Kids Books: Sgt. Stubby, Hero Dog

Stubby: Inspired by the True Story of an American Hero of World War I

By Kathy Borrus, Illustrated by Julia Mills

A heartwarming tale of friendship between an American soldier and his best buddy, a dog. Stubby is the true story of the most heroic dog in World War I. From stray puppy to the only dog ever promoted to the rank of Sergeant and the winner of the Purple Heart, Stubby’s remarkable journey is appropriate for all ages.

Sergeant Stubby: How a Stray Dog and His Best Friend Helped Win World War I and Stole the Heart of a Nation

By Ann Bausum

Meet Sergeant Stubby: World War I dog veteran, decorated war hero, American icon, and above all, man’s best friend. Stubby’s story begins in 1917 when America is about to enter the war. A stowaway dog befriends Private James Robert “Bob” Conroy at the Connecticut National Guard camp at Yale University and the two become inseparable. Stubby also wins over the commanding officer and is soon made an official member of the 102nd Infantry of the 26th division. What follows is an epic tale of how man’s best friend becomes an invaluable soldier on the front lines and in the trenches, a decorated war hero and an inspiration to a country long after the troops returned home.

Stubby the Dog Soldier: World War I Hero

By Blake Hoena, Illustrated by Olivia Ian Hurst

A stray dog named Stubby braves the World War I battlefields alongside Private J. Robert Conroy. See the story unfold as this brave little canine makes a big difference in the lives of many World War I soldiers. 5-7 years

Stubby: A True Story of Friendship

By Michael Foreman

Stubby, a brave soldier, a loyal friend… and a dog. From an army training camp to the trenches in France, this is the incredible true story of Sgt. Stubby, the dog who served bravely in the First World War, sniffing out gas attacks, catching spies and winning the hearts of his fellow soldiers. 5-7 years

Stubby the War Dog: The True Story of World War I’s Bravest Dog

By Ann Bausum

Move over, Rin Tin Tin. Here comes Sergeant Stubby! That German shepherd star of the silver screen may have been born behind enemy lines during World War I, but Stubby, the stump-tailed terrier, worked behind enemy lines, and gained military honors along the way.

Private Robert Conroy casually adopted the orphan pup while attending basic training on the campus of Yale University in 1917. The Connecticut volunteer never imagined that his stray dog would become a war hero. He just liked the little guy. When Conroy’s unit shipped out for France, he smuggled his new friend aboard. By the time Stubby encountered Conroy’s commanding officer, the dog had perfected his right-paw salute. Charmed, the CO awarded Stubby mascot status and sent him along with Conroy’s unit to the Western Front.

Stubby’s brave deeds earned him a place in history and in the Smithsonian Institution where his stuffed body can still be seen. Almost 100 years later, Stubby’s great deeds and brave heart make him an animal hero to fall in love with and treasure all over again.  10-14 years

G.I. Dog: Sergeant Stubby Hero Pup of World War I

By Laurie Calkhoven

Meet Stubby: a stray pup who was taken in by a group of American soldiers-in-training and soon found himself whisked off to the front lines of World War I as the official mascot of the 102nd Infantry Regiment. Stubby served bravely by his soldiers’ sides for 18 months and became a hero when he saved his regiment from a surprise gas attack. And he singlehandedly caught an enemy German soldier in No Man’s Land.

Join Stubby on his incredible journey from puppy to soldier to high-ranking sergeant as he narrates his story of heroism. This “dog’s-eye view” takes readers into the heart of the action of WWI and will leave them cheering for Stubby and his human companions as they overcome countless obstacles and prove time and again why a dog really is man’s best friend. 7-10 years

Dog Diaries #7: Stubby

By Kate Klimo, Illustrated by Tim Jessell

Stubby the war dog narrates the story of his life–from his days as a stray to his time on the battlefields of France! Adopted by Private John Robert Conroy in 1917 when the dog wandered into training camp, Stubby soon became the mascot for the 26th Yankee division–even learning how to salute. When the men were shipped out for France, Conroy smuggled Stubby on-board. The rest is the kind of incredible true story that dog-crazy middle graders love. By the end of the war, Stubby had served in 17 battles, been injured by mustard gas and a grenade; found and captured a German spy; shaken hands with Woodrow Wilson; and become the first dog given rank in the United States Armed Forces! 7-10 years

Why Did Sergeant Stubby Go to War?

