In celebration of World Book Day this Thursday, we are showcasing our literary resources. Finding stories about military children can be hard, which is why we created our own. Read on to find out more about our very own books series, newspaper and more…
Louise, Founder of our charity said, “When I launched Little Troopers, military children were underrepresented in children’s literature. Five years ago, I worked with Donna David on a series of books that reflected military children’s lives. These inspired our children’s costumes and complimented our Little Troopers Treasures app. I hope some of these resources help your little troopers see that they are part of an amazing community.”
Little Troopers Books
There are two series of Little Troopers books. As well as giving children literature that reflects their lives, the books have been written to encourage military children talk about their own experiences:
- Our Dear Daddy and Dear Mummy books tell the story through letters. Tom, Tilly and Freddie write to their serving military parents about their thoughts and feelings.
- In ‘My Navy Life’, My RAF Life’ and ‘My Army Life’ the story is told through children’s diary entries. The books explore the highs and lows of having a parent serving away from home.
Little Troopers Costumes
We had such positive feedback from families about the books that many asked if we had any book day costumes. We know how proud our families are of their serving Mum or Dad so we designed mini versions of military uniforms. The adorable costumes cost just £22.95 (plus P&P).
Little Troopers Gazette
If your little troopers are a bit older, they may like to check out the Little Troopers Gazette. Louise, comments “The newspaper was launched at the height of the pandemic. We thought it would be great to help our military children support each other, so lots of the articles are written by little troopers for little troopers. The next edition will be out in March, find out more here.
Little Troopers Treasures
We are so excited to announce that a new book has been added to Little Troopers Treasures, just in time for World Book day. Onesie Party by Leigh Hidginson and Chris Jevons has been added to the app’s library. We know that time away from home is always hard, but especially tough as tired children are tucked into bed. Missing Storytime is one of the hardest things for military parents and their children. If you have a tablet device or I-pad we can help you to make sure that you are part of this special time, no matter where you are. Little Troopers Treasures is a storytelling app, that allows you to record yourself reading a bedtime story. As your child watches the video the pages magically turn along with the story. You can find out more and see our additional Little Troopers Treasures resources here.
Recommended Reads
Last but not least is our Recommended Reads section. Stories about Mummy or Daddy leaving, moving home, saying goodbye or just feeling worried have been read and reviewed. Military children and their families have given their honest feedback and tips on how they can help your little troopers.
Louise, adds “I hope some of the resources mentioned here help your families or inspire them for next year’s World Book Day. As we come to the end of Fundraise February, I wanted to mention our Read-a-Thon fundraising pack. If you have a book worm at home or someone you want to encourage to read more you could make it into a fundraiser. Every penny raised for our charity makes a huge difference.”
Happy World Book Day!
