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Stubby the Dog Soldier: World War I Hero
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.
32 pages, Library Binding
First published July 1, 2014
36 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Blake Hoena
354 books27 followersBlake A. Hoena grew up in central Wisconsin, where, in his youth, he wrote stories about robots conquering the Moon and trolls lumbering around in the woods behind his parents house, and the fact that the trolls were hunting for little boys had nothing to do with Blake’s pesky brothers. Later, he moved to Minnesota to pursue a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Since graduating, Blake has written more than thirty books for children, including retellings of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and the Perseus and Medusa myth. Most recently, he’s working on a series of graphic novels about two space alien brothers, Eek and Ack, who are determined to conquer our big blue home.
--from the author's website
Since graduating, Blake has written more than thirty books for children, including retellings of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and the Perseus and Medusa myth. Most recently, he’s working on a series of graphic novels about two space alien brothers, Eek and Ack, who are determined to conquer our big blue home.
--from the author's website
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
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June 13, 2015We have school off on Monday! (Cheers) But why is that? That's right, it's Memorial Day. Who can tell me what Memorial Day is about and why is it celebrated? (Students respond) Those are all great examples. Does anyone have anyone in their family who serve or served in the armed forces? (Students respond) Those are all great stories about your family members. Today we are going to be reading "Stubby the Dog Soldier: World War I Hero." (Show cover) Some of you mentioned that your grandparents or great grandparents served in a war and maybe it was WWI. Well this is a story about a service dog and a soldier in WWI and it is based on a true story. So lets read about Stubby and WWI and see if we can learn anything about WWI and learn about what soldiers went through so that we can have a better understanding while celebrating Memorial Day.
-Ask children to make connections to a previously read text
-Prompt students to notice details
-Activate background knowledge
I chose this book because it would be a great book to read before Memorial Day because many students don't have a proper knowledge of the holiday. It would also be great for Veteran's Day. I really like this book because it involves a dog and that sparks a connection with students. They read a lot of stories and text about history but when it involves animals and dogs, my students always seem more interested.
-Ask children to make connections to a previously read text
-Prompt students to notice details
-Activate background knowledge
I chose this book because it would be a great book to read before Memorial Day because many students don't have a proper knowledge of the holiday. It would also be great for Veteran's Day. I really like this book because it involves a dog and that sparks a connection with students. They read a lot of stories and text about history but when it involves animals and dogs, my students always seem more interested.
July 10, 2014
Animal lovers and history enthusiasts will enjoy this succinct picture book about brave Stubby the bull terrier's experiences in the war.
This book is short, with minimal text and large beautifully drawn illustrations. I think this would supplement learning about the First World War, as it is not detailed enough in itself.
As I read, I found that the text describing places, alliances and dates potentially lent itself to being suited to older primary school children. However, although it is good that the pictures are not too graphic or gory, I felt that some well placed symbolism could have hinted at the conflict and awful conditions of WWI. For me at least, the captions and illustrations did not match the same target audience.
At the end, the author included an account of Stubby's post-war life, which I particularly enjoyed. I must admit to being concerned throughout the book for Stubby's fate! It was nice to read a tale of animal bravery that had a happy ever after. This epilogue of sorts prompted me to go and look up more about the clever little dog's deeds.
3.5 stars.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this beautifully illustrated book from netgalley and Capstone.
This book is short, with minimal text and large beautifully drawn illustrations. I think this would supplement learning about the First World War, as it is not detailed enough in itself.
As I read, I found that the text describing places, alliances and dates potentially lent itself to being suited to older primary school children. However, although it is good that the pictures are not too graphic or gory, I felt that some well placed symbolism could have hinted at the conflict and awful conditions of WWI. For me at least, the captions and illustrations did not match the same target audience.
At the end, the author included an account of Stubby's post-war life, which I particularly enjoyed. I must admit to being concerned throughout the book for Stubby's fate! It was nice to read a tale of animal bravery that had a happy ever after. This epilogue of sorts prompted me to go and look up more about the clever little dog's deeds.
3.5 stars.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this beautifully illustrated book from netgalley and Capstone.
November 4, 2014
Like Rags, Stubby (named that because of his stubby tail) was also a scruffy stray who began to follow Private J. Robert Conroy around his army base in New Haven, CT after Conroy had given him some leftover food. Soon, Conroy made a place for Stubby to sleep under his bed and a friendship was born. It didn't take long for Stubby to become the mascot of the 26th Infantry Division and in August 1917, he sailed to France with the soldiers.
