying life (zoe) in Christ comes in the choices we make moment-by-moment. Transparently sharing her struggles with anxiety, fear, and insecurity, Ginger Harrington invites women to discover how intentional choices made in the moment can become holy habits that open the door to healing and freedom. With a refreshing perspective, she shows that holiness isn’t a rigid standard to keep but a gift to receive through a vital relationship with God, who makes us whole. Holy in the Moment explores the practical power of choices to grow in holiness without the pressure of perfectionism. Through gentle encouragement, biblical insights, and applicable ideas learn to discern feelings and overcome distractions and shame, adapt God’s equation for obedience, live a praying life, discover methods for practicing holiness in parenting and the importance of rest, embrace biblical love and forgiveness, and understand how work becomes holy. Find healing and wholeness with simple choices to love God, embrace truth, and enjoy every moment of life with practical ways to be holy by choosing to trust God, rely on his wisdom, and live from his resources.

ISBN/ASIN: ASIN: B074KM3D2W, ISBN: 978-1501857805
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Religious/Spiritual
Review Genre: Collections—Religious/Spiritual
Number of Pages: 227
 

T.A. for Military Kids: The Awesome Military Kid's Guide to Feelings by Leslie Nelson

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MWSA Review

"T.A. for Military Kids – the Awesome Military Kid’s Guide to Feelings” helps military children understand some of the unique feelings that come with being members of military families. “T.A.” stands for Transactional Analysis, a communications theory. Author Leslie Nelson designed the book to be read by an adult working with a child explaining different feelings and then asking children questions to help them explore their feelings. Stephanie Nelson provides colorful and descriptive illustrations to accompany the text and appeal to kids.

The author’s background as both a counselor and a member of a military family provide an understanding of the subject matter. The questions she asks keeps children engaged and thinking, without probing. She discusses the differences between military children and others including the not-so-great things including frequent moves, new schools, and parent deployments. She also suggests ways for children to replace bad feelings with good ones based on Dr. Claude Steiner’s research.

This is a book that fills a void for adults looking for methods to speak with military children about the realities of being members of military families. It is a good primer to get children talking. It speaks of good feelings, bad feelings, and reminds children to be proud of themselves and their families. This book is an easy read for adults and recommended to be read to eight- to-eleven-year-olds.

MWSA Review by Valerie Ormond (June 2018)

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Author's Synopsis

A 2011 Department of Defense report approximates that 44 percent of military personnel have children. When the military enlists a service member, it enlists the entire family. These families make many sacrifices and deserve our respect and appreciation. T. A. for Military Kids: The Awesome Military Kids Guide to Feelings encourages military kids to feel proud of themselves and their contribution to the family, and proud to have a parent in the military, even if military life is challenging for them at times. A kid’s perception of an event like deployment is often very different from an adult’s. Depending on their age, kids may believe they are responsible for the deployed parent going away, while this thought would never enter an adults mind. The book talks about the normal feelings all kids have and then explains the possible emotions experienced by military kids when faced with the events of everyday military life, such as frequent moves, adjusting to new schools, absence of the military parent, and re-establishing family roles when the military parent returns. This guide helps military kids make sense of their experiences and understand that all of their feelings are normal and okay, even the challenging ones. For military parents, T. A. for Military Kids makes life a little easier by encouraging kids to talk about what’s going on in their heads.

ISBN/ASIN: 978-1-4624-0874-0 ASIN: B07922FNLH
Book Format(s): Soft cover, Kindle
Genre(s): Nonfiction, Picture Book
Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Picture Book
Number of Pages: 40