Military Brat: term commonly used to describe a child of a member of the armed forces, especially the air force, army, coast guard, marines, and navy. Doesn’t always refer to somebody under the age of 18. Typically lives in five or more houses (not to mention states/countries) and moves at least once every three to five years. Also answers to their name, sibling’s name, “military child,” or “ask me where I’m from one more time…”
Here are some works of fiction I’ve enjoyed for the military
brats, their friends, and anybody who’s ever wondered what it’s like to move at
least once every three years.
This post is not about books that accurately represent the
lifestyle of the contemporary military brat. Rather, these books are a
collection of books that I, as a military brat, have been able to relate to
because of some element or another. I have yet to find a fictional book that
actually describes this kind of lifestyle.
Books are listed in alphabetical order according to the
author’s last name.
Ender’s Saga by Orson Scott Card (sci-fi)
Ender’s Game is
good if you want to understand military tactics and psychology more, but the
rest of the series is great. I actually enjoyed the later books more than the
first one. The stories go on to explore the different mindsets between
different cultures and what it’s like to move from place to place, actually
showing different places, and how it changes family dynamics. Ender and
Valentine are close as siblings, like my own sister and I are.
A Conspiracy of Stars by Olivia A. Cole (YA sci-fi)
With the mind of a talented scientist, Octavia wants to
better understand the world in which she lives and those who lived there long
before humans. I particularly like the way the story explores several
generations of humankind living on the planet, which is also rather odd because
I usually enjoy the whole initial discovery process. I found I could relate to
Octavia as I have lived in foreign countries, though unlike her, I wasn’t born
in them.
Somewhere Among by Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu (MG historical fiction
& novel in verse)
This book is among the few that addresses the difficulties
that come with different time zones, and not just jet lag that comes with
arrival but also the continual time difference that comes with living overseas.
While Ema and her parents are living with her dad’s parents in Japan, they keep
in touch with her mom’s parents back in the United States. As I have spent
considerable time living in Europe, I have to mentally compensate for the time
differences for my friends back in the States. Hint: It’s seven hours
difference between Central European Time and Central (American) Time, so I
typically have to wait until noon my time before any of my friends are awake.
Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Hilton (MG historical fiction & novel
in verse)
I relate to a lot of characters in novels in verse. This
novel in particular explores what it is like for a family to move to a town
where nobody quite understands them. As a military brat, I have no idea what
it’s like to live in the same house for
more than three years, but there are plenty of people who have never left their
own state.
While my parents come from the same country and the same
town, this book is great for those whose parents do not.
The Someday Birds by Sally J. Pla (MG contemporary)
Road trip! It’s so hard to find a good road trip book. There
are plenty of books that have road trips, but this one doesn’t just focus on
the places, it also focuses on the characters. That and it explores the
differences between sleeping at home, in a strange hotel, a stranger’s house,
or in an RV. All of which I have done at one time or other on road trips of my
own whenever my family moved across the country.
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (fantasy)
Many fantasy novels are about journeys. But this one is
among the few about an actual nomad. Kvothe was born and raised among a group of traveling bards, so he never
fits in just one place. Kinda like a military brat.
This book is
also an epic fantasy novel, so of course I enjoyed it!
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (YA historical fiction)
This book made me cry. Later, I teared up while watching the
film, not when certain characters died, but when Papa had to leave. As a
military child, I know how rough it can be when a parent is deployed and not
knowing whether or not they’ll come back home safely.
There you have it! I hope you enjoy the recommendations.
Let’s chat! Have any of these books made it to your
To-Be-Read List yet? Have you read any of them? My fellow military brats, what
books could you relate with? To all
the readers, what’s the last book a friend gave you that helped you understand
them better?
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