Copyright 2008 - 2023 Benita Koeman, Operation We Are Here. All rights reserved.
Operation We Are Here is a HUB of RESOURCES for the military community and military supporters.
Military support is not a concept to embrace; military support is sacrificial action. Visit our military support TOOLKIT.
Best new books for military spouses ~ 2023
My three children have endured three long deployments without their daddy. Supporting military kids is very real to me. Our family has benefited from those who have it on their heart to reach out to military kids with good quality books. Contrary to what many believe, there are MANY books for military kids (LINK to my lists). And now I am delighted to highlight some NEW military children books!
Be sure to check out these ADDITIONAL resources:
Support for
100's of books for military families & military supporters
Best NEW books for military families and veteran families from 2023
Return to Books for the Military Community & Supporters - LINK
View the 2020 booklist - LINK
View the 2021 booklist - LINK
View the 2022 booklist - LINK
Benita Koeman of Operation We Are Here is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. When you purchase a product that is linked to Amazon, I earn a small commission which in turn helps me to continue with my mission of providing resources to the military community and military supporters. Learn more...
Best new books for military children & teens ~ 2023
Resources for supporters of military and veteran families
- Practical insights in caring for
Military and veteran family resources
- Christian encouragement
- Deployment support for
- Downloads and printables
Operation We Are Here
Follow us on
resources
More BEST new books for military families!
Author: Shanon Hyde
There are two things Ginny Pierce loves most in the world: geography facts and her father. But when her dad is deployed overseas and Ginny’s family must move to yet another town, not even her facts can keep her afloat. The geography camp she’s been anxiously awaiting gets canceled, and her new neighbors prefer her basketball-star sister. Worst of all, her dad is in a war zone and impossible to get ahold of. Ginny decides that running her own camp for the kids on her street will solve all her problems. But can she convince them (and herself) that there's more to her than just facts?
With a fierce heart and steadfast determination, Ginny tackles the challenges and rewards of staying true to herself during a season of growth. This thoughtful novel explores the strength that develops through adversity; Ginny must learn to trust her inner compass as she navigates the world around her.
View the entire list of books for military teens HERE
Ginny off the Map
Author: Ana Elise
In this children's book illustrated with her own beautiful watercolor paintings, 15-year-old Ana pulls back the curtain to give a glimpse into the world behind the mask of pleasant appearances in her own military family. She vividly reveals the difficulties that accompany military life, compounded by her father's deep struggle with PTSD. Out of this darkness, she paints a picture of redemption and how an organization, Little Blessings Veteran Outreach, and their equine therapy program reached into her family to make it stronger and to salvage damaged family relationships. Ana created this book to offer hope to other military kids in similar family situations.
View the entire list of books for children of military families coping with PTSD HERE
View the entire list of equine therapy books for military families HERE
Hope on Four Hooves: A true story of a military family's journey through the struggles of PTSD
Authors: Lee Ellis and Greg Godek
Experience 20 Romance Stories of Top Gun POWs
Captured by Love shares the real love stories of 20 Vietnam War POWs. Some had wives who started a movement that changed American foreign policy. Others came home and had to start over, while five single men met the loves of their lives. Despite their unique differences, all these couples have been happily married 40 to 65 years.
You’ll be swept up into some extraordinary tales such as:
• Carole boldly gave her husband’s POW-MIA bracelet to John Wayne―he wore it for years!
• Pan Am stewardess Suzy wore a bracelet for POW Bill Bailey, whom she did not know. But she prayed for him daily, and miraculously met and married him when he came home.
• After eight years in prison, one POW said to his wife in his first phone call upon his release, “Hi Jane. It’s Tarzan.” You will laugh and cry when you learn why.
Former POW Lee Ellis and love expert Greg Godek take you on a dramatic journey of faithfulness, passion, excitement, resilience, and practical love lessons from these couples.
Captured by Love: Inspiring True Romance Stories from Vietnam POWs
Author: Graciela Tiscareno-Sato
In the third book in the award-winning, bilingual series, Marco and his friends take flight on the KC-135 refueling tanker! They see Captain Mama and her aircrew in action refueling some of the coolest jets in the Air Force, and witness what happens when an emergency suddenly arises in flight! Bilingual aviation glossary and origami jet included.
View the entire list of Spanish books for military children HERE.
