FEEL THE ANTICIPATION AND JOY OF ONE INCREDIBLE DAY! The butterflies in Sara's belly are fluttering fast. Her family is reuniting today after more than six months apart.  But the hours drag on, testing her patience. The crowds in the hangar finally learn that the planes will land soon.  Which one is Daddy's? Will I recognize him?  Sara wonders as she watches the tiny gray dots finally come into view.  Sara chronicles the day's events, highlighting the unbreakable bonds of family.  Military families, aviation lovers, and anyone interested in witnessing an incredible family reunion will enjoy this story.  Finally Home , a heartwarming picture book:  Is perfect for kids ages ~3,4,5,6,7, and 8 (or K-3rd) to read with caregivers or as an early reader book. - Features the Marine Corps and F35B jet, the United States’ most advanced fighter jet. - Makes a great gift for military or patriotic celebrations: The Month of the Military Child, Military Appreciation Month, Armed Forces Day, Veterans Day, and Independence Day. "Finally Home is a heartfelt tribute to the strength of military families. It’s a powerful reminder of the bonds that hold us together, even when we are thousands of miles apart. I recommend this book to military families regardless of their branch, as well as non-military families as the book's themes are universal. Finally Home will spark meaningful conversations about sacrifice, resilience, community, and joy."  — Admiral James Stavridis, USN Ret, 16th Supreme Allied Commander of NATO and author of  The Restless Wave: A Novel of the US Navy "Cino masterfully mirrors the experience of a homecoming day. The slow crawl of waiting followed by the rush of reunion is felt through the straightforward yet evocative prose. [...] Cino strikes an impressive balance between capturing a child’s perspective and the complex emotions of a military homecoming."  — Bianca Schulze, Founder and Editor of the Children's Book Review "A poignant family reunion story but also a telling glimpse into the lives of military families." — Kirkus Reviews " Finally Home follows a young family anticipating the return of their deployed father, told from the point of view of the daughter. [...] The scenes have an emotionally gentle sense, making the book perfect for a bedtime story as a present-day military family counts down the days until the return of their missing loved one." — Betsy Beard, Military Writers Society of America "Reading this book brought back a flood of emotions from one of the happiest days of my life because of how well Cortney and Tim were able to capture the feeling and details of a homecoming. This book speaks very well to the excitement and anxiety involved with any military homecoming. I highly recommend this book to anyone with military dependents or to anyone who wants a peek into military life." — Z.H., US Marine Corps F-35B/C pilot Kirkus Reviews  (Verdict: "Get It") (June 2025):   A poignant family reunion story but also a telling glimpse into the lives of military families. [...] Cino’s prose is in first-person present and in Sarah’s voice, which is as descriptive as it is emotional and introspective. [...] Deberd’s realistic illustrations in muted tones seem shrouded in an almost dreamlike haze, like snippets of memory rendered in watercolor.  Finally Home is the Military Writers Society of America's (MWSA) 2025 Gold Medal Winner for Picture Books Cortney Cino is the author of  The Lights That Stay ,  Sincerely, Antonia ,  Finally Home,  and the  Piper's Adventures  series. With a background in marketing, she now writes and publishes children's books full-time. Her experiences living in Washington, DC; Boston, MA; and Morehead City, NC, where her family was stationed with the military, have all influenced her writing. Cortney currently lives with her husband and three daughters in Northern California. For more information, visit www.whimspirebooks.com. Tim Deberd lives in Uzbekistan and works with publishers around the world. He loved drawing throughout his childhood and started attending art school at seven, where he gained extensive knowledge in fine arts. After graduating high school, Tim entered Uzbekistan's only art college. He finds it fascinating to bring words to life in illustrations.