First published 2022
Jack would rather be anywhere else as his family's Washington vacation ends at a cemetery. The monuments and headstones mean nothing to him. Then he watches a sentinel march back and forth at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The guard never stops. Never rests. Jack wants to know why. As he learns about the tomb and the soldiers who protect it, something changes. The boring cemetery becomes a place of honor. The silent guard becomes a symbol of sacrifice. Jack begins to understand what his country owes its veterans and what they gave in return. His family's final day in the capital transforms from an obligation into a lesson about service, respect, and remembrance.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, american, military-fiction, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, transformation
Setting: Washington, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
32 pages · Hardcover · Charlesbridge