Book Review of Finally Home
The Children’s Book Review
Finally Home
Written by Cortney Cino, MBA
Illustrated by Tim Deberd
Ages: 3+ | 32 Pages
Publisher: Whimspire Books (2025) | ISBN: 979-8988925163
What to Expect: Military Family Life, Homecoming, Reunion, and Family Bonds
Finally Home offers a touching glimpse into one of the most emotionally charged moments in military family life: the long-awaited return of a deployed parent.
Seven-year-old Sara waits anxiously in a military hangar for her father’s return from a deployment with the US Marine Corps. As the hours drag on, she watches the sky for incoming F-35B aircraft, wondering which one carries her daddy. Through Sara’s eyes, readers will experience the building anticipation, the seemingly endless waiting, and finally, the joyful reunion that makes the day so special.
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 that allows young readers to not just understand but empathize with Sara’s experience. Cino strikes an impressive balance between capturing a child’s perspective and the complex emotions of a military homecoming.
Deberd’s illustrations really bring the story home, complementing the narrative perfectly—combining technical accuracy in the military hardware with warmth in the human moments. His classical style brings the hangar’s institutional scale and intimate family scenes to life, while his attention to facial expressions captures the range of emotions throughout the story.
This picture book will particularly resonate with military families and children ages 3-8, though its themes of patience, family bonds, and joyful reunions make it accessible to any young reader who has experienced separation from a loved one.
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About the Author
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.
About the Illustrator
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.
