Photo By Janecze Wright | The book “As Much as the Stars: A Story of Love Across the Miles, a Child’s...... read more read more
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FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — Author Tricia Stone-Shumaker has grown accustomed to military goodbyes. She grew up with a father who was an officer in the Navy, and has bid farewell to her sons, Capt. Forrest Zenone, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, stationed at Fort Cavazos, Texas, and Senior Airman Skylar Zenone, 52nd Fighter Wing, currently stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, on more than one occasion, but it never gets easier, she expressed.
Inspired by the sadness often caused by military separations, Stone-Shumaker and her sons documented their firsthand experience in a family labor of love titled, “As Much as the Stars: A Story of Love Across the Miles, a Child’s Goodbye,” and shared their collaboration during a reading Feb. 27, 2025, at the Fort Cavazos Casey Memorial Library.
Rachael Bethel, public services librarian at the library, said the event was an opportunity for children to meet the people who create some of their favorite books. She added the book also reassures military families they are supported during times of deployment.
“(Separation) is a very common and universal experience for anybody who has lived on or around the military,” she explained. “So, having these kinds of titles available is a good thing because it’s a reminder that you’re not alone.”
Through emails and long-distance correspondence, the family drew on their personal experiences to create stories that highlight the adversity of separation. They turned a very difficult aspect of military life into a rewarding experience that has drawn them closer together, despite the miles between them.
“Growing up in a military family, she (Stone-Shumaker) experienced having to say goodbye to a loved one, and then both of her sons ended up joining the military,” Forrest recounted. “So, we just thought it was a good way to not only bring to light some things that would be pretty good to have in a book, but also kind of bring us all together and work on something as a family in different parts of the world.”
An award-winning author known for her series, “Poppy’s Adventures,” Stone-Shumaker used her passion for writing and expertise as a speech language pathologist working with special needs children, to create a unique book that addresses a common occurrence in military life.
The coauthors chose to print the vibrantly illustrated flip book in tête-bêche style, a work containing two books with two intertwined stories printed back-to-back with one book upside down, to highlight a child and parent’s perspective, Stone-Shumaker explained.
“There’s books about kids saying bye to their parents, but how many books are there that have a portion of the story that the parents are saying goodbye to their kids going on rotation?” she said. “... We can write a flip book with the same story, both sides, but different perspectives.
It’s relatable.”
Skylar reiterated the importance of resonating with many experiencing the same hardship.
“It’s good when people have something to connect to,” he explained. “They don’t feel so alone and knowing there’s a book written about their experience, kind of validates their feelings. It’s hard saying bye, it’s hard being on deployment … as a parent and as children.”
Accompanied by the quirky musical selections of Virginia Benavidez, or “Gin-Gin the Music Mommy,” and her acoustic guitar, the audience sat in a small semi-circle in the children’s room as Stone-Shumaker read a selection from the child side of the book while her sons flipped the pages.
After the reading, the coauthors provided signed copies of their book and teddy bears to each member of the audience, much to the delight of everyone present, and Forrest expressed what it meant to share his family’s story with other military families at The Great Place.
“Whoever it affects, even if it’s just one person, even if it’s just us that it affects, I think the entire experience is worthwhile,” he expressed. “And if this ends up bringing comfort to families, then we did what needed to be done.”
To learn more about the book “As Much as the Stars: A Story of Love Across the Miles, a Child’s Goodbye” and other titles at Casey Memorial Library, visit cavazos.armymwr.com/programs/casey-memorial-library.
| Date Taken: | 02.27.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.12.2025 15:21 |
| Story ID: | 491714 |
| Location: | FORT CAVAZOS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 12 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Family affair: Mom, sons share literary labor of love to ease separation at Fort Cavazos, by Janecze Wright, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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