A New Children's Book by Sacra M. Durandisse

A heartwarming children's book honoring military families.

My Dad Is a Marine: Home Is Where My Hero Lives celebrates courage, love, service, and the unbreakable bond between a Marine father and his daughters — told through the eyes of Marley, a bright and curious six-year-old.

Buy the Book Request a Signed Copy Read the Stars and Stripes Feature
Ages 3–11Reading Audience
23 yrsYears of Service Honored
50,000Copies Toward Scholarship
As Seen InStars & Stripes
My Dad Is a Marine — Home Is Where My Hero Lives, by Sacra M. Durandisse
As Featured In Stars and Stripes
“Single Marine father inspires children's book authored by military counselor.”
Read the Article
About the Book

Told through a child's eyes, felt by every family.

Through the eyes of Marley, a bright and curious six-year-old girl, My Dad Is a Marine beautifully captures the love, pride, and sacrifice that come with being part of a military family.

The book introduces children to discipline, service, honor, bravery, family, resilience, and love.

— From the Author's Introduction
3–11
Recommended Ages
63 pp.
Beautifully Illustrated
Themes & Lessons

Seven values, woven gently into every page.

Discipline
Service
Honor
Bravery
Family
Resilience
... and above all, Love
U.S. Marine Corps
Inspired By A Real Hero

Chief Warrant Officer 4
Juan Arce, USMC

The Story Behind The Story

A real Marine. A real family. A story worth telling.

My Dad Is a Marine is inspired by a remarkable single father and Marine, Officer Juan Arce, whom Sacra had the honor of meeting while working in Japan.

Over his 23 years of service, Officer Arce has shown strength, dedication, and compassion — qualities that shine just as brightly in his role as a single father of three beautiful girls.

“I watched the bond he shared with his daughters, which inspired me to tell their story through the eyes of his six-year-old daughter.” — Sacra M. Durandisse, Author

Read the Stars and Stripes Feature
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Juan Arce, USMC, with his three daughters
The Family That Inspired The Story
CWO4 Juan Arce, USMC & his three daughters — the heart of My Dad Is a Marine.
U.S. Marine Corps
23 Years
Of Honorable Service
A Look Inside

Six spreads from sixty-three pages.

A glimpse into the story — illustrated moments of family, courage, and the quiet pride of growing up with a Marine for a dad.

Preview Illustrated by hand — printed in full color
Showing 6/63 pages
Page 9 A father claps proudly as his daughter performs in her cheer uniform.
At the Gym
“He always cheers the loudest and makes me feel so proud!”
The everyday pride of having a hero at home.
Page 13 The family sharing a meal together with papel picado banners overhead.
Family Dinner
“Vanilla is the best!”
The small rituals that make a house a home.
Page 19 The family seated together on an airplane, with palm trees, temples, and Mount Fuji visible through the windows.
On the Move
“We've been to Hawaii, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan… everywhere with him.”
A childhood spent seeing the world on his shoulders.
Page 43 The family wearing aviation headsets inside a helicopter cockpit.
Up in the Clouds
“One time he even took us on a real helicopter ride.”
Adventure wasn't a vacation. It was Tuesday.
Page 51 The family packing boxes labeled 'Dad's Uniforms' and 'Books' surrounded by framed military photos and medals.
Goodbye, For Now
“We move a lot — sometimes every two to four years.”
The hardest part of military life, told gently.
Page 59 The Arce family — father in his Marines shirt with his three daughters — in a final portrait.
The End
“Home is where my hero lives.”
The line that became the title.
Swipe to explore →
Want the full story?

Bring the whole journey home.

Sixty-three illustrated pages. A reading experience your child will return to again and again.

Order Your Copy
A touching tribute to every child who proudly calls a Marine — "Dad."
From the Tribute — Page 4
What Readers Are Saying

Loved by parents, teachers, and the children
who recognize themselves in Marley.

Honest words from verified readers across the country — teachers, parents, and grandparents who brought the book home and shared it with the children they love.
5.0 out of 5 Verified Reader Reviews

"My students saw themselves in Marley."

This is a must-read! I first read it to my grandson and it was so relatable that I brought it to work and read it to my Pre-K 4/5 students. They loved it. Hands went up for almost every page. Students had something to say. Marley was them, and their experiences were being told by Marley.