By Cathy Werling, Illustrated by Christina Garcia

Stubby, a homeless dog who could have been left for lost saved countless lives in World War I. He became the most decorated animal in American military history. Stubby, a mix of Boston terrier and pit bull, was discovered, rescued, and taught by Private Robert Conroy and his colleagues, who were training for World War I at Yale University in 1917. Conroy smuggled Stubby aboard a transport ship to Europe with the U.S. 102nd Infantry, 26th Yankee Division. His commanding officer discovered the dog several days later and was quite displeased–until Stubby saluted the officer with his paw as the soldiers had trained him to do.

In the trench warfare of Europe, Stubby would bark to alert the regiment of surprise mustard gas attacks and incoming artillery fire, giving the soldiers time to grab their gas masks or hit the bottom of the trenches before a raid. Trained to differentiate between German and English speakers, Stubby would also locate wounded English-speaking soldiers in the trenches and bark until paramedics arrived. He even once caught a German spy.

Stubby braved through 17 WWI battles, saving countless Allied soldiers’ lives through his actions. For his courage, he received many military honors and marched in the Victory Parade. 5-11 years

The book descriptions are primarily from the publishers.

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and/or leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

You may like: The Christmas Truce of 1914, https://www.barbaralowell.com/christmas-truce-1914

Books For Kids: World War I https://www.barbaralowell.com/books-for-kids-world-war-I

 

Caldecott Medal 2012-2022

The Caldecott Medal is awarded each year to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children by the Association for Library Service to Children of the American Library Association. These are the 2012-2022 Caldecott winners:

2022

Watercress

By Andrea Wang, Illustrated by Jason Chin

Driving through Ohio in an old Pontiac, a young girl’s parents stop suddenly when they spot watercress growing wild in a ditch by the side of the road. Grabbing an old paper bag and some rusty scissors, the whole family wades into the muck to collect as much of the muddy, snail covered watercress as they can.

At first, she’s embarrassed. Why can’t her family get food from the grocery store? But when her mother shares a story of her family’s time in China, the girl learns to appreciate the fresh food they foraged. Together, they make a new memory of watercress.

Andrea Wang tells a moving autobiographical story of a child of immigrants discovering and connecting with her heritage, illustrated by award winning author and artist Jason Chin, working in an entirely new style, inspired by Chinese painting techniques. An author’s note in the back shares Andrea’s childhood experience with her parents.

2021

We Are Water Protectors

By Carole Lindstrom, Illustrated by Michaela Goade

Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and corruption―a bold and lyrical picture book written by Carole Lindstrom and vibrantly illustrated by Michaela Goade.

Water is the first medicine.
It affects and connects us all . . .

When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth
And poison her people’s water, one young water protector
Takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource.

2020

The Undefeated

By Kwame Alexander, Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Originally performed for ESPN’s The Undefeated, this poem is a love letter to black life in the United States. It highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire of the civil rights movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of some of the world’s greatest heroes. The text is also peppered with references to the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, and others, offering deeper insights into the accomplishments of the past, while bringing stark attention to the endurance and spirit of those surviving and thriving in the present. Robust back matter at the end provides valuable historical context and additional detail for those wishing to learn more.

2019

Hello Lighthouse

By Sophie Blackall

Watch the days and seasons pass as the wind blows, the fog rolls in, and the icebergs drift by. Outside, there is water all around. Inside, the daily life of the lighthouse keeper and his family unfolds as the keeper boils water for tea, lights the lamp’s wick, and writes every detail in his logbook.

Step back in time, through the door of this iconic lighthouse into the cozy dollhouse-like interior with the extraordinary award-winning artist Sophie Blackall.

2018

Wolf in the Snow

By Matthew Cordell

Paintings rich with feeling tell this satisfying story of friendship and trust. Here is a book set on a wintry night that will spark imaginations and warm hearts.

2017

Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat

by Javaka Steptoe

Jean-Michel Basquiat and his unique collage-style paintings rocketed to fame in the 1960s. But before that, he was a little boy who saw art everywhere: in poetry books and museums, in games and in the words that we speak, and in the pulsing energy of New York City. Javaka Steptoe introduces the powerful message that art doesn’t always have to be neat or clean, and definitely not inside the lines to be beautiful.

2016

Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear

By Lindsay Mattick, Illustrated by Sophie Blackall

In 1914, Harry Colebourn, a veterinarian on his way to tend horses in World War I, followed his heart and rescued a baby bear. He named her Winnie, after his hometown of Winnipeg, and he took the bear to war. Harry Colebourn’s real-life great-granddaugher tells the true story of a remarkable friendship and even more remarkable journey from the fields of Canada to a convoy across the ocean to an army base in England. And finally to the London Zoo, where Winnie made another new friend: a real boy named Christopher Robin. Before Winnie-the-Pooh, there was a real bear named Winnie. And she was a girl.

