I Move A Lot and That's Okay - (And That's Okay) Large Print by Shermaine Perry-Knights (Hardcover)

About the Book

Grace moves a lot because of her dad's job in the Army. She adapts quickly to a different culture. The book helps children overcome obstacles.

Book Synopsis

Looking for an engaging book to teach kids about moving and explain the military lifestyle? This is it! I Move A Lot and That's Okay" teaches kids how to emotionally cope with relocation.

2021 International Book Award Winner- Children's Educational (category)

Featured in Stars & Stripes as a PCS resource.

Recognized by NPR and Military Families Magazine as a conversation tool for teachers, counselors, and parents.

I Move A Lot and That's Okay honor the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of military children.

This picture book follows a bright-eyed girl in a military family that moves across the world. She shows the reader that she can embrace a new environment, language, and a different culture. Leaving their home and settling in another is tough on all kids.

This is what military families go through when moving to a new station, far away from home in another city, state, or country. This adventure is filled with sadness, loss, acceptance, and hope. By the end of the story, young readers will be chanting the theme of the book: "I move a lot and that's okay!". While this book features a military child, its message of resilience and hope are universal ones that help all children to overcome obstacles more easily.

Review Quotes

"Change can be an unsettling thing, and if 2020 has taught us anything it has been how to adapt to our ever-evolving, always-changing surroundings. Learning to cope with change is at the heart of Shermaine Perry-Knights new book, I Move A Lot And That's Okay." Summer Evans of WABE (Where ATL Meets NPR).

"Author Shermaine Perry-Knights puts her lived experience as a military kid to beautiful use in I Move A Lot and That's Okay. Utilizing affirming and confident language about the positive elements of a transient lifestyle, the book will help particular young readers adjust to the implicit challenges of relocation. Addressing everything from cultural shifts and unwarranted fears to challenging goodbyes and the potential pleasures of change, this charming story subtly touches on a myriad of psychological and emotional obstacles for military kids. The digital illustrations are colorful and engaging, and the small formatting splashes of color keep the prose dynamic. Written with humor, understanding, and compassion, this is a comforting and educational book for both military parents and their children." Self-Publishing Review, ★★★★1/2

"Drawing on memories of her military childhood, Perry-Knights tells her story to reassure military kids who might not describe moving a lot as "okay." The book is about a young girl experiencing a new environment, language, and culture when her family moves to Naples, Italy. The author said she wanted to share a message of resilience to help military children overcome the obstacles of moving and readjustment". Terri Barnes of Stars and Stripes