View the entire list of children's books about the military HERE
Taking Flight with Captain Mama/Despegando con Capitán Mamá
Author: Lynzee Wig
When you were away is a heartfelt story about a mother and son's bond built while their family member is deployed overseas. Showing readers that you can still miss your loved ones while they are away while staying busy.
View the entire list of children's deployment books HERE
When You Were Away
Author: Monica Voicu Denniston
A beautifully illustrated children's book about a patriotic rat who learns she can serve simply by being a friend to a military child.
Maggie P. Worthington is a military rat - well, she wants to be. She tries to enlist, but falls short. She tries to serve the soldiers, but gets kicked out of the mess hall. Even her attempt to send letters to the troops misfires! Will Maggie find her own way to serve?
View the entire list of children's books about military life HERE
Maggie the Military Rat
Author: Sarah Doran
Celebrate military family life with Haleigh and Mason as they adventure into a world of airborne drop zones, military aircraft and U.S. paratroopers! The Peppered Sky extends beyond the heart-warming story with included discussion questions, journal prompts and a craft to promote critical thinking, creative writing and STEM-based learning.
View the entire list of children's books about military life HERE
The Peppered Sky
Author: Morten G. Ender
Distilled from nearly two hundred interviews, conducted from the 2003 invasion of Iraq on, Army Spouses marshals an incredible breadth of individual experiences, range of voices, insider access, and theoretical expertise to tell the story of US Army husbands and wives and their families during wartime in this century.
Morten Ender offers the first contemporary study of the emotional cycle of deployment and its impact on military families in the post-9/11 world. Military spouses, as he shows, operate both near and far from the front lines, serving on the home front to support combat service in the so-called Global War on Terror that has intimately bound together soldiers, families, the military institution, the state, and society. He paints a vivid picture of army spouses’ range of responses to deployment separations that illuminates the deep sacrifices that soldiers, veterans, and their families have made over the past twenty years.
Army Spouses: Military Families during the Global War on Terror
Author: Pearl Gifty Alimo
From the award-winning author of Growing Your Family: Learn How to Flourish and Thrive as a Military Family, comes a children's book that has a moving story, stunning illustrations and a powerful message for military children about change, hope and courage.
Maya lives with her parents in the US where she has lots of friends and enjoys playing with them. One day, Maya's Dad who serves in the US Navy shares some big news. The family is moving to a new country.
Maya is confused, happy, sad, a little bit scared and really unsure of many things. She must brace herself for the unknown- new places, new faces, new food and even a new language!
Maya learns that in the military, whether you are young or old, we must sometimes leave the life we know for the unknown. And make it work. With support, Maya learns to flourish and thrive in her new country. She writes in journal and resolves to share her story with other military children.
Maya Moves to a New Country is a story of hope, friendship and adventure that aims to instill courage and positive attitude in children and really anyone when you have to embrace change.
View the entire list of military pcs move children's books HERE
Maya Moves to a New Country
Author: Kathryn Hamlin-Pacheco OTR/L
A heartwarming book for military kids, written by a therapist, military spouse, and mom to support children during the deployments and extended work trips often required of our military pilots. In this book, one of the many pockets found in a father's flight suit is given to the child to fill with notes, cards, pictures, and other small items. The child's own flight suit pocket ("my flight suit pocket") helps to keep the child and father close at heart, even when they are far apart.
View the entire list of military deployment children's books HERE
My Flight Suit Pocket: A book to support connection during deployments (Dad edition)
Authors: Jill Smith, Terry Smith, Richard Salcido
Heart-gripping accounts from family, friends, and military brethren show that the battle seldom ends when veterans come home. The physical and psychological scars mar them for life, a permanent bane that they endure for our peace and safety. Such scenarios have occurred countless times throughout our country’s history to defend the red, white, and blue. Remarkably, most would do it all over again if needed. Despite PTSD, one such veteran, Jeremy Smith, continues to deeply touch the lives of those around him. Upon the Altar of Freedom shares the soul-touching quest of Jeremy and his family as they endeavor to ensure that he lives the American dream for which he fought valiantly, despite his torments. Marvel as you read how they silently embrace suffering so that we can enjoy freedom and liberty.
Additional books to encourage a military family coping with PTSD are found HERE
Upon the Altar of Freedom: From Blue Star Family to Silver Star and Beyond
Author: Army Mom Strong
Reflections on God’s Word is a prayer journal aimed at helping you navigate your military mom journey.
