Official Review: Moving Again !!! With Rylan and Henry

[Mindi]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Moving Again !!! With Rylan and Henry" by Christy Jordan Wrenn.]

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

I enjoy reading children's books, so I am happy to have the opportunity to review the book Moving Again!!! With Rylan and Henry by Christy Jordan Wrenn. This was a very fun and unique story to read, and it is one that I hope becomes more noticed and has a far-reaching effect.

This is a story specifically written for and dedicated to military families who understand the challenge of having to move to different places so often. The story is about a young boy named Rylan whose dad is in the military and is deployed overseas at the time that the book begins. Rylan and his family live in Alaska, and Rylan spends his days playing with Henry, a mouse that hangs around his house. Soon after the story begins, Rylan's dad returns home and announces that their family will be moving to South Carolina. Rylan has some doubts about moving, especially since he does not want to leave Henry. However, being from a military family, he knows that it is something they have to do. The majority of the book is about their long trip from Alaska to South Carolina. They drive the whole way and get to see many great sights through Canada and the northern part of the United States. They arrive at their new home at the end of the book, and there is even an exciting surprise for Rylan as the story ends.

This is a short and simple children's picture book. It is divided into eight chapters, but each chapter is very short and contains many colorful illustrations. I loved the illustrations. They looked like a child's drawings, yet they were also very detailed and colorful. I feel like they represented life from Rylan's point of view and showed the world in a way that he saw it as they went on their journey to a new home. The book was written in a very simple manner, yet I feel like it was appropriate for the targeted age range. It is a book that gets the intended message across to other children who may have experienced similar life changes due to military family members. Even though it would mostly have an effect on those children, it is a good book for any other childen to read, as it is a way for others to see the daily life of kids that live a different lifestyle than their own.

Another thing that I liked about this book is that it showed a sense of family closeness and respect for other family members. I could sense the family's love for each other, and I felt like Rylan was always respectful of his mom and dad, even when he was upset and doubtful about the changes being made. The author did a great job of blending the understandably negative emotions with the respect that Rylan's parents had obviously instilled in him from an early age.

I cannot find anything negative to say about the book. Some older children may find it too simplistic, but it is obviously targeted to a very young group of children, and the intended message would still resonate with older children who have had similar life experiences.

I am rating the book 4 out of 4 stars. If you have young children, even if they have not experienced anything similar, this is a good book that would teach them life lessons about the world around them. I encourage parents to find a copy of this book and read it to your children!

******
Moving Again !!! With Rylan and Henry
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[richardwille1]

Wow I always love finding children’s books with strong messages behind them. This is one I definitely need to share with elementary school teachers that I know. Living in a military family is hard and constantly moving is one hardship that comes with it. Well written review!

[Deprise Evans]

Such a wonderful book! I like that the book has a strong central message and that the author seems to address the effects and experiences of military family life and moving from a child's perspective. This I feel is sometimes overlooked in the constant change of military family life. Great review!

[kdstrack]

There are many children who will be able to relate to the story line. I like that the book helps readers have a positive attitude toward a potentially traumatic time. I will keep this one in mind for a gift idea! Thanks for the wonderful recommendation.

[booksandmagicshop]

I'm so happy to her that children's books are diversifying and showing different kinds of family. It's so nice to expose kids to all sorts of families from an early age to stretch their perspectives. Amazing review!!!

[Adanna Inya]

I always wondered how children born to military parents coped with having to move houses, change schools and friends every time. I am happy that this book captured it and the family essenxe in colorful pictures and from the view of Rylan. Thanks.

[JKO]

The colorful illustrations are sure going to catch the childs eye reading it. I think it is very important that every child's book has colorful and relatable illustrations.

[Splendour0606]

I love the fact that it was captured in colourful pictures,because children love colours,it will definitely draw any child's attention.

[Theresa Ammons Pinkston]

Moving Again ...sounds like a terrific book for all children and it just might help an adult who moved a lot during their own childhood.