2015

The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend

By Dan Santat

This magical story begins on an island far away where an imaginary friend is born. He patiently waits his turn to be chosen by a real child, but when he is overlooked time and again, he sets off on an incredible journey to the bustling city, where he finally meets his perfect match and at long last is given his special name: Beekle. 

2014

Locomotive

By Brian Floca

It is the summer of 1869, and trains, crews, and families are traveling together riding America’s brand new transcontinental railroad. Brian Floca makes the story come alive with the details of the trip and the sounds, speed, and strength of the mighty locomotives. Come here the hiss of the steam. Feel the heat of the engine. Watch the landscape race by. Come ride the rails and cross the young country!

2013

This Is Not My Hat

By Jon Klassen

When a tiny fish shoots into view wearing a round blue topper (which happens to fit him perfectly,) trouble could be following close behind. So it’s a good thing that an enormous fish won’t wake up. And even if he does, it’s not like he’ll ever know what happened. Visual humor swims to the fore as Jon Klassen creates another dead-pan-funny tale. 

2012

A Ball For Daisy

By Chris Raschka

Any child who has ever had a beloved toy break will relate to Daisy’s anguish when her favorite ball is destroyed by a bigger dog. Chris Raschka explores the joy and sadness that having a special toy can bring. His signature swirling, impressionistic illustrations and his affectionate story will particularly appeal to young dog lovers and teachers and parents who have children dealing with the loss of something special.

The book descriptions are primarily from the publishers.

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author.

You may like: Christopher Robin and the Real Winnie https://barbaralowell.com/christopher-robin-real-winnie

 

Kids Books: Thanksgiving in History

Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving

By Laurie Halse Anderson, Illustrated by Matt Faulkner

The holiday might have started with a jubilant feast on Plymouth’s shore. But by the 1800s, America’s observance was waning. None of the presidents nor congress sought to revive the holiday. And so one invincible “lady editor” named Sarah Hale took it upon herself to rewrite the recipe for Thanksgiving as we know it today. In 1863, Hale’s thirty-five years of petitioning and orations got Abraham Lincoln thinking. He signed the Thanksgiving Proclamation that very year, declaring it a national holiday. 

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Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade

By Melissa Sweet

Everyone’s a New Yorker on this special day, when young and old rise early to see what giant new balloons will fill the skies for Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Who first invented these “upside-down puppets”? Meet Tony Sarg, puppeteer extraordinaire! 

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Molly’s Pilgrim

By Barbara Cohen, Illustrated by Daniel Mark Duffy

This touching story tells how recent Russian Jewish immigrant Molly leads her third-grade class to discover that it takes all kinds of pilgrims to make a Thanksgiving. Based on a true story. 

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1621: A New Look at Thanksgiving

By Catherine O’Neill Grace

Countering the prevailing, traditional story of the first Thanksgiving, this illustrated photo-essay presents a more measured, balanced, and historically accurate version of the three-day harvest celebration in 1621.

If You Were a Kid at the First Thanksgiving

By Melissa Sarno, Illustrated by Lluis Farre

As one of the few young children living in the Plymouth colony, Miles Allterton is always looking to make new friends. In a nearby Wampanoag settlement, a girl named Aquina wants to hunt with her father and brothers. When the two children meet during preparations for a harvest feast, they quickly strike up a friendship. Readers will follow along as the children and their families attend the first Thanksgiving celebration. 7-9 years

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Thanksgiving in the White House

By Gary Hines, Illustrated by Alexandra Wallner

President Abraham Lincoln’s youngest son, Tad, is very fond of Jack the turkey. He has tamed him and taught him tricks. The bird follows him all around the White House yard. But Jack was meant to be the main dish of the first official Thanksgiving celebration. Tad doesn’t want his pet to be eaten for dinner, not even for a day as special as this. Can he convince his father to save Jack’s life?

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What Was the First Thanksgiving?

By Joan Holub, Illustrated by Lauren Mortimer

The history of the feast! After their first harvest in 1621, the Pilgrims at Plymouth shared a three-day feast with their Native American neighbors. Of course, the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag didn’t know it at the time, but they were making history, celebrating what would become a national holiday.

