Sergeant Billy

July 1, 2019
This is the remarkable true story of an ordinary goat who became the beloved mascot of the Fifth Canadian Battalion during World War I. In Messier's dryly humorous tale, Billy adapts well to army life, traveling with the soldiers on training exercises, boarding the troop ship to England with them, and being smuggled onboard the ship to France in an empty orange box. He never complains about the squalid conditions of life in the trenches (he is depicted bleating at a rat) and provides important moral support to frightened or tired soldiers, who mention him affectionately in their letters home. He even saves lives, butting three soldiers into a trench before a shell explodes. Billy becomes such a great protector and defender of his regiment that he is promoted to sergeant and eventually becomes a decorated war hero, surviving the war and ultimately returning to his original owner, depicted as a little girl on a farm in Saskatchewan. Messier's smooth, well-paced text and Reich's muted gouache illustrations in warlike tones of olive and brown well convey the poignancy and humor of the story. Such afflictions as trench foot and shell shock are conveyed though not explored in depth, and no characters die. All human characters appear to be white. Imaginatively conveys the drudgery--if not the sheer terror--of war to a young audience. (author's note, photographs) (Picture book. 4-8)

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September 1, 2019

K-Gr 2-During World War I, soldiers traveling by train stop in a small town and see a little girl named Daisy with her goat. They think a goat mascot will bring them good luck and ask to "borrow" Billy. There is little background on the soldiers or Daisy, and it is not until the story's end that readers discover that Billy is Canadian, specifically from Saskatchewan. Billy is smuggled aboard a ship to England and then brought to the trenches of France. It all seems like a light-hearted lark by the soldiers. Some readers may question the focus on a goat at the front and the somewhat trivialized depiction of life in the trenches. When there is no food, Billy eats a sock. Corresponding illustrations show a shell-shocked and bandaged Billy with trench foot but happy. Ultimately, Billy gets a medal for bravery in the face of danger. The illustrations are realistic but are missing any sense of difficulty at the front. We see a happy goat, happy soldiers, and a slightly frowning Colonel who does not think goats belong at the front. Billy survives; after the war ends, the animal travels back to Daisy in Canada. VERDICT Although young readers often enjoy stories about service animals, this unusual story, which is similar in tone and format to Lindsay Mattick's Finding Winnie but without the background details, seems to lack a deeper literary significance. It would be surprising if it caught the attention of young readers.-Susan Lissim, Dwight School, New York City

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2019
Preschool-G In 1914, Canadian soldiers headed for WWI borrowed Billy, a goat, from a girl in Saskatchewan and promised to bring him back. He trained with his new buddies, who dubbed him Private Billy. Despite the colonel's orders, they smuggled him aboard their ship bound for France. The goat did well in the trenches, terrorizing the rats while amusing and comforting the soldiers. After he was jailed as a spy for nibbling secret documents, morale sank so low that the colonel released him and promoted him to sergeant. In 1919, the war ended and he returned home to Saskatchewan a decorated war hero. The back matter offers several photos of Billy and his compatriots along with additional information, noting that while some details could not be confirmed, the main story, including the goat's return to the girl, is true. Written in relatively short sentences, the narrative moves along well, with plenty of interesting twists. Like the best children's art, the large-scale gouache paintings have unusual directness, emotional clarity, and charm. An appealing historical picture book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)