For military families, service extends far beyond those wearing the uniform. Children of service members often grow up navigating frequent moves, changing schools, long deployments, and emotional uncertainty. Yet despite these uniquely defining experiences, military children have remained largely overlooked in children’s publishing. Maria Volodkevich, Air Force veteran, U.S. Air Force Academy graduate, and founder of Little Wingmen Press, is working to change that by creating stories designed specifically for military connected families.
In April 2026, Maria launched Operation: Care Package, her debut picture book and the first installment in the Zooming Zoey & Wingman Willie series. The response was immediate.
Within weeks of launch, the book sold more than 300 copies globally, surpassing the average lifetime performance of many independent picture books and highlighting a growing demand for stories that reflect military family life.
Turning an Overlooked Need Into a Mission
Maria believes representation in literature matters not only for culture or identity, but also for lived experiences.
Military children face realities unfamiliar to many of their peers. Frequent transitions, saying goodbye to deployed parents, rebuilding friendships, and adapting to unfamiliar environments become normal parts of growing up. Yet many books fail to reflect those experiences in ways children can emotionally connect with.
“Military kids are little heroes who face deployments, new schools, constant moves, and change,” Maria says. “They deserve to see themselves in books too.”
That belief became the driving force behind Little Wingmen Press, a publishing company dedicated to creating emotionally meaningful, adventure driven stories where military children can see themselves reflected not as background characters, but as heroes.
For Maria, storytelling offers something deeper than entertainment. It becomes a source of comfort, resilience, and validation during moments of uncertainty.
Building More Than a Book
The momentum behind Operation: Care Package reflects both strong reader demand and growing community engagement.
Since launch, Maria has sponsored forty three books for military families while hosting storytime events at USO North Carolina Fort Bragg and Fort Belvoir, bringing the story directly into military communities. Additional partnerships with military bases are already planned as the series expands.
Illustrator Garry Vaux also helped shape the emotional tone of the series through visuals designed to make the stories approachable and engaging for young readers.
The success of the launch has reinforced something Maria suspected all along: military families have been waiting for stories that genuinely reflect their experiences.
A Growing Vision for Military Families
Looking ahead, Maria plans to continue expanding the Zooming Zoey & Wingman Willie series through Little Wingmen Press, helping military children navigate change, uncertainty, and resilience through stories rooted in empathy and adventure.
In an industry where many military experiences remain invisible, Maria’s work is helping ensure military children finally feel seen.
Learn More
To learn more about Maria Volodkevich and Little Wingmen Press, visit:
Zoey & Willie