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Squanto’s Journey: The Story of the First Thanksgiving

By Joseph Bruchac, Illustrated by Greg Shed

In 1620, an English ship called the Mayflower landed on the shore inhabited by the Pokanoket. It was Squanto who welcomed the newcomers and taught them how to survive. When a good harvest was gathered, the people feasted together — a tradition that continues almost four hundred years later.

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Sarah Gives Thanks: How Thanksgiving Became a National Holiday

By Mike Allegra, Illustrated by David Gardner

During the nineteenth century, Sarah Josepha Hale dedicated her life to making Thanksgiving a national holiday, while raising a family and becoming a groundbreaking writer and women’s magazine editor. Sarah Hale’s inspiring story is the tale of one woman who wouldn’t take no for an answer.

You may like Abraham Lincoln Pardons a Turkey https://barbaralowell.com/lincoln-pardons-a-turkey

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

 

Ivan, The Shopping Mall Gorilla

Award winning author, Katherine Applegate, tells the story of Ivan, a western lowland gorilla. Ivan lived alone in a shopping mall’s concrete enclosure for twenty-seven years. Her book, Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla is beautifully written and illustrated.

Ivan was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (known then as the Belgian Congo) in 1962. Poachers captured Ivan when he was about six months old. He and a young female gorilla were  sent to the U.S. in 1964. At first, Ivan and the female gorilla, named Burma, lived with a family in Tacoma, Washington. Soon, Burma died of pneumonia.

When Ivan grew too large to handle, he was moved to the shopping mall. He lived in an enclosure at the B&I Circus Store near a few other wild animals. Ivan, the only gorilla, became B&I’s most popular attraction.

Ivan could not interact with other gorillas. He did not have a natural habitat to live and play in. Ivan only had a tire swing, a TV, and a window to watch the visitors staring back at him. Ivan lived this way for twenty-seven years. Until…

…a National Geographic documentary titled The Urban Gorilla showed how Ivan lived. That’s when a change began. People stood up. They protested the conditions that Ivan lived in. They talked to the media. They wrote letters to government officials. And it worked — along with the bankruptcy of the B&I Circus Store.

Finally, Ivan had his freedom. He was moved to Zoo Atlanta in 1994, to a natural habitat with other gorillas. For the first time since he was moved to B&I, Ivan experienced the outdoors. It took him awhile to adjust to his new life. But when he did, Ivan loved to play with the female and younger gorillas there.

Ivan lived at Zoo Atlanta for eighteen years. He died in 2012, at  fifty years old, a long life for a gorilla.

Statue in Tacoma, Washington

Images of Ivan, Courtesy of Wiki Commons

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

You may like: Jane Goodall https://barbaralowell.com/jane-goodall

Visit: http://www.zooatlanta.org/ivan to learn more about Ivan.

Read the 1993 New York Times article about Ivan at: http://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/17/us/a-gorilla-sulks-in-a-mall-as-his-future-is-debated.html

Watch Ivan at the B&I Circus Store in the first video and at Zoo Atlanta in the second.

First in flight — a sheep, rooster, and a duck

First in flight — a sheep, a rooster, and a duck flew as the first passengers in a hot air balloon. Traveling a bit more than two miles, the balloon drifted along for eight minutes and reached a height of 1,500 feet. The three intrepid fliers were later found unharmed, but it is unknown if they asked for a second trip.

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The creators of the hot air balloon, French brothers Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier were amateur inventors who advanced human flight. After several experiments showing that hot air would lift envelopes of taffeta, a silky material, the brothers constructed a balloon that they believed would fly when air underneath was heated by burning straw and wool.

Before a crowd in the town of Annonay, on June 4, 1783, their balloon flew to a height of 3,000 feet and landed a mile and a half away. With the success of the flight, came a request from French King Louis XVI for a demonstration at his home, Versailles.

But a storm damaged the balloon, and the king insisted that the brothers make a new one — fast! Construction took four days and sleepless nights to complete.

Joseph and Etienne chose passengers for the flight — a sheep, similar to humans in physiology; a rooster, a flightless bird; and a duck as their control animal. Now they could test the effect of altitude on the sheep and rooster. The duck, of course, had no problem with altitude. 

On September 19, 1783, a sunny day in the Versailles gardens, King Louis, his wife Marie Antoinette, the American Ambassador, Benjamin Franklin, and a crowd of enthusiastic Parisians watched the animals float away in the balloon making history.

