[Libs-Or] compiled list - titles of separation books

[Esther Moberg]

Thank you to everyone who responded to my request for books dealing with
separation from a family member. I was able to order four titles that I
think will work well for my patron and I'll keep the rest in mind for other
situations. My original request is attached to the bottom of the e-mail. The
following titles were suggested:

 

 

Of course THE KISSING HAND comes to mind right away.  But why don't you go
on abookandahug.com and scroll through the keywords to "separation" and see
the list there.  You can limit it to picture books if you need to or to
middle reader if the child is 9-11.  

"All Those Secrets of the World"  by  Jane Yolen.  Lovely book.

Fred Stays With Me by Nancy Coffelt

A Day With Dad by Bo R Holmberg

For a 4-6th grader I would suggest Heart of a Shepherd by Rosanne Parry. The
boy's brothers are off at boarding school and his father is in Iraq (and his
mother is long gone). Here are reviews:

 

BooklistT - 02-15-2009 Grades 4-7. Ranching and soldiering are what men do
where Brother lives, in eastern Oregon. Trouble is, the nearly 12-year-old
boy doesn't think he'd be much good at either. But then his father's reserve
unit is sent to Iraq, and the boy and his elderly grandfather are left in
charge of the family ranch. Much soul-searching ensues, ultimately leading
Brother to his own personal path to the future. Parry's first novel, about a
boy's emotional and spiritual coming-of-age, is heartfelt and often
heartwarming, though her characters are a bit too saintly for credibility,
and her occasionally preachy tone strays into the didactic more than it
should. She does an excellent job, however, of acquainting readers with the
realities of modern ranching life and the impact a distant war has on the
families who are left at home to cope.

 

School Library JournalT - 03-01-2009 Gr 4-8-In this coming-of-age story,
Ignatius, the youngest of five brothers in a military family grounded in the
Christian faith, promises to take care of the ranch while his father is
deployed in Iraq. Since his mother left years earlier to pursue life as an
artist, and his older brothers are off to school or military training camps,
the 11-year-old looks to his grandparents for guidance, but often feels
angry and alone trying to keep his heroic promise. Although some of the
realities of the Iraq war are threaded in, the author primarily focuses on
the details of contemporary Oregonian ranch life. Ignatius's series of
firsts that move him beyond his absolute, always-saying-never ways are the
novel's most suspenseful scenes: he stitches up his brother's head, births a
calf, and survives a wildfire. In the end, his relationships with his Quaker
grandfather, an Ecuadoran shepherd who works on the ranch, and a new
Catholic circuit priest help him to discover his true calling, to become a
military chaplain. Despite a heavy-handed message and an unevenness in
tone-the present-tense first-person narrative changes awkwardly between a
reflective and an imaginary play voice-it remains a good purchase for
readers who are looking for realistic fiction written from the point of view
of a soldier's child, along with Maria Testa's Almost Forever (Candlewick,
2003) and Gary Paulsen's The Quilt (Random, 2004).-Sara Paulson, American
Sign Language and English Lower School PS 347, New York City Copyright 2009
Reed Business Information. 

These titles all have reunions so I'm not sure if they exactly meet the
patron's need, but I hope these help.

 

Sometimes we are brave by Pat Brisson [parent in military]

While you are away by Eileen Spinelli [parents in military]

Mama will be home soon by Nancy Minchella 

The tangerine tree by Regina Hanson [father has to leave for the US to find
work]

Wish you were here by Moritz Petz [friends separated but could apply to
parent/child situation]

 - Only One Year by Andrea Cheng.  Looks like a younger chapter book

Farewells, or I'll Come Back to You 

Picture Books                 

 

Blaine, Marge.  The Terrible Thing that Happened at our House

Cohen, Miriam.   My Big Brother

Dewdney, Anna.  Llama Llama Misses Mama

Dupasquier, Phillipe.  Dear Daddy.

Ericsson, Jennifer.  Home to Me, Home to You

Gregory, Nan.  Amber Waiting

Hobbie, Holly.  Toot and Puddle: I'll be home for Christmas 

Horner, Polly.  Polly and the North Star

Fowler, Susi Gregg.  I'll See You When the Moon is Full 

Minchella, Nancy.  Mama Will be Home Soon 

Penn, Audrey.  The Kissing Hand

Selway, Martina.  Don't Forget to Write

Senderak, Carol.  Mommy in My Pocket

Slater, David Michael.  Jacques and Spock

Spinelli, Eileen.  When Mama Comes Home Tonight

Spinelli, Eileen.  While You are Away 

Taback, Simms.  I Miss You Every Day

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

Viorst, Judith.  The Good-bye Book

Weeks, Sarah.  My Somebody Special

Wilson, Karma.  Mama Always Comes Home

Woodson, Jacqueline.  Coming on Home Soon 

Woodson, Jacqueline.  Visiting Day

Ziefert, Harriet.  When Daddy Travels

Ziefert, Harriet.  When Mommy Travels

 

Readers, Yellow

Corey, Dorothy.  You Go Away

 

+Illustrated Fiction

Yolen, Jane.  All Those Secrets of the World

+Fiction

Coman, Carolyn.  The Big House

Dowell, Frances O'Roark.  Shooting the Moon

Orr, Wendy.  Nim's Island

Stauffacher, Sue.  Harry Sue

 

Teen Fiction

 

Mead, Alice, Soldier Mom 

 

 

Hi, I had a request for books dealing with separation of a child from a
parent or a child separated by distance from another sibling. I'm not
looking for books that deal with a child going to school and having
separation anxiety, but books that deal with a child who has a parent and/or
sibling living far away. Does anyone have any great titles to suggest? 

Thanks!

Esther Moberg

Youth services librarian

Creswell Library

Creswell, Oregon

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