Daddy's Going Overseas: The Red, White, and Blue Good-bye

Surge, tour of duty extension, stop-loss orders, all words that only mean one thing to a child--my daddy has to go away for a long time.

Sarah Tomp's Red, White, and Blue Good-bye shows a young girl dealing with her sadness over her father's tour of duty at sea.

Daddy's getting his stuff together.
Our house is full of Daddy getting ready to leave.

The child first runs away from her parents to a refuge in their shed, then tries to stow away in her dad's seabag, and finally hides her dad's sea boots to try to delay his departure. Sensing her grief and fear, her dad gently helps her realize that, although they will be physically apart for a time, they will still be together in their hearts. He points out the red flag on the mailbox which will signal letters going back and forth between them, the white clouds that will move from her sky to his, and the blue ocean, the same ocean, that they will share while he is at sea. The story ends with the little girl drawing pictures of herself and her dad to mail to him, coloring them in red, white, and blue like the tiny flag her dad left behind with her.

Although the little flag is symbolic of the connection between the father and daughter, this little book was not written to wave the flag. The focus here is upon the gentle understanding of the father for his daughter's sadness and loss and his affirmation that their love will keep them in touch while he is away. With many children facing separation from a military parent today, this simple, tender book deals with their feelings honestly and hopefully.