'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Sunday 23 December 2018

Review: Heroes - Incredible True Stories of Courageous Animals

Heroes: Incredible True Stories of Courageous Animals honours the lives of 33 amazing animals. Each of the animals in this fascinating collection, written by David Long, has saved many lives or helped their human counterparts to find the strength to carry on during times of war and great suffering.

Beautifully illustrated by Kerry Hyndman, the illustrations display the heroic nature of the animals as well as the haunting and dangerous environments in which these animals lived and served. Long's writing style is engaging and accessible to younger and older audiences alike, creating uplifting stories despite the terrible circumstances within which each one occurred.

This book features many brave dogs and birds, as well as a horse, a donkey, a cat and even a bear. Many of these true stories are based during World War II, but range from World War I, to more recent battles, to the World Trade Center in 2011.

Several of the featured animals were granted honorary military titles and some of them were awarded medals for courage and service, including Purple Hearts and the Dickin Medal (the animal Victoria Cross).

This book predominantly focuses on tales from Britain, America and their Allies during these wars. At the conclusion of the book is a special mention of the Animals in War Memorial in London and a reminder to remember these and many other animals who have helped so many during the toughest of times.

Title: Heroes - Incredible True Stories of Courageous Animals
Author: David Long
Illustrator: Kerry Hyndman
Publisher: Allen&Unwin, $29.99
Publication Date: 28 November 2018
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 9780571342105
For ages: 9+
Type: Non-Fiction