Table of Contents
Animals and the War
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Shirley Raye Redmond’s Pigeon Hero (Simon Spotlight, 2003) in the Ready-to-Read series is the story of a carrier pigeon named G.I. Joe who saved an Italian town from attack during World War II. (He ended up with a medal for bravery.) For ages 5-7. |
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In Michael Morpurgo’s The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips (HarperCollins, 2016), Lily’s family and entire town have been told to move, lock, stock, and barrel, leaving the area free for the Allied forces to practice for the D-Day landing. You can’t, however, give orders to a cat. For ages 9 and up.
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In Robert Westall’s Blitzcat (Macmillan, 2015), a black cat named Lord Gort travels through the landscape of World War II Britain, looking for her owner who is in the RAF, and encountering many people along the way. Eventually she’s adopted by a rear gunner, flies missions over France, and ends up bailing out over enemy territory. For ages 10 and up.
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In Michael Morpurgo’s An Elephant in the Garden (Square Fish, 2013), Lizzie and Karl’s mother, a zookeeper in Dresden, Germany, rescues an elephant who was supposed to be destroyed before the city was hit by bombs. Instead, when the city is bombed, they flee with the elephant – with the help of Peter, a downed Canadian navigator. For ages 10-14.
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Robin Hutton’s War Animals (Regnery History, 2018) is the story of the gallant dogs, birds, horses, mules – and even a cat – who contributed to the World War II war effort. For teens and adults.
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Mark Felton’s Ghost Riders (DaCapo Press, 2018) is the story of the end-of-the-war collaboration between American and German soldiers to save the fabulous Lipizzaner horses of Vienna’s Spanish Riding School from the Russian army. For teens and adults. For another version of the story, see The Perfect Horse by Elizabeth Letts (Ballantine, 2017).
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From Military History Now, see Operation Cowboy, an account of how American GIs and German soldiers joined forces to save the Lipizzaners. Illustrated with photos. |
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Miracle of the White Stallions (1963) is the Disney version of the Lipizzaner story. General Patton is willing to help save the famous horses from the threat of the approaching Russian army – but he wants to see them perform first. Not rated, but clearly family-friendly. |
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In Valiant (2005), a little pigeon enlists in the Royal Homing Pigeon Service, determined to do his bit, carrying encoded messages across the Channel in the teeth of General Von Talon’s Falcon Brigade. Rated G.
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