We also served True stories of brave animals in the military & other heroic tales

Giving voices to her subjects, McGill lets nine dogs, plus an eagle, horse, pigeon, and cat introduce themselves and describe their heroic actions in conflicts ranging from the recent war in Afghanistan to the American and Chinese Civil Wars--plus two guide dogs who rescued survivors of 9/11. In keeping with the first-person conceit, the animal narrators focus on their adoption, their courage under fire, and what they accomplished during and/or after the wars they experienced rather than specifying dates or places. The military units associated with them do get mentions, though, and in her simple crayon-and-cut-paper-collage illustrations, the author adds images of awards each furry or feathered hero received to the full-page portraits accompanying each entry. Closing notes on other wartime service animals, which range from elephants and bottlenose dolphins to glowworms and rats, expand the military menagerie. Aside perhaps from the WWI homing pigeon Cher Ami, the animals here--from Civil War mascot eagle Old Abe to WWII's Judy, the only dog ever officially registered as a POW--will likely be new to readers.

A celebration of animals who served heroically. Though the book mostly focuses on achievements that occurred on the battlefield or in times of active combat, some profiled animals provided civilian support (a pair of guide dogs who kept their owners and others around them calm as they exited the World Trade Center on 9/11) or peacetime service (such as dogs retired from combat who become therapy animals or marine animals who help in surveying the ocean floor). Accompanied by endearing cartoon illustrations, the profiles are succinct, hitting high points and giving specifics without delving into age-inappropriate details. Both world wars are well represented, of course, but McGill also covers other conflicts, such as U.S. participation in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq as well as British involvement in the Chinese Civil War. The text praises the animals for the lives they saved or improved (mostly human, but one entry highlights a World War II search and rescue dog who saved pet cats in London following a night of bombing) and avoids discussions of human politics and morality (on war, the use of animals in war, or the pets donated for the war effort). The final sections provide global and historical context to the use of animals in war. A topic bound to appeal to many readers presented in a sensitive, kid-friendly way. (Nonfiction. 5-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.