Children’s Book
Maggie the Military Rat
Maggie P. Worthington is a military rat—at least, she wants to be. She tries to enlist, but falls short. She tries to serve the soldiers, but gets kicked out of the mess hall. Even her attempt to send letters to the troops misfires! Will Maggie find her own way to serve?
Maggie the Military Rat
Behind the Book
Military families know that being called a "military brat" isn't an insult: it's a badge of honor! According to the Department of Defense, there are over 1.6 million active duty military children in the United States. These kids experience life differently than civilians do: they typically have to move every 2-3 years, endure prolonged parental separations, and understand what it means to serve from a young age. As a result, they often grow into adventurous, resilient, and service-minded individuals. It's no wonder that the official flower of the military child is the dandelion: it puts down roots almost anywhere and blooms wherever its seeds are planted.
My children belong to this special group. While preparing for their first military move, I searched in vain for a quality picture book to explain to them their unique role as military brats. When I couldn't find what I was looking for, I was inspired to write my own book. Maggie the Military Rat tells the heartwarming story of a patriotic rat on a mission to serve. It shows children that even the smallest of us can serve...just by being a friend. The book fills a void in children's literature, portraying the military lifestyle in a positive, validating, relatable, and meaningful way. Because military kids deserve to see themselves in quality picture books!
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The Team
One of the best things about self-publishing is that I was able to hand-pick my team! In addition to myself as the author, I had a wonderful all-female crew to help me bring the book to life.
Illustrator
Elia Velasquez Murray
I had the pleasure of working with Elia Velasquez Murray, a California-based multi-disciplinary artist. Elia embraced her creative journey at an early age, encouraged by two artist parents, and decided to study illustration and design. Elia pursued a career in the arts and found a home in picture book illustration. She now works as an Art Director by day and an illustrator by night. I found Elia through Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and immediately fell in love with her style. I specifically wanted to work with an illustrator based in the Bay Area so that we could collaborate in person, and I'm happy to report that it's been an incredible experience working with Elia on this book. You can learn more about Elia at eliamurray.com.
Book designer
Sunny Duran
Last but not least, my book designer! Sunny is an illustrator and designer of children’s books, mother of four kids and keeper of two cats. She loves to draw picture books and has a degree in Graphic Design which naturally led her to become a picture book designer. She is a US ARMY vet and former 82nd Airborne paratrooper. Thanks to the military, three of her children were born in Germany, which is why she feels Maggie's story is so important for military families. She is an active member of SCBWI and currently lives in Maryland. You can learn more about Sunny at sunnyduran.com.
Maggie the Military Rat
“A beautiful, bighearted
adventure, offering delight
where it’s needed most.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Reader Reviews
Happy Readers
Meet the Author
01 | Events
Join me at upcoming events and dive into the world of Maggie the Military Rat! Meet the author behind the story that Kirkus and Reader's Favorite are raving about.
02 | Author Visits
I love visiting schools and libraries and interacting with my young readers! I offer both in-person and virtual visits, and especially enjoy meeting our military community.