Cul-De-Sac Kids: Chloe, the Military Brat
by A. L. Zeine
Middle Grade · Ages 8–12 · Military Families / Friendship / Resilience / Moving
Moving for the third time at eleven years old, Chloe faces distance, change, and the question of whether any friendship can survive the distance.
Project Overview
Chloe, the “Military Brat” is the first book in A. L. Zeine’s Cul-De-Sac Kids series, and it establishes its world with remarkable emotional honesty. Chloe is eleven, a child of divorce, and the daughter of an active-duty Army officer — which means she has already moved twice and is about to move again. The story captures the specific exhaustion of always being the new kid, the complicated mix of love and frustration she feels toward her parents, and the terror of leaving behind a best friend she finally found. Zeine writes with tween authenticity — no false comfort, just real feelings honestly explored.
The illustration challenge was conveying Chloe’s interior emotional life through portraits and scenes rather than action, since much of the story’s drama is internal. Expression, posture, and small environmental details carried significant emotional weight on every page.
Role
- Character design (Chloe, her mother, friends, and community cast)
- Full book illustration
- Interior emotional storytelling through portraiture and scene composition
- Print-ready file preparation
Selected Chapter Illustrations
Book Details
ISBN-13
978-1737841234
Publisher
AL Zeine Books, LLC
Publish Date
April 6, 2024
Reading Age
7 – 18 years
Page Count
98 pages
Format
5″ x 8″ Paperback
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