Grandpa, What If?

 Author's Summary

Homecomings are wonderful reunions, but they can be stressful at times. Will Momma remember me? Will I remember her? Momma is coming home, but she's been gone a long time. Will she recognize Bean? Will Bean be able to pick Momma out in a sea of soldiers? Being deployed is a fact of life for soldiers of all military branches. Humanitarian efforts, Operations Other than War (OOW), peaceful or wartime missions - a soldier's duty is to be there. And, when it's time to come home, sometimes the unknown can be scary.

MWSA Review

Ms. Linhart places a conversation before us between a grandfather and his grandchild about Mom coming back home. Separation does not mean the same to adults as it does to children they lack the experience and knowledge to help deal with the trauma, and it is traumatic to them. Reading this story you can feel the fear within this child, the concerns over the unknowns a reunion present.

This is one of four books Ms. Linhart has written dealing with these issues and should be a must read for military families. Individual beliefs in their coping skills are not enough when it comes to children this book and the others will turn a bright light on the issue and go a long way toward limiting the damage separation causes.

Taking the time to talk out these issues with your children now will not only prepare them, it will prepare you and your family, a win-win situation I hope more emphasis is placed on in the military.

Reviewed by: jim greenwald (2010)