Amanda understands her dad is making the world a better place, but it doesn't make his year-long deployment any easier. By writing her thoughts and prayers on yellow ribbons and tying them to the branches of a wishing tree, Amanda is able to express her feelings and feel connected to her dad.
As she wishes for her dad to enjoy good meals, make new friends, and return home safely, her little wishing tree comes to life with yellow ribbons of hope.
This heartwarming story beautifully illustrates the range of feelings a child experiences when a parent is deployed, the power of hope and prayer, and the joy of a parent returning home.
Wishing trees exist in many cultures as a way to bring people's innermost thoughts and prayers to life. Amanda uses her wishing tree to express her feelings while her dad is deployed. Children can also create wishing trees to stay connected to parents traveling for work, grandparents who live far away, and even special friends between visits.
Mom's Choice Awards Gold Recipient, Family Life
About the Author: MARY REDMAN has experienced many joys and challenges as a military wife and mother. She has managed pack-outs, given birth, visited emergency rooms, heralded holidays, bid farewell to grandparents, and attended numerous school events while her husband was deployed. Mary's experience with military deployments encouraged her to write The Wishing Tree, a picture book of hope.
Born overseas to multicultural parents, CHRISTINA RODRIGUEZ grew up as an Air Force brat, moving from place to place. Christina loved to draw and paint. She was awarded a generous scholarship to the Rhode Island School of Design where she earned a fine arts degree in illustration.
Christina is an award-winning children's book illustrator. She drew on her experiences growing up in a military family to bring a range of emotions into her Coloring My Military Life--Book 1 coloring book pages as well as her paintings for the award-winning picture book The Wishing Tree and her illustrated activities in My Dad's Deployment and My Mom's Deployment.