Now, Joseph and Etienne were ready to try a manned flight. On November 21, 1783, two daring men sailed off in the brothers’ balloon traveling twenty minutes over five miles. But it was a sheep, a rooster, and a duck, with the help of the Montgolfier Brothers, who first led the way to human flight.

The Montgolfier Brothers Balloon

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(KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA) London Science Museum

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

A Book for Kids:

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Hot Air: The Mostly True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride

By Marjorie Priceman

Hachiko, Faithful Dog

Hachiko, an Akita dog waited at the Shibuya Station in Tokyo, Japan, for his owner, Professor Hidesaburo Ueno, to return each day from the University of Tokyo. On May 21, 1925, Hachiko waited to greet the professor, but he did not return. He had died that day at work.

Hachiko, eighteen-months-old, lived now with new owners. But every day, he waited in the same spot at the Shibuya Station for Professor Ueno to arrive by train. He waited for over nine years.

In 1932, one of Professor Ueno’s former students, Hirokichi Saito, learned about Hachiko. He wrote articles about the dog’s loyalty to the professor. When a Tokyo newspaper published one article, Japanese children and adults read about the faithful dog. They brought him treats and petted him while he waited at the station.

In April 1934, Hachiko watched the unveiling of a statue erected at Shibuya Station — a statue of him. He died on March 8, 1935. His grave sits beside that of Professor Ueno. He is known in Japan as chuken Hachiko meaning faithful dog. On April 8th each year a ceremony is held at Shibuya Station to honor him.

2418101297_11ce2d321b_oHachiko’s statue at Shibuya Station, a favorite meeting spot

A second statue replaced the original one, melted down during WWII. The son of the original artist designed the statue that stands today. A third statue was dedicated at the University of Toyko on March 8, 2015, the 80th anniversary of Hachiko’s death. It shows Hachiko greeting Professor Ueno — together again.

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If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

You may like: Balto Hero Dog https://barbaralowell.com/balto-hero-dog

Famous Fala, The President’s Dog https://barbaralowell.com/fala-the-presidents-dog

Books For Kids: 

Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog

By Pamela S. Turner, Illustrated by Yan Nascimbene

Hachiko Waits

By Leslea Newman, Illustrated by Machiyo Kodaira

Hachiko: The True Story of the Royal Dogs of Japan and One Faithful Akita

By Julie Chrystym

Images courtesy of Wiki Commons

 

 

Julia Child’s Cat Minette

Paris, France, was full of surprises for Julia Child. She quickly learned that Parisian apartments were not only cold, but came equipped with their own mice. The answer to the mice problem was clear to Julia’s maid. One day, Jeanne appeared with a basket that held the soon-to-be mouse catcher, a mud and cream colored cat. Julia named her Minette and then Mini for short.

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At first, Minette was content to stay in the basket. But when she smelled Julia’s soup, curiosity took over. Minette jumped onto the shelf above the stove. She watched Julia work to recreate the mushroom soup she enjoyed at a restaurant. From Julia’s very first meal in France, she was determined to learn to cook the French food she loved. Julia’s soup didn’t turn out to be an exact copy, but Minette seemed happy with it and ate a saucer full.

Another Paris surprise for Julia was how much she adored her French cat. “I had never been much of an animal person,” she said. “She was my first cat ever, and I thought she was marvelous.”

Julia invented Minette’s favorite game, batting at a Brussel sprout tied a string.  And Julia enjoyed watching Minette’s tail switching around when she ducked her head under the radiator. Occasionally, Minette showed her appreciation for Julia’s affection and good food by dropping at mouse at Julia’s feet.

Minette found her way into Julia’s heart at the perfect time.  In their kitchen, Julia practiced cooking the French food she later became famous for. And lucky Minette tasted it first.

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

To learn more about Julia’s cats visit: https://juliascats.com/

You may like Jane Goodall https://barbaralowell.com/jane-goodall

A Book For Kids:

Minette’s Feast by Susannh Reich, Illustrated by Amy Bates

Celebrate Julia Child’s Life:


 

 

Balto, Hero Dog

In January 1925, only a dog sled run could stop a diphtheria outbreak in Nome, Alaska. The necessary medicine was over 600 miles away in Nenana, Alaska. Sled teams raced in relays passing the serum from one team to the next.

Sixty-seven miles from Nome, musher Gunnar Kasson and his dog team led by Balto, took the serum and tried to wait out a blizzard. When the blizzard continued, he had no choice. Gunnar took off heading for the next team, thirty-four miles away. They crossed the Topok River in winds reaching eighty miles an hour. Gunnar couldn’t see. It was up to Balto to find the way. He raced in whiteout conditions, over ice, and in darkness with the temperature falling to -36 degrees.