C
Campbell
Verified Purchase
February 9, 2026

"A touching and loving story."

This is a touching story of the love between a father and his children. It shows the genuine love and adoration he has for his girls — and the respect and affection they have for him. A great read for children of all ages, even those well into adulthood. Get one for every kid in your family, especially those with parents who have served.

T
Tan M.
Verified Purchase
January 28, 2026

"A wonderful family book."

A nice tribute to a father, and to the men and women who serve in our armed forces. Great book for the kiddos!

J
Jeremy S.
Verified Purchase
January 11, 2026
All reviews verified · 5.0 average · Honest words from real readers
Order Your Copy

Bring this story home.

Available as instant eBook download, softcover, or hardcover — with personally signed editions for collectors, military families, and gift-giving.

Edition
Standard
Signed by Author
Softcover
Lightweight, classroom-friendly
$12.99
Order Softcover
$17.99
Personally signed
Order Signed Softcover
Hardcover
Keepsake edition, premium binding
$19.99
Order Hardcover
$24.99
Personally signed
Order Signed Hardcover
eBook
Read instantly on any device — phone, tablet, or computer
Instant Download
$9.99
Download eBook

Bulk orders, school visits, military family events, and book signings — we'd love to bring this story to your community.

Info@booksbysacra.com
Mission

Supporting single-parent military families.

A portion of the mission behind My Dad Is a Marine is to honor the families who serve alongside our service members.

Sacra plans to use proceeds from the first 50,000 copies to help create a scholarship fund for single-parent military families.

Donate to Scholarship Fund
50K
Copies dedicated to scholarship
First-edition proceeds
1
Real Marine father honored
CWO4 Juan Arce, USMC
∞
Military families lifted up
Every signed copy gives back
Military Scholarship Application

Home is where my hero lives.

$1,000 Per Family

A $1,000 scholarship created to support single-parent military families across all branches of the United States Armed Forces — honoring the parents who serve and the children who serve alongside them.

Who Can Apply

  • Actively serving in the U.S. military — any branch (Army, Navy, USMC, USAF, USCG, USSF)
  • A parent with verified parenting responsibility
  • All custody arrangements welcome — full, primary, shared, 50/50, partial, visitation, weekend, or temporary guardianship
  • Able to provide verification of service & parenting arrangement
Download Application (PDF) Submit completed applications to info@booksbysacra.com
ARMYNAVYUSMCUSAFUSCGUSSF
Military Scholarship
Application
Home Is Where My Hero Lives
$1,000Award
6Branches
AllCustody
Because home is where their hero lives.
Sacra M. Durandisse — author and mental health counselor.
About the Author
Sacra M. Durandisse
Author · Mental Health Counselor

Three decades of healing. One story to tell.

Sacra Durandisse is an author, behavioral health executive, and entrepreneur whose work is dedicated to strengthening families, supporting communities, and inspiring children.

She is the author of My Dad Is a Marine: Home Is Where My Hero Lives, a heartfelt children's book inspired by the resilience, sacrifice, and love found in military families. Through her writing, Sacra creates meaningful stories that help children feel seen, understood, and proud of their unique experiences.

In addition to her work as an author, Sacra has nearly three decades of experience as a licensed mental health professional and healthcare executive. Her career has centered on helping individuals and families overcome challenges and build healthier, stronger lives.

Sacra is also the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Marley Rose Group Home LLC, an organization dedicated to providing compassionate support services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Whether she is writing children's books, leading behavioral health programs, or advocating for military families, Sacra's mission is the same: to uplift others through faith, compassion, and purposeful service.

Through Books by Sacra, she hopes to share stories that encourage courage, strengthen families, and remind every child that their story matters.

30 yrs
Behavioral Health
Author
Children's Books
USMC
Family Advocate
Published Under
Books by Sacra
booksbysacra.com
Get In Touch

Bookings, interviews, and book signings.

Whether you're a school, military base, library, news outlet, or a family ordering a special signed copy — we'd be honored to hear from you.

For
Schools · Military Bases · Libraries · Press
Author Visits
Book signings & readings welcomed

Bring this heartfelt military family story into your home, classroom, library, or military community today.

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