Klinger, A Story of Honor and Hope is the endearing story of a young horse dreaming of fame as a racehorse. But his life is disrupted and he must leave his parents to start a new life. Faced with difficulty and disappointment, Klinger's dream of significance seems unattainable. He then discovers fulfillment in honoring fallen heroes and bringing comfort to their families. This award winning hardcover picture book is based on the story of a real horse who works in Arlington National Cemetery. It was written by the mother of a fallen hero for Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), a national nonprofit Veterans Service Organization that brings help, hope, and healing to those whose loved one has died in military service. Klinger, A Story of Honor and Hope is an enchanting children s book that is fashioned more from fact than fiction. The fact that Klinger is based on a real life Caisson Horse makes this tale even more magical. From the time of his birth, Klinger believes that he is special. He dreams of becoming the speediest racehorse anyone has ever seen. But, even though he is tall and strong, Klinger isn t very fast. His trainer and owner decide that since he isn t as quick as the other horses, Klinger must be sent away. It breaks his little heart to be separated from his mother and father. Frightened and alone, he arrives at his new home at Fort Myer in Arlington, Virginia. The soldiers and the other horses are kind to Klinger as they patiently train him for his brand new and important duty as part of the elite Caisson escort team. Klinger feels honored to pull the wagon that carries fallen American soldiers. His sweet and gentle nature makes him perfect for the job of comforting the lost soldiers families. Ultimately, Klinger discovers that it s not speed that makes him special it s his spirit. Beard's storytelling ability is mesmerizing for young and old alike. The illustrations will captivate the reader as the vibrant images bring the story to life. The artistry and depth of color in the artwork are incredible. Much of Beard's narrative is based in reality, so her tale is as educational as it is entertaining. Many parallels and life lessons abound in this little book. Since all creatures great and small have an inherent desire to feel special, Klinger s journey to discover his specialness is both endearing and familiar. Hopefully, Klinger s quest will encourage the child listener to aspire and the adult reader to inspire. Klinger will steal your heart with its undeniable charm. I give it my highest recommendation. This quality hardback storybook (complete with dust jacket) makes it perfect for gift giving, and is guaranteed to delight Americans of all ages. --Military Writer's Society of America, Claudia Pemberton Betsy Beard's writing career began on October 14, 2004 shortly after notification that her only son, Army Specialist Bradley Scott Beard had been killed in action in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. Finding some solace in pouring her heartache into a journal, she called it hemorrhaging on paper. Shortly thereafter the family discovered Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), a national nonprofit Veterans Service Organization providing compassionate care for the families of America s fallen military heroes. In 2005 Betsy trained to become a TAPS peer mentor, helping those more newly bereaved to find connection and support. She also began contributing articles about survivorship to TAPS Magazine, the national quarterly magazine of Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. Since that time, she has continued to write and has published articles in newspapers, TAPS Magazine, Living with Loss Magazine, and Hospice Foundation of America s 2008 Living with Grief. Betsy became the editor for TAPS Magazine in 2008, and also assists with the writing of various other TAPS publications. In 2010, she wrote the award-winning children s book, Klinger, A Story of Honor and Hope for the surviving children of those who have given their lives in military service to America. Although the book is designed to bring comfort to families of the fallen, it has a broad appeal to all Americans. Betsy has served as a support group facilitator and workshop presenter at TAPS regional and national seminars. She has presented workshops on bereavement for the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional and National Trainings and participated in the Casualty Notification training for the United States Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operation Center (CMAOC). Prior to the death of her son, Betsy worked in the banking industry, home-schooled her children through high school, and spent 21 years working in hospital laboratories as a Medical Laboratory Technologist.