A story set in the 1940s begins with a young boy and his mother seeing his father off to war. Worried about what will happen with his father gone, the boy feels fearful of small things and big things. Scared of the air raid sirens and spooked by the big horses pulling wagons down his street, the boy struggles to quiet his fears. Meanwhile he collects pennies, hoping to buy something worthy to send to his dad for his birthday. Rich watercolor illustrations portray the boy’s reactions to the large horses that help deliver the milk, and collect newspapers, scrap metal, and garbage. The boy balks at the chance to have his picture taken on a pony, but then accepts the opportunity as a way to overcome his fear and to make his father proud. An author’s note provides a brief explanation of what life was like for kids on the United States home front during World War II in a heartening picture book with luminous watercolor paintings. (Ages 7–11)

"The day Dad went away to the war, I cried. He hugged me and told me to be brave. But I was afraid of so many things."

A young boy promises to be brave when his father goes off to fight in World War II, but it isn't always easy. Lots of things scare the boy, especially Josephine, the street horse who pulls the ragman's wagon, and Nell, the milkman's nag, with their big teeth and wild eyes. Even Billy and Bucky, the garbage wagon horses whose feet are so big and heavy, make him nervous.

Then one day, a stranger with a small pony named Freedom offers the boy an opportunity to give his father the perfect birthday present and find a new and special kind of courage.

Dori Chaconas has written a sensitive tale about a son's steadfast love for his soldier father that transcends distance, circumstance, and his own fears. Illustrator Ted Lewin's stunning paintings capture the simple spirit of the 1940s American home front.