Papa's Backpack
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- $28.99
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- $28.99
Publisher Description
When a soldier has to leave his or her family for extended service, it's an emotional time for all involved. It can be especially confusing and upsetting for children, who long for the comfort and security of a parent's presence. Papa's Backpack honors the bond between a parent/soldier and a child, and acknowledges the difficult and emotional process of separation during deployment. A young bear cub dreams of accompanying Papa when he leaves on a mission, wanting to stay close to provide comfort and moral support, ultimately overcoming adversity together.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A small bear wishes he could join his soldier father while he is away. Carroll (The Boy and the Moon) places the bears in a kind of tribal society: they wear feathers on their heads and tunics decorated with spirals and stripes, and the bear's fellow soldiers are a mixed-species outfit of spear-wielding rabbits, birds, and other creatures. Throughout, Carroll emphasizes soldiers' nobility ("sometimes soldiers go.../ away for a while,/ to help for a while,/ so I can stay/ and play," says the young bear), as well as the tenderness of the bear's father. Rather than fighting their fellow animals, the warriors combat a giant bird that seems to emerge from a storm cloud. The effect is more akin to battling a dragon or the elements ("We'd feel the sting,/ the twisted wind./ We'd taste/ the angry rain"), which helps make the bear's wish to accompany his father easier to imagine. Blending scratchboard-like textures with dense swirls of color, Carroll's illustrations dazzle; the story itself is best suited for families who wish to recognize the importance of soldiers while shielding children from the brutality of war. All ages.
