In honor of U.S. soldiers, here are some books that take a close look at the realities of war and its short and long term effects on soldiers and their families.
In Personal Effects, Matt is in high school when his brother, T.J., dies in the Iraq war. When his brother's belongings are given to the family, he discovers a whole hidden side of his brother that takes him on a journey. With little support from his dad, and an absent mother, he learns to stand up for himself and start to be the man he wants to be.
There are so many sides to a war story, and Patricia McCormick's Purple Heart highlights how terrifying it can be to receive a traumatic brain injury. Matt wakes up in a hospital only to realize that he can't remember how or why he got there. As his memory comes back to him, he struggles to figure out the truth and what happened to a young Iraqi kid he befriended.
If you're interested in even more books about soldiers and their families, check out my list which includes some true stories, too.
What did I miss? Do you have any favorite war stories?
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