On the battlefield, Stubby's keen sense of smell served as a warning when the enemy starting using mustard gas to attack the soldiers. The mustard gas would have burned their skin and lungs so they couldn't breath if Stubby hadn't warned them. Soon, the soldiers learned to follow Stubby's cues. He sense of hearing warned them when a bomb was coming so they could take cover, and he even helped capture a German soldier crawling over no man's land to drop a grenade in the trenches.
When the war ended, Conroy went to Georgetown Law and Stubby went with him, becoming the football team's mascot. Stubby died in 1926.
Stubby the Dog Soldier, World War I Hero is a similar story to that of Rags, but for younger readers. It too is well written and straightforward, with back matter that includes a glossary, books for further reading and even a Critical Thinking using the Common Core section.
Oliver Hurst's oil painted and pencil folk art type illustrations are done in a palette of browns, greens and blues, giving Stubby's story a real feeling of the battlefield, where I don't imagine there were too many bright colors anywhere, since soldiers was to blend in the background.
This book is recommended for readers age 5+
This book was received from the publisher
On the battlefield, Stubby's keen sense of smell served as a warning when the enemy starting using mustard gas to attack the soldiers. The mustard gas would have burned their skin and lungs so they couldn't breath if Stubby hadn't warned them. Soon, the soldiers learned to follow Stubby's cues. He sense of hearing warned them when a bomb was coming so they could take cover, and he even helped capture a German soldier crawling over no man's land to drop a grenade in the trenches.
When the war ended, Conroy went to Georgetown Law and Stubby went with him, becoming the football team's mascot. Stubby died in 1926.
Stubby the Dog Soldier, World War I Hero is a similar story to that of Rags, but for younger readers. It too is well written and straightforward, with back matter that includes a glossary, books for further reading and even a Critical Thinking using the Common Core section.
Oliver Hurst's oil painted and pencil folk art type illustrations are done in a palette of browns, greens and blues, giving Stubby's story a real feeling of the battlefield, where I don't imagine there were too many bright colors anywhere, since soldiers was to blend in the background.
This book is recommended for readers age 5+
This book was received from the publisher
January 5, 2020
Received a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely love books based on true stories, whether they have sad or happy endings. This book is about the bull terrier Stubby who traveled across with the Americans when they became involved in WW1. The story is short, only 29 pages, but the story is wonderful. It will capture anyone who loves animals and you will learn something too. The illustrations shows the trenches and life for soldiers who resided in them, but they are innocent at the same time. There's no problem for anyone at any age to read this, it's just a lovely story.
I absolutely love books based on true stories, whether they have sad or happy endings. This book is about the bull terrier Stubby who traveled across with the Americans when they became involved in WW1. The story is short, only 29 pages, but the story is wonderful. It will capture anyone who loves animals and you will learn something too. The illustrations shows the trenches and life for soldiers who resided in them, but they are innocent at the same time. There's no problem for anyone at any age to read this, it's just a lovely story.
June 24, 2014
Readers' hearts will melt and smiles will appear on their faces as they read the story of Stubby The Bull Terrier: World War I Hero. Stubby was a brave solder dog that guarded his fellow soldiers. His lifelong friendship with his owner will capture the hearts of all readers. Detailed, colorful illustrations perfectly capture Stubby's battles and heroics. An afterword, glossary and list of additional resources aid in bringing this sweet story to life.
March 3, 2015
An interesting series for animal lovers and fans of military history.
This is a short, picture book biography of "sergeant" Stubby, a dog who lived through the Second World War. It follow his adventures as he is smuggled overseas to the battlefield, and on his journey as he helps his unit survive in hostile territory, until the end of the war when he is smuggled back home. It's an interesting story, and the illustrations in the book are very well done.
This is a short, picture book biography of "sergeant" Stubby, a dog who lived through the Second World War. It follow his adventures as he is smuggled overseas to the battlefield, and on his journey as he helps his unit survive in hostile territory, until the end of the war when he is smuggled back home. It's an interesting story, and the illustrations in the book are very well done.
June 23, 2014
This book was fantastic! The story was entertaining and factual, with great illustrations. I wanted to take stubby home. I love to see a story about a great dog who was helpful and a hero himself along with the soldiers.
