Stubby The War Dog

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

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

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

American soldier J. Robert Conroy befriended a stray dog with a stumpy tail while training to fight overseas in WWI. They bonded so closely that Conroy smuggled him to Europe, where Stubby accompanied Conroy's regiment on the Western Front, lending both his superior olfactory senses and amiable temperament to the war effort. Archival photographs show Stubby in candid moments with Conroy during the war and after returning to the U.S., where he received commendations and public attention. Through the story of this scrappy canine soldier, Bausum supplies an appealing entry point into the study of WWI. Conroy's granddaughter provides an introductory note, and a timeline and research notes are included. Ages 10-up. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal Review

Gr 5 Up-Stubby was a military hero and media phenomenon in the years during and after World War I. Robert Conroy adopted the stray dog in Connecticut and then smuggled him onboard the ship carrying soldiers across the Atlantic to fight in the Great War. The two were inseparable in the trenches, with Stubby demonstrating extreme courage and prescience. Germans used poison gas, which Stubby could detect before his human companions, barking out warnings and saving lives. Canines weren't welcomed in military settings like they are today, but Stubby won over privates as well as generals, sitting on his haunches and raising his right paw in a salute. Loyalty, bravery, and energy characterized this canine soldier, who was outfitted in uniforms and medals, and garnered public affection. Stubby met two American presidents, appeared on the front pages of major newspapers, and retained his popularity even after his death in 1926. This audiobook, ably narrated by Andrea Gallo, is a sure winner for dog lovers and youthful historians.-Robin Levin, Ft. Washakie School/Community Library, WY (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

*Starred Review* The popularity of tales about dogs in war stems from the inherent poignancy sweet, loyal, sad-eyed canines entered into the mad chaos of man-made destruction. But enter they occasionally do, and none more famously than Stubby. The homeless Boston terrier mix began frequenting a National Guard training ground in 1917, and along with copious food scraps, he found fellowship. With the help of his adopted master, 25-year-old Bob Conroy, Stubby learned to march and salute superiors. Conroy smuggled the clever mutt aboard a ship to France, and from there, Stubby became not only the good-luck charm of the 102nd Infantry but also a valued member, warning troops of gas attacks, barking before artillery shellings, and in his coup de grace, capturing a German soldier by the seat of his pants. Bausum uses Stubby as a conduit to talk about WWI warfare in general, and indeed the dog does suffer injury, live through horror and fear, and return home a decorated hero (who meets no fewer than two presidents). The speedy story is surrounded by evocative period photos, including plenty of the goofy-faced Stubby, and leads up to his later careers as a vaudeville star and a football mascot, and his eventual taxidermied inclusion in the Smithsonian. A triumph on three fronts: educational, emotional, and inspirational. For older teens, suggest Bausman's adult title, Sergeant Stubby.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2014 Booklist

Horn Book Review

When his "closest comrade," doughboy Robert Conroy, shipped out from Newport News in 1917 for the French front, it was only natural that Stubby would come along. This remarkable true dog story gives Bausum an effective and unusual perspective on WWI, and she carries Stubby's story through his subsequent celebrity, death, and now taxidermic display at the Smithsonian. Archival photos are included. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.