Army Brats

January 16, 2017
In this realistic snapshot of military family life, tight-knit siblings Tom (12), Charlotte (10), and Rosie (6) are proud army brats, accustomed to moving from place to place, but Fort Patrick will be the Baileys’ first experience living on base. Their mother, an intelligence officer, promises them that “Things on post are safe,” and they initially delight in the freedom they’re given to explore the orderly community. But a combination of mean girls, a bully, and a rash of disappearing dogs have the kids questioning their safe idyll, while adding a sense of unified adventure to their days. The novel is threaded with details that speak to the rituals and lingo of military life, from shopping (“We’re black on flour. Would you guys run to the commissary and pick some up?”) to eating at the officer’s club. Filled with fierce female characters and strong sibling bonds, both blood and adopted (Rosie was adopted from China at age three), this celebration of family from Benedis-Grab (The Angel Tree), a PW contributor, will speak to military and civilian readers alike. Ages 8–12. Agent: Sara Crowe, Pippin Properties.

January 1, 2017
The Bailey family adjusts to life on a military post for the first time.Mom is an intelligence officer, while Dad works as a graphic artist from home. The kids are excited about the new independence that life on a military post allows them. The post is pretty much open to the kids: a movie theater, the PX, the ice cream shop, the pool, and anywhere else where dependents are allowed. This freedom leads the kids to explore a mysterious, abandoned building, which is in a restricted area. While the mystery is exciting, containing just the right amount of tension and scary situations, it's the relationship among the children that gives the story life. Eight-year-old Rosie, adopted from China at 3, might be cute to strangers, but her bossiness causes her to have trouble making friends. Charlotte, nearly 11, enjoys the cool girls, even if they are mean, while Tom, the oldest, struggles with dyslexia and is in the same grade as Charlotte; both are white and the biological children of Mom and Dad. Tom emits what his family calls the "screech of doom" when he is surprised, making him the target of a bully on the first day of school. There are some rather unlikely situations (obedient military kids entering a locked building at night? Rosie's scream of "IED!!" in a PX ), but the overall story is exciting. Nonmilitary kids should enjoy seeing the challenges and fun of living on base. A series, perhaps? (Fiction. 8-12)

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February 1, 2017

Gr 3-6-Tom, Charlotte, and Rosie Bailey are looking forward to living on an army base for the first time. With their mother's new assignment, Fort Patrick becomes the siblings' home. But bullies, missing dogs, and gossipy new friends all rear their head shortly after the Baileys arrive. Tom struggles to develop a plan to deal with an embarrassing photograph that's been passed around the whole school. Charlotte is thrilled when two popular girls invite her into their group, but struggles with the guilt she feels about all the mean things being said. And fiery Rosie is determined to prove to her parents that she doesn't need friends, who will just interfere with her plans. When the three kids pool their talents to address Tom's crisis, a supposedly haunted old building on base draws their attention, leading them to come up with a plan to prove Tom's bravery and rescue the missing dogs at the same time. Books about children growing up in military families are far fewer than they should be, and this one makes for both an entertaining and informative read. While some of the obstacles the characters confront are similar to ones children face anywhere, there are other aspects that are unique to life in a military family. It's refreshing to see caring parents who support their children but don't solve their problems for them.

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2017
Grades 3-5 The multiethnic Bailey family is moving to the Fort Patrick army base. Mom is an officer in human intelligence, and dad works from home. Dyslexic Tom, quiet Charlotte, and whirlwind little sister Rosie, adopted from China when their mother was stationed in Beijing, are excited to live on base: more amenities, more freedom, and living with kids who get army life. But soon trouble appears: Tom is bullied and called Sergeant Wimpy; Charlotte's new friends gossip, and she worries that they will judge her if they learn she still likes dolls; and Rosie struggles to make friends and worries that a dognapper is on the loose. Convinced they can stop the bullying by making a video of Tom acting bravely, the siblings investigate a run-down building in a restricted zone. In the end, humorous misunderstandings become clear, and everyone learns important lessons about bravery and being true to oneself. Despite its modern Mayberry feel, there are not many books featuring military families, and this deserves a place on library shelves.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)