In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day, honoring veterans of World War I. On June 1, 1954, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day to honor the men and women who served in all wars to protect our freedom. I was two months old, and my dad was one of those veterans.
My grandson recently asked, “What is a veteran?” Author, illustrator, and 2000 Miss America Heather French Henry offers a wonderful and moving explanation of who our veterans are in her book Pepper’s Purple Heart. She has written a series of books that teach children about patriotism, veterans, and volunteering. Their central character is Claire, an energetic little 8-year-old, and her best friend Robbie.
In Pepper’s Purple Heart, Claire and Robbie play pretend soldiers, rescuing her puppy, Pepper, when the dog gets hit by a car. Mr. Jones, a real soldier, four-star general, and Viet- nam Marine veteran, steps up to help care for the pup. He even lets “Sergeant Pepper” wear his Purple Heart in the Veterans Day parade. Through Mr. Jones, Claire and Robbie learn why we honor America’s veterans on Veterans Day.
Henry’s book, enhanced by her brightly colored illustrations, is a fun and informative story for parents, grandparents, and teachers to share with little readers. She was inspired to create books for children when touring as Miss America and speaking at several schools.
“I was always asked how to educate about veterans issues. I couldn’t find that much in terms of children’s books. After I became a mom, I decided to do something about it,” she writes. “This is really a labor of love, and I hope parents agree with me that it’s never too early to teach children patriotism and values, from courage to volunteering!”
Educators and families who would like to find more ways to celebrate Veterans Day with their students can find an educational program, including classroom activities, at the AMVETs website amvets.org.
“What Kids Are Reading” is a regular feature in the Sun, highlighting children’s books available for young readers in Santa Maria. This week’s recommendation was made by writer, educator, and grandmother, Ariel Waterman, daughter of Anthony Pastor, U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II and the Korean War. Rest peacefully, Dad, and thank you.
This article appears in Nov 10-17, 2011.
