What to read on Memorial Day

Klinger: A Story of Honor and Hope, by Betsy Beard

According to the Military Writer’s Society of America, this children’s book is based on the real-life story of a horse that works at Arlington National Cemetery. Klinger dreams of becoming a racehorse, but when he isn’t fast enough, he’s sent to Virginia to work. There, soldiers and other horses train him to pull the wagon that carries fallen soldiers to their burial sites in Arlington National Cemetery. Klinger realizes the importance of his new job.

The Poppy Lady: Moina Belle Michael and Her Tribute to Veterans, by Barbara E. Walsh

This book tells the story of the woman who would eventually establish the Flanders Field Memorial Poppy as a symbol of remembrance, hope and support for veterans. Relying on her motto, "Whatsoever your hands find to do, do it with all your might,“ Moina donated her time and efforts to serving veterans during her life.

Rolling Thunder, by Kate Messner

This rhyming storybook follows a young boy on the Rolling Thunder Ride for Freedom, a motorcycle parade through D.C. every Memorial Day weekend. Riding in his grandpa’s sidecar, who rides for friends he lost in Vietnam, he learns about paying tribute to military personnel. A librarian who reviewed the story called it “a lyrical ode to our nation's fallen heroes and those who keep their memories alive.”