From the start of my son’s military career, I sought out peace, truth, and strength in God’s word. Reflections on God’s Word, Military Mom Prayer Journal features bible verses focused on Acceptance, Buddy Check-in, Doubt, Prayer, Protection, Resilience, Trust, Wisdom, and You. Each verse includes an accompanying lined journal writing page to express your feelings, gratitude, and prayers. Plus extra notes pages at the back of the prayer journal.
Embrace your role as a military mom. Replace your fears with God’s peace. As you travel this military mom's journey into unknown territory, God is on the journey with you, holding your hand if you let Him.
I hope the Bible verses herein help you get through your most challenging moments as you journal your way to strengthening your faith in God.
Additional books to encourage parents of military are found HERE
Reflections on God's Word: Military Mom Prayer Journal
Author: Sarah Curtis
Sitting in the Unknown: A Collection of Poems for Military Loved Ones is a captivating collection of poetry that uncovers the raw reality of life as a military spouse or loved one. From the depths of loneliness and isolation to the peaks of joy and gratitude, this book takes readers on an emotional journey through seasons of surviving, living, and thriving in military life.
Through beautifully curated verses, this collection offers unique validation and support to military loved ones all over the world. With its heartfelt poetry and profound imagery, the author invites readers to sit with their own personal military journeys and experiences.
Whether you are a "seasoned spouse", a long-time wife or husband, or a brand new girlfriend, boyfriend, or partner, "Sitting in the Unknown" has poems for you. This thoughtful collection stretches over many different experiences that a milso (military significant other) or milspo (military spouse) may face, such as deployment, moving (aka PCS, or permanent change of station), and training (aka TDY, or Temporary Duty).
Sitting in the Unknown offers genuine empathy and understanding, inviting readers to connect with emotional themes such as heartache, love, sacrifice, and finding peace amidst the unknown.
Additional military family poetry books are found HERE
Sitting in the Unknown: A Collection of Poems for Military Loved Ones
Author: Athens Pellegrino
Mission: My Overseas PCS is the third story in The Military Child Chronicles. A young boy, Atticus, learns that his family will be relocating across the world to Okinawa, Japan. He is faced with a plethora of emotions, uncertainty, and curiosity. His little sister, Callista, is also having a difficult time processing her first move. This story beautifully demonstrates the feelings and obstacles involved with an overseas Permanent Change of Station (PCS) and family comradery.
The Military Child Chronicles series was created to serve as resources for our brave military families. Mission: My Overseas PCS offers parent’s tips and fun activities to help military families during their overseas relocation. Come join Atticus on his journey abroad!
View the entire list of military pcs move books for military children HERE
The Military Child Chronicles: Mission: My Overseas PCS
Author: The Cast Iron Crew
The Warrior's Table tells the story of life in the Special Operations Forces (SOF) community through the experiences of real SOF spouses and families across the service branches.
Our family dinner team, The Cast Iron Crew, shares recipes from decades in SOF and how they safeguard what matters most. This unique cookbook is more than just that--it's a book of delicious recipes and a guide to connecting and thriving in this demanding lifestyle.
Living intentionally in special operations is incredibly hard. It's easy to let "common pitfalls" slip in and break down simple habits needed to endure and overcome challenges that inevitably arise. Mealtime can be a family and community ritual that reinforces routines and habits to counter those pitfalls, because shared mealtime is not about being tied to an oven or the dinner table it's about fundamentally caring for the minds, bodies, and hearts of those in your life. Mealtimes are ultimately about building belonging to a family, a community, and lifestyle.
In addition to the book highlighting history, culture, and family life strategies, The Warrior's Table covers what it is like to live life as a special operations family from unit selection to well past a family's time of service. In the ten chapters and many sections within, we story-tell of universal SOF experiences.
Additional military family cookbooks are found HERE
The Warrior's Table: Recipes That Cultivate Connection Through War, Change, and Uncertainty
Author: John Lovell
An instant Wall Street Journal Bestseller!
From the founder of the Warrior Poet Society, a daring manual on how to become a dangerous—and good—man
There is a war on masculinity, and everywhere we look—on every front we hold sacred—we can see the painful reminders of this collapsing order. The chaos and crisis we are experiencing today should be a signal for men everywhere to rise up; to fight to preserve our way of life by once again walking the ancient paths. But this isn’t a journey that need be taken alone.
