Present, Still Missing

by K.G. Mach

232 pages, Paperback

Published September 16, 2025

About the author

Present, Still Missing (MG historical fiction) from Golden Bridges Publishing! Release date: 9/16/25.
The Shoemaker of Siberia (fairytale): Gramarye: Journal of The Chichester Centre for Fairy Tales, Fantasy, and Speculative Fiction, Summer '25, issue 27.
2021 finalist, MG fiction, Connecticut's Tassy Walden Award for New Voices in Children's Literature. 2019 Long list for the Times Chicken House competition. 2019 recipient of NESCBWI's Ruth Landers Glass Scholarship. 2018 winner and finalist in MG fiction,Tassy Walden Award.

Reviews

[Beth Riner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got to read an ARC of KG Mach's beautifully written historical novel for middle grade readers. Twelve-year-old Irene's beloved daddy is finally home as World War II ends. But Daddy's not the same man who left her and Momma behind three long years ago--he's changed, and Irene quickly realizes there is no normal after war.

Tomboy Irene's growing up too. She needs a bra, and she's lost a friend. Someone who was once close to her is now a sworn enemy. And there's a new boy in her class who may not be as awful as she first thought.

Can Daddy recover from the invisible scars of war? Or is the Daddy she knew lost forever?

Mach tackles the impact of war on families through the engaging eyes of Irene, a scrappy heroine who's got universal growing-up issues of her own.

There's a good discussion guide at the end which would be perfect for teachers who choose to use the book as a classroom read as well as a listing of helpful resources for those who may be struggling with issues raised in the book.

As a former middle grade teacher, I'd love to teach the book--there are universal themes of growing up, losing friends, adapting to change as well as the meatier topic of the impact the shadows of war have on families. Don't even get me started on the historical tie-ins. It would be a wonderful classroom read.

[Anne Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in a gentle, descriptive and expressive narrative, KG Mach’s novel, Present, Still Missing
tackles an issue that middle school novels rarely touch upon. This WWII novel introduces Irene, the daughter of a returning soldier who handles a myriad of emotions as she welcomes her father home. From excitement to anger to sympathy and acceptance, the reader will feel compassion for Irene as she realizes her Dad isn’t the same person who left to serve his country. The reader will also feel compassion towards Irene’s father as he comes home from war trying to fit in and just breaking apart as time moves on. Mach does a wonderful job of addressing PTSD. This is a middle school novel but I think it would be a fantastic companion to any class that deals with War and the effects it has on the soldiers that serve.

[Darlene Campos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely beautiful. It touches on the story of a feisty girl named Irene whose father arrives home from serving in WWII. He experiences signs of PTSD and Irene and her mother seek assistance to help him recover. The portrayal of mental health is done in a respectful manner and easy for young readers to understand. Irene's character is one that stays in your mind. She cares deeply about her family and friends and truly wants the best for everyone. I recommend this wonderful book to anyone who loves history, but especially to history loving kids!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very pleasantly surprised by this book. Written by a baseball mom friend, it tells the story of WWII soldiers who come back to their families with PTSD (before it was identified as such). It follows the main character (a young girl) who is navigating growing up while praying for her father's safe return from the war. However, once he comes home, he is not the person she remembers. Smart, well-written, authentic voice, important message. Would recommend for middle school and early high school.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Readers will root for the plucky Irene as she navigates the tricky waters of growing up and changing friendships, set against the backdrop of her war-hero father's complicated return to civilian life. This story is equal parts funny, heartwarming, heartbreaking, and hopeful. I loved it!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been three long years, but Irene’s daddy is finally coming home! World War II is over and today the soldiers from her hometown arrive by train. Twelve-year-old Irene and her mother excitedly anticipate their lives being “normal” again. But, after the first few celebratory days, Irene’s exuberance soon fades. Her daddy seems far from normal. Daniel can’t hold a job, he has terrible nightmares, and some days he slips away from them, staring into space. When her father fears that they might be better off without him, he asks for help. Irene returns from school to find the doctor and military personnel in her kitchen. They recommend that Daniel be hospitalized. Irene and her mother return to living alone without any guarantee of when he will be home again.

Set against spunky Irene’s world where a past guilt mars a friendship and the turbulence of turning twelve makes emotions run high, the author paints a picture of a family in crisis. Irene’s father suffers from PTSD, something that is better understood now than it was in the 1940s. Treatment continues to evolve even today. Ultimately, Irene loses her father again to Mason General Hospital with the hope that he will return healed. This hospital actually existed for two and half years after World War II. It was devoted to rehabilitating servicemen like Daniel.

The problems this family experiences are sensitively and tenderly dealt with, but some scenes remain very tense: Irene discovers her father’s pistol in her parents’ closet and handles it; Daniel’s pistol also lies in plain sight on the kitchen table when he becomes suicidal. As a librarian, I hope that every child who reads this book has an adult to discuss it with. I would love this excellent historical fiction novel to find a place in Book Clubs across the country, where questions can be asked and answered.