December 27, 2024
I really enjoyed learning about Stubby - whose vigilance protected his men many times. The book also gives a good picture of what it was like for men in the trenches. The writing is a little choppy, especially in the beginning, but it mostly flows. The illustrations are well-done, but personally aren’t my favorite.
The back includes interesting content like an “Afterward,” a “Glossary,” “Recommended Reading,” and “Critical Thinking Using the Common Core” (which has discussion questions).
Note:
The link under “Internet Sites” is no longer available.
Content Warnings:
(Content that some individuals may find controversial or objectionable. Attention was given to include content which may offend people of a particular culture, race or religion and details which the sensitive child may find unsettling or troublesome.)
No Spoilers:
Depictions of injured soldiers (non-gory); mustard gas (minor descriptions); taxidermy (non-descriptive; a mention)
With Spoilers:
The back includes interesting content like an “Afterward,” a “Glossary,” “Recommended Reading,” and “Critical Thinking Using the Common Core” (which has discussion questions).
Note:
The link under “Internet Sites” is no longer available.
Content Warnings:
(Content that some individuals may find controversial or objectionable. Attention was given to include content which may offend people of a particular culture, race or religion and details which the sensitive child may find unsettling or troublesome.)
No Spoilers:
Depictions of injured soldiers (non-gory); mustard gas (minor descriptions); taxidermy (non-descriptive; a mention)
With Spoilers:
April 7, 2018
Short, wonderfully illustrated, and interesting to dog lovers as well as budding history buffs, Stubby is a great story as well as an inspiration to further reading about World War I. I begin by briefly setting the scene for the time period, as many of my students are more familiar with WWII, but have little knowledge of WWI. I explain that, at the time, the War was not known as WWI, but as "The Great War" or "The War to End All Wars," and why.
Stubby is seriously charming my 3rd-5th grade students. After sharing the slide show summaries of this year's VSBA nominees, I had so many students wanting to be on hold for this one that I decided to go ahead and share it as a read aloud and paired with another nominee, "Winnie, the True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh."
Stubby is seriously charming my 3rd-5th grade students. After sharing the slide show summaries of this year's VSBA nominees, I had so many students wanting to be on hold for this one that I decided to go ahead and share it as a read aloud and paired with another nominee, "Winnie, the True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh."
July 19, 2018
A great addition to a study on World War 1. While my boys liked studying the weapons that emerged from this war, I wish I would have had this to introduce a gentler side of humans and animals during this conflict. I think I will look into the junior nonfiction version of this story to satisfy my curiousity. There are several books to do some more reading and also an actual photograph of Stubby in the rear of the book.
December 27, 2017
Read this with my first grader. While she enjoys any stories about dogs, this being a true story fascinated her. The illustrations were nice without being too gory (This is WWI after all). The story was entertaining and informative. Only complaint from my 6year old is that the book was too short. She would have liked more information on what Stubby did during the war.
December 19, 2021
Stubby is a dog who trains with Private Conroy, who takes the dog to France, where Stubby helps Conroy and his platoon several times. There’s a book about Rin Tin Tin, who was also a war hero, I think, and a movie star, that I’d like to read as well.
January 21, 2018
Stubby the Dog Soldier was an amazing non fiction book that is easy to follow for younger readers. It is a good way to talk about WW1 with students who may be too young to understand the severity of the war. It can hit the soft spots of students because it talks about the dog who saved hundreds of lives with his training ability. The graphics are good, but they are not the greatest. As for the text, it is easy to follow for young students while still making the impact of the war present in the story. It would be great to use in the history classes and learn about all the different kinds of soldiers.
October 27, 2021
Sgt. Stubby is a great book for young readers and their parents.
December 28, 2021
A very cute book, and good for introducing kids to the concept of World War 1.
March 1, 2023
Loved this book about a WWI war hero dog. My son was in awe when we got to the end and he realized that Stubby existed in "real life".
August 5, 2024
True tale of the dog who lived in with the troops in the trenches and became a valued helper.
September 19, 2024
Nice story and will go very well with my WWI unit.
June 17, 2014
Thanks to Netgalley.com and Picture Window Books for early access to this title.
3 1/2 stars -
I'm kind of torn as to what to even rate this book. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and found the story of Stubby fascinating. The illustrations are nice, and fit the mood of the book very well. I think the illustrator did a great job at depicting the war without showing it in too much graphic detail for small children. While the book does talk about bombs, snipers and mustard gas, the illustrations don't show any blood or graphic wounds. I liked the actual photo of Stubby at the end of the book - that was a nice follow up. I'm not sure that young children will totally understand this book, and as well done as the pictures are, they are more bleak than the typical picture book. This would be a nice introduction to WWI for older children - maybe more in the 5 to 6 year old range and up.
