It Takes a Family to Serve: A Tribute to Military Families by David Soman, Lisa Wheeler
Published by Harper on March 17, 2026
ISBN: 0063283476
Genres: Emotions & Feelings, Family Life, Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads

Detailing the ways that families miss and support their service members, Wheeler introduces five military households: an Air Force mom’s family who runs the farm without her, a son in the Navy, a sister in the Coast Guard, a daughter in the Army, and a Marine wounded in a war. Wholesome watercolor and gouache vignettes of the children and other family members demonstrates the integral role they play. The author offers useful suggestions of ways families can help serve—providing pet care, sending care packages, or simply looking up to “share the moon.” While the sentiments are earnest, the rhyme scheme seems forced and mechanical at times. Still it’s a wonderful book to talk about the sacrifices that all members of a soldier’s make when their career choice is to serve their country. A good choice for libraries near a base where many soldiers are deployed.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library