In The Warrior Poet Way, public speaker, former Army Ranger, and all-around patriot John Lovell offers a needed antidote to the lack of strong men in our modern world. This is a call to all men to be what they truly are. Both dangerous and good. Lovers and fighters. Lions and lambs.
Both philosophical and practical, this guide dispenses essential advice on how to be a whole man, from tyranny-proofing your home to wooing the right woman. Through anecdotes of his time in the military, interviews with other men, and practicums at the end of each chapter, Lovell teaches the virtue of balance—navigating the tension between violent warrior and romantic poet—and guides men through each mental and physical change they must make to embody the ancient spirit of a real man.
This is a manual for every man to use in the fight of their life—and what it takes to win. No good thing comes easy, and the life you want is just on the other end of what you don’t want to do. This is the Warrior Poet Way. Are you ready to walk it?
The Warrior Poet Way: A Guide to Living Free and Dying Well
Author: Corie Weathers
Based on more than 15 years of research, Military Culture Shift offers insights from the counseling office as well as perspectives on the effect of Department of Defense budget decisions, changes in generational views of authority, and emerging social trends within the military community post-9/11.
Whether you are a military leader, historian, politician, educator, counselor, service member, or family member, Military Culture Shift will encourage you to understand and embrace:
- How past decisions have led to the current state of wellness
- Generational differences in motivation and views of authority
- Ways in which learning styles impact training
- Why families aren’t turning up for in-person and social events
- Communication shifts that impact cohesiveness
- Information distribution strategies that help
- Leadership strategies to influence positive changes going forward
Military Culture Shift: The Impact of War, Money, and Generational Perspective on Morale, Retention, and Leadership
LINK to Barnes & Noble hardcover and ebook
Author: Jen McDonald
This book is an inspiring and empowering journey into the heart of military spouse life, showcasing the remarkable resilience and dedication of these often unsung heroes. Beautifully and thoughtfully written by the insightful Jen McDonald, this captivating narrative illuminates the challenges and triumphs faced by military spouses, offering a profound glimpse into a life of constant change.
You knew what you signed up for. These words are often directed at military spouses, yet the true depth of what it will mean to be married to a service member is seldom fully grasped. In Milspouse Matters: Sharing Strength Through Our Stories, readers are immersed in the captivating world of military spouse life, unearthing the challenges and triumphs faced by those who leave behind the familiar to embrace a life of constant change.
Authored by Jen McDonald, this compelling narrative weaves together the experiences of military spouses across generations, illuminating the unbreakable bonds that unite them. With a keen focus on the impact of frequent relocations, deployments, and the nomadic nature of military life, McDonald also celebrates these spouses’ resolute tenacity. Drawing from her personal three-decade journey as a military spouse, alongside stories from contemporary spouses and those from the Korean War and Vietnam conflict eras, Milspouse Matters reveals the remarkable strength within this community.
Whether you’re seeking courage, confidence, or a deeper understanding of the military family experience, these shared stories invite you to discover the unyielding resilience that lies within us all.
Additional books to encourage military spouses are found HERE
MilSpouse Matters: Sharing Strength through Our Stories
Author: Johnny Joey Jones
Instant New York Times Bestseller!
Life only really starts when we start serving others.
For many people, military service isn’t simply a job. It’s a ticket out of a lonely society and into a family of enduring bonds.
In over a decade of working with veterans, Johnny Joey Jones has discovered the power of battle-forged friendships. Suffering a life-changing injury while deployed in Afghanistan, he faced a daunting recovery. But coming home would have been much harder without the support of his brothers and sisters in arms.
In Unbroken Bonds of Battle, Joey tells the stories of those very warriors, who for years have supported and inspired him on the battlefield and off. Through unfiltered and authentic conversations with American heroes in every branch of service, Joey tackles the big questions about life, loss, and, of course, hunting.
Powerful life lessons are woven throughout these personal oral histories. Also included is a scrapbook of beautiful candid photographs from the lives of these modern warriors.
A gorgeous patriotic keepsake, Unbroken Bonds of Battle reminds us of the costs paid by those who defend our freedom through unvarnished, inspiring tales of friendship.
Unbroken Bonds of Battle: Bonds of Battle: A Modern Warriors Book of Heroism, Patriotism, and Friendship
