Pigeons at War
How Avian Heroes Changed History
For more than five thousand years, people all over the world have worked with pigeons to send and receive important messages. These birds carried weather reports in ancient Egypt, letters between Mongolian warriors in the 1200s, news in nineteenth-century Europe, and more.
Homing pigeons became especially important during World Wars I and II. From famous pigeons such as Cher Ami and GI Joe to lesser-known birds such as No. 48, these avian heroes were crucial to war communications. They carried messages between officers and soldiers when phone, radio, or telegraph lines were cut or officers needed to send top secret communications, transporting vital information across great distances. Homing pigeons, like human heroes, received awards and medals for their service. In fact, pigeons earned the most medals of any animal for their services during these conflicts.
Discover how pigeons were domesticated and trained for use in military conflicts, learn about some of their most daring flights, and explore how pigeons and humans continue to work together.
| Format | Your Price | Add |
|---|---|---|
|
978-1-7284-8708-3
|
$28.99 | |
|
979-8-7656-0233-1
|
$43.99 |
| Interest Level | Grade 8 - Grade 12 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 8 |
| Genre | Social Studies, Young Adult |
| Category | 5 Kinds of Nonfiction, 5KN: Traditional Nonfiction, Animals, STEM, STEM: Life Science/Animals, STEM: Technology |
| Copyright | 2024 |
| Publisher | Lerner Publishing Group |
| Imprint | Twenty-First Century Books ™ |
| Language | English |
| Number of Pages | 136 |
| Publication Date | 2024-02-06 |
| Text Type | Informational/Explanatory |
|---|---|
| BISACS | YAN025130, YAN003020, YAN050130 |
| Dewey | 355.4/24 |
| Dimensions | 6 x 9 |
| Features | Author/Illustrator biography, Bibliography/further reading, Glossary, Index, Maps, Photo captions, Primary source quotations/images, Reviewed, Sidebars, Source notes, and Table of contents |
Author: Connie Goldsmith
Connie Goldsmith is a registered nurse with a bachelor of science degree in nursing and a master of public administration degree in health care. She has written numerous books for YA readers and nearly two hundred magazine articles. Her recent books include Kiyo Sato: From a WWII Japanese Internment Camp to a Life of Service (2020), a Junior Library Guild selection; Running on Empty: Sleeplessness in American Teens (2021); Understanding Coronaviruses: SARS, MERS, and the COVID-19 Pandemic (2021); and Bombs Over Bikini: The World’s First Nuclear Disaster (2014), a Junior Library Guild selection, a Children’s Book Committee at Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year, an Association of Children’s Librarians of Northern California Distinguished Book, and an SCBWI Crystal Kite Winner. She lives in Sacramento, California. Visit her website at http://www.conniegoldsmith.com/.
Pigeons at War: An Interview with Author Connie Goldsmith
Pigeons were the unsung heroes of both world wars. In Pigeons at War: How Avian Heroes Changed History by Connie Goldsmith, readers discover how these unassuming birds were crucial to communications between Allied troops. When phone, radio, and telegraph lines were cut or officers needed View →
Happy Book Birthday: February New Releases in Young Adult, NonFiction, Picture Books, and more!
Don’t let the winter cold get you down. This February we are releasing new titles in fiction, nonfiction, picture books, and young adult. Expand your imagination by reading about dinosaurs surfing, Super Potato’s cosmic battle, pigeons in the war, and much more! New in Board Books My… View →
Reviews
Booklist
“Readers who love reading about animals accomplishing great deeds will enjoy this while, at the same time, they’ll learn a lot about a much-maligned bird.”—Booklist
Kirkus Reviews
“Will incite sympathy, not to say outrage, along with admiration for these often-underestimated birds.” —Kirkus Reviews