My Daddy's Going Away

When Lieutenant Colonel Christopher MacGregor returned from duty in Iraq, he realised that his own children and the 50 or so others of soldiers under his command could have used a book about their fathers having to be away as preparation for the separation involved.  This picture book is the result, and not only will it be very useful for serving soldiers, but it is also a perfect solution for any parent who has to be away for long periods of time.  The rhymes and pictures show us two children helping their father get ready for an extended stay away.  They know they will miss him and give him gifts and help him pack.  The leave-taking is sad, but they understand he is working hard, and they send him letters and films and sometimes talk on the phone.  When they are feeling a bit down, they talk to mum and their friends, and they know their dad loves them.  They have his homecoming to look forward to as well, and it is an exciting time with celebrations when he returns.  The illustrations are fun, with lots of wacky detail, but I wasn’t too sure why the family are aliens and dad takes off in a space ship.  Perhaps it is to remove the reality of the separation just that little bit from the ‘earthlings’ it is being read to.  There is a foreward by HRH The Prince of Wales as the book supports two of his charities, Combat Stress and the Foundation for Integrated Health.  This story is a sterling example of  a book for children facing a difficult situation.