Adventures of Brisky Bear and Trooper Dog: Back Home Again, The

Author's Summary

Be Kind, Be Friendly, Be Thankful address the issues of separation, loneliness, sadness, anger and frustration.  In the book Brisky Bear, the adult figure, has to go away to work on a farm.  The young pup Trooper Dog, who is the child figure, wrestles through his feelings of separation while Brisky is away.  The book shows how hard deployment can be, but demonstrates healthy ways for children to respond to the deployment of their parents.  The book teaches children how to be heroes at home by being Kind, Friendly and Thankful.

MWSA Review

Once again Briskey Bear & Trooper Dog convey their message to children in an age appropriate manner that children will find easy to understand. Today’s fast paced society too often neglects the emotional needs of its children. In this book as in “Be Kind, Be Friendly, Be Thankful parents are given a necessary tool that is a quick read and easy to understand that will have a positive and lasting effect on tier children regarding situations of separation.

This story is a continuation of Briskey Bear & Trooper Dog: Be Kind, Be Friendly, Be Thankful. In this book titled “Back Home Again”, the reunion of Briskey Bear and Trooper Dog and their friend’s shows how hard readjusting can be. It continues in the same teaching style (age appropriate) while it demonstrates the positive side of new outlooks, new hobbies and new friends. Everything comes together to make the reunion a joyous one. While not dwelling on the negative side of the issues that had arose in the first book.

The book like the former explains by in easy to understand language ways to deal with issues of separation and readjustment. Like the first book “Home Again” is a good children’s book. The illustrations are eye catching and as with the first book it also hash its own CD. Parents I dare say may benefit from reading it before reading it to their children.

Reviewed by: Jim Greenwald, MWSA Lead Reviewer (January 2011)