3 1/2 stars -
I'm kind of torn as to what to even rate this book. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and found the story of Stubby fascinating. The illustrations are nice, and fit the mood of the book very well. I think the illustrator did a great job at depicting the war without showing it in too much graphic detail for small children. While the book does talk about bombs, snipers and mustard gas, the illustrations don't show any blood or graphic wounds. I liked the actual photo of Stubby at the end of the book - that was a nice follow up. I'm not sure that young children will totally understand this book, and as well done as the pictures are, they are more bleak than the typical picture book. This would be a nice introduction to WWI for older children - maybe more in the 5 to 6 year old range and up.
January 8, 2015
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.
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.
September 2, 2016
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.
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.
July 11, 2014
A wonderful picture book about a dog and his owner during World War I that will appeal to dog lovers and WWI gurus. Stubby's loyalty to his owner helps a unit of soldiers to survive various dangerous events in the war. This story would be a fun read to accompany elementary school World War I lessons. The narrative reads stiffly like a timeline rather than a story at some points but the precise dates and battle locations will be useful for classroom connections. Beautiful illustrations, a mix of sketches and full color images, help to bring this story to life. Including an afterword with additional biographical information on Stubby and further reading suggestions will inspire students.
July 23, 2016
An unbiased review in exchange for an ARC copy from Netgalley:
I had no clue who Stubby was before I read this book and was actually pleasantly surprised to find out it is based on real facts! Stubby was a little legend!
The illustrations are beautiful and in perfect tones to bring the war scenes to life. I think it'd be a fantastic introduction to a tricky subject to talk about with a child and the plucky pup sure adds a whole other dimension to a harrowing time in history.
Its full of useful facts and a book I could imagine being used in a class to aid in history lessons for younger children.
September 15, 2014
When an American soldier befriends a stray dog during basic training, the dog, called “Stubby” because of his short tail, learns to be a soldier and becomes a valuable asset in the trenches of France during WWI.
This true story is beautifully illustrated and well told in short one or two sentence descriptions on each page. The illustrations tell much of the story. The history lover and dog lover alike will enjoy this one.
Crossposted to http://kissthebook.blogspot.com CHECK IT OUT!
This true story is beautifully illustrated and well told in short one or two sentence descriptions on each page. The illustrations tell much of the story. The history lover and dog lover alike will enjoy this one.
Crossposted to http://kissthebook.blogspot.com CHECK IT OUT!
June 22, 2016
4.25 stars I read the long Jr non-fiction version and though the facts were interesting....I really felt like this story needed to told in story form and not facts and figures! So here it is in story form and I really liked it. Knowing the story from the chapter book, I would have liked to add more about his wound in battle and the hospital finally letting him be with Conroy but other than that I liked it. I am nominating it for the Beehive Book Award in the information category!
January 3, 2015
http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=4232
What a hero! It is always so amazing to learn about the surprising heroes during war and other tough times. Stubby is an amazing animal. He overcomes more than most humans will ever encounter. This story is inspiring and also informative about how animals can really change the game.
What a hero! It is always so amazing to learn about the surprising heroes during war and other tough times. Stubby is an amazing animal. He overcomes more than most humans will ever encounter. This story is inspiring and also informative about how animals can really change the game.
August 20, 2015
This book was on my granddaughter's summer reading list {or so I thought - there were two} so we checked it out of the library and she read it first. Then I did also. We both enjoyed it. There was some history of World War I, and some discussion of the poison gas and gas masks. Interesting and informational. Great drawings and photos.
July 16, 2014
Great introduction to a heroic dog. Wonderful illustration. It is good to have nonfiction titles available for our younger readers. Get them started early reading true stories. Lots of young boys will really like this one. An excellent choice for our selective readers.
August 12, 2014
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a wonderful, heartfelt story. It is a great nonfiction book for kids. Though boys would like it more, the girls will enjoy it too. Definitely sharing this with family and friends.
This is a wonderful, heartfelt story. It is a great nonfiction book for kids. Though boys would like it more, the girls will enjoy it too. Definitely sharing this with family and friends.
July 5, 2017
I picked this up thinking it was Stubby the War Dog: The True Story of World War I's Bravest Dog. This is the same story. It is a good story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews