Bonded by Battle: The Powerful Friendships of Military Dogs and Soldiers, from the Civil War to Operation Iraqi Freedom

Gr 5 Up—Students of military history and dog lovers rejoice. Pimm presents a brief but informative examination of canines' role in the military, going back as far as 4,000 BCE. The author briefly mentions dogs in the Napoleonic Wars before moving on to 19th- and 20th-century conflicts in which the United States has been involved. Pimm points out that animals associated with military units were usually mascots (e.g., Old Abe). The Great War's Sergeant Stubby started out as a mascot but became a decorated military working dog. A chapter on "war refugee" Rin Tin Tin is also included. The author explores the U.S. Military Working Dog program by focusing on how different dog/handler pairs participated in various wars. An interesting discussion on whether animals should receive service awards and medals is featured. The text reads well, and footnotes are plentiful. An author's note and back matter conclude the work. Pair this with Rebecca Frankel's War Dogs: Tales of Canine Heroism, History, and Love or Ace Collins's Man's Best Hero: True Stories of Great American Dogs.