Proud as a Peacock Brave as a Lion

About this book

Much has been written about war and remembrance but very little of it has been for young children. As questions come from a young grandchild his grandpa talks about how as a very young man he was as proud as a peacock in uniform busy as a beaver on his Atlantic crossing and brave as a lion charging into battle. Soon the old mans room is filled with an imaginary menagerie as the child thinks about different aspects of wartime. But as he pins medals on his grandpas blazer and receives his own red poppy in return the mood becomes more somber. Outside the crowd gathered for the veterans parade grows as quiet as a mouse while men and women old and young march past in the rain. A trumpet plays and Grandpa lays a wreath in memory of his lost friend. Just then the child imagines an elephant in the mist. Elephants never forget he whispers to his grandpa. Then lets be elephants says the old man as he wipes water from his eyes and takes his grandsons hand. Proud as a Peacock Brave as a Lion has relevance to a growing number of families as new waves of soldiers leave home.