When they reached the relay station there were no lights on and their replacement team was asleep. Exhausted, Gunnar, Balto, and their team had to keep going. They had to reach Nome, twenty-one miles away.

On February 2, Balto led the team into Nome bringing the lifesaving serum. He and Gunnar Kassen became heroes overnight. Newspapers across the country told their story the next day.

A statue stands in Central Park in New York commemorating Balto and the 1925 serum run. On the plaque are these words: Dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the sled dogs that relayed antitoxins 660 miles over rough ice, across treacherous waters, through Arctic blizzards from Nenana to the relief stricken Nome in the winter of 1925.

Balto

Images Courtesy of Wiki Commons

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

You may like: Hachiko, Faithful Dog https://barbaralowell.com/hachiko-faithful-dog

Famous Fala, The President’s Dog https://barbaralowell.com/fala-the-presidents-dog

Books For Kids:

51JdizkFaqLThe Incredible Life of Balto

  By Meghan McCarthy

The Great Serum Race

By Debbie S. Miller, Illustrated by Jon Van Zyle

Seabiscuit The Racehorse

During the Great Depression, Americans needed cheering up. They found Seabiscuit, the little racehorse with the big heart.

Seabiscuit, born in 1933, was the grandson of Man o’ War, one of the greatest racehorses. His original owners expected that he would be a winning Thoroughbred too. But he was small for a racehorse, had a bit of a bad temper, and preferred sleeping to running. He lost his first seventeen races, eventually winning some, but was inconsistent. Then, Charles and Marcela Howard bought him and hired the right trainer, Tom Smith.

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Tom Smith

Tom Smith treated him gently. He let him sleep when he wanted to, fed him better quality hay, and talked to him in a quiet voice. Tom even moved, Pumpkin, a yellow horse, Pocatell, a spotted dog, and, Jo Jo, a spider monkey into Seabiscuit’s stall. The animals seemed to calm him. Then Tom found just the right jockey, Red Pollard. 

Red Pollard

Seabiscuit liked Red right away. With Red aboard, he won big races. Soon, he was featured in popular magazines and movie newsreels. Americans loved him. He was like them, overcoming obstacles to succeed. When he won a race, Americans felt they were winning too.

Seabiscuit’s greatest challenge came in 1938, when he faced the tall, sleek Thoroughbred racehorse War Admiral. In 1937, War Admiral won horse racing’s highest honor, the Triple Crown. Seabiscuit, a four-year-old that year could not compete against War Admiral in the Triple Crown events, only for three-year-olds. But Americans wanted to see the two horses race.

They met on November 1, 1938. Red Pollard was injured and could not ride that day. He advised, George Woolf, his replacement how best to ride Seabiscuit. His advice worked. After running head to head for a good part of the race, Seabiscuit sped away from War Admiral to win in an exciting finish. 

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

Watch them in action in this exceptional video from PBS’s American Experience:

Books for kids:

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Seabiscuit the Wonder Horse

by Megan McCarthy

Who Was Seabiscuit?

By James Buckley, Illustrated by Gregory Copeland

 

The Peabody Ducks

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I once stayed at The Peabody Hotel in one of my favorite cities, Memphis, Tennessee. The highlight of course, was watching the famous Peabody Ducks in action.

The five Mallards, one drake and four hens, swam in the elaborate fountain. They later marched down the red carpet for a ride up the elevator to their penthouse apartment.

Under the direction of the Duckmaster, dressed in a bright red jacket, they waddled to the sounds of a marching band and the cheers and applause of visitors. An honorary Duckmaster who was a member of the military assisted that day.

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Although the hotel was built in 1925, the first ducks arrived in 1933. As a practical joke, the hotel manager and a friend added them to the hotel’s fountain. The three English call ducks generated lots of attention. The hotel decided to keep them, but soon replaced them with five North American Mallard ducks.

The first Duckmaster, Edward Pembroke, was a bellman and a former circus animal trainer. He led the ducks to the fountain from their rooftop penthouse every morning at 11 a.m. The ducks returned at 5 p.m. Mr. Pembroke performed his role as Duckmaster from 1940 until 1991. He started the now famous Peabody Duck March.

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The Peabody Ducks in Their Penthouse Pool

If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author

Author/Illustrator Patricia Polacco’s beautifully illustrated picture book, John Philip Duck was inspired by Edward Pembroke’s story.

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