Buddy the Soldier Bear
“Buddy was a very lonely bear. His whole life he had been all alone on a high shelf in a toy store. He didn’t wear a fancy outfit or sing songs when you squeezed him. He longed to be part of a loving family. He dreamed of doing amazing things and traveling to faraway lands…”
Meet Buddy and go on a magical journey with him, from the toy store to the battlefield and back home again. Buddy the Soldier Bear is a delightful tale of a stuffed bear who dreams of adventures and being part of a family. Buddy gets put into a care package for a soldier, and indeed goes on quite an adventure. Written by the daughter of a WW II veteran and mother of a soldier who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, you can feel the love that was poured into this story. Illustrated by a talented soldier who was deployed with the author’s son, the book is a heartwarming story of how dreams can come true, and so much more.
The book has received several awards, including the Gold Award from Mom’s Choice Awards, the illustration award and a five-star review from Readers’ Favorite, and is a finalist in the Arizona Literary Contest. A portion of the profits is donated to nonprofit organizations who serve our active duty military and veterans.
About Marie Joy (Scottsdale, Arizona Author)
Buddy the Soldier Bear is Marie Joy's first children's book. It began as a sketch of a bear on a piece of paper at work one day, and developed into a charming tale that gives back to those who serve our country. Marie has a master's degree in Leadership from Grand Canyon University.
She volunteers with the Blue Star Moms and the American Legion Auxiliary. She grew up in Massachusetts and New Jersey and currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona with her husband. She has worked in healthcare, education, publishing, and the travel industry. She loves to travel and is a self-proclaimed "cruise addict," though one of her favorite places to travel is visiting her beloved grandsons in Kentucky. Marie's dad served in WWII and her oldest son served in Iraq and Afghanistan. When sending care packages to soldiers, she always dreamed of writing a children's story that could give back to our brave warriors.
Through her writing, she hopes to inspire children to dream big, and to bring awareness to military and veteran causes. Buddy the Soldier Bear donates to nonprofit organizations who support active duty military and veteran's causes.