Stubby the Dog Soldier is the touching true story of a stray dog who was taken in by a soldier and accompanied him to war. Kids will be impressed with how brave and helpful Stubby was for the soldiers.

The illustrations are a fitting depiction of the setting--subdued and not exactly cheery. However, despite the subject matter, the illustrations and story are appropriate for kids, devoid of graphic depictions of injuries, carnage, and other realities of war. Kids may have some questions after reading this book, but it shouldn't cause any nightmares.

The book has a happier ending than some animals-go-to-war stories, with an afterword that explains Stubby's post-war life.

Note: I received a digital galley of this book through NetGalley. ( )

In this informational picture book, Stubby is a stray dog that becomes the constant companion of Pvt. Conroy who sneaks him aboard ship to end up at the front lines of World War I, where he sniffs deadly mustard gas to alert the soldiers of impending danger. Afterword, Glossary, Bibliography, CCS Connections, Internet sites.

Stubby was a pit bull mix who accompanied his owner in WWI. Stubby ended up being one of the most famous animals during the time period - not only because of his trick training and publicity, but because he saved his regiment several times from assorted hazards.

lthough the call for more non-fiction books for young children has obviously been heard by this publishing house, the integration of Common Core-required themes and questions at the back of the book shocked me a bit. "Integration of Knowledge and Ideas"? "Craft and Structure"? I miss plain old reading. Memos and work projects are boring enough - why start people on the path of this type of reading so early?

I didn't really feel the author's passion for the story through the book. This is something that I never really paid attention to before, especially in a book with only a few pages, but I noticed it this time. ( )

The mascot of the 26th Infantry Division becomes a hero in World War I. ( )

ARC provided by NetGalley

Private J. Robert Conroy was stationed at the army base at New Haven, CT, when a young stray dog, named Stubby, appeared. Subby quickly wormed his way into the heart of Conroy and the others if the 26th Infantry Division and he sailed with them to France to fight in World War I. Stubby’s keen sense of smell served as an early warning system to avoid mustard gas, bombs, and enemy troops.

This short little book, is well written and a good starting place for younger readers wanting to know more about World War I, as told through the eyes of Stubby and his crew. The book includes a glossary for further reading and a critical thinking section. The illustrations are beautiful and done in a palette of soft browns, greens, and blues, that accurately capture the feeling of the battlefields. I give the book four out of five stars. ( )