Books for military families
When a parent deploys, children can feel proud, worried, excited, and sad—sometimes all at once. These read-and-color stories give families a gentle way to talk through every feeling and hold close to the love that never leaves.
The Love Stays series
Start with deployment day, follow the family through everyday milestones, or choose the adventure that feels closest to what your child is living right now.
Book one · 40 scenes
Emmi and Lolo learn that Daddy will be away on deployment for a long time. Through school days, bedtime questions, family visits, and video chats, the sisters discover they can miss him deeply and still find joy in the days between.
Book two · 40 scenes
When Mommy’s Air Force job takes her far away, Peony and Poppy begin a year of new routines, hard questions, proud moments, and family support. Mommy remains part of their everyday lives—even when work or distance interrupts the next video chat.
Book three · 40 family adventures
A week at the cabin brings fishing, lake days, family laughter, and new memories. Daddy is still deployed, but Emmi and Lolo learn that having fun does not mean forgetting him—and every adventure becomes another story to share when they connect.
The story continues · 25 scenes
Lolo turns three while Daddy is still deployed. With Boone nearby and the whole family gathered, a video call brings Daddy into the celebration. The day is happy and hard at the same time—and full of proof that love can still be part of every birthday moment.
Also by Clayton B McLagan
Step outside the Love Stays storyline and take the scenic route with a cozy, standalone escape.
Standalone coloring book · Not part of the Love Stays series
A Cozy Road Trip Coloring Book
Join Ollie, Lolo, and Emmi on a slow, cozy road trip filled with pie-shop pauses, lakeside mornings, tiny bookstores, and evenings beneath the pines. Forty bold-and-easy scenes invite colorists to take the scenic route at their own pace.
Meet the author
Clayton B McLagan created the Love Stays series after seeing how deployment can touch an entire family. His read-and-color stories give children a gentle way to explore separation, changing routines, mixed emotions, and the love that stays present across every mile.
About ClaytonFrom a real family experience
The Love Stays books were created from the moments military families know well: the questions before bedtime, the unreliable video connection, the milestone someone misses, and the relatives who step closer. The stories do not promise that every day will feel easy. They remind children that every feeling belongs—and that they remain surrounded by love.