Title: Hero at Home
Author: Sarah Verardo
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 978-1-5320-5953-7
Pages: 34
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Reviewed by: Beth Adams

Read Book Review

“In the land of the free, and the home of the brave…” echoed in my mind as I paged Hero at Home by author Sarah Verardo. The sacrifices of military people range from the ultimate, meaning death, to many degrees in between. Soldiers returning from combat with devastating injuries requiring dozens of surgeries and years of rehab are still fighting the war even after returning home, every day, as they put their family lives back together. These heroes are all too common a sight in our society – we see them everywhere. Illustrated by artist Inna Eckman, readers are shown many heroes with amputated legs, arms – some in wheelchairs and others standing on prosthetic legs.

The story Hero at Home is focused on Grace’s dad who served in the United States Army as a combat paratrooper. In Afghanistan, he was wounded in action which resulted in being returned to the USA for medical treatments, requiring many surgeries
and ultimately fitted with a prosthetic left leg. One image, in particular, shows Grace being carried on her daddy’s shoulders, while the amazing subtle detail is the dad’s smile as he is walking, wearing shorts, not trying to hide the metal false leg. What strength, both physically and mentally, this image conveys. Another illustration showing the dad standing in front of a military gravesite, saluting to those whose names on the tombstones are no doubt real soldiers who died in Afghanistan, brought a combination of sadness and pride to me, causing me to pause on the page for an extended time.

Bringing this brutal reality of wounded soldiers to the mindsets of children is perhaps one of the most important lessons books, such as this, can teach. The book’s balance of limited text along with the impactful illustrations provides an environment for parents to explain so much to children far beyond the scope of the book itself. Created in a careful way not to frighten the young readers however make them aware of the consequences of war will certainly cement a foundation of peaceful respect while also a sense of pride with those veterans they come in contact with having obvious disabilities.

Hero at Home is more than a book for children. With a forward written by U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole highlighting the understanding and compassion needed for our veterans, and an ending with an author bio on Sarah Verardo, along with a series of actual photographs of her husband and daughter, the reality of this book is respectfully brought forth out of any realm of fantasy. Verardo concludes with an introduction and link to The Independence Fund, enabling readers to get involved with supporting our veterans.

“They are all American heroes!”