War Animals

In 1952, the United States was heavily involved in the Korean War. When members of the U.S. Marine Corps bought a horse to join in the war effort, little did they know that a hero would soon emerge. Trained to be a military pack horse, Sergeant Reckless quickly became a part of the unit and served to support the troops in several combat missions during the war.

An instant hit in the UK, this is the true account of a German shepherd who was adopted by the Royal Air Force during World War II, joined in flight missions, and survived everything from crash-landings to parachute bailouts-ultimately saving the life of his owner and dearest friend. In the winter of 1939 in the cold snow of no-man's-land, two loners met and began an extraordinary journey that would turn them into lifelong friends.

It's 1943, and Lily Tregenze lives on a farm, in the idyllic seaside village of Slapton. Apart from her father being away, and the 'townie' evacuees at school, her life is scarcely touched by the war. Until one day, Lily and her family, along with 3000 other villagers, are told to move out of their homes lock, stock and barrel. Soon, the whole area is out of bounds, as the Allied forces practise their landings for D-day, preparing to invade France. But Tips, Lily's adored cat, has other ideas barbed wire and keep-out signs mean nothing to her, nor does the danger of guns and bombs.

From the green countryside of England and the gray canyons of Wall Street come two unlikely heroes: one a pigeon and the other a soldier. Answering the call to serve in the war to end all wars, neither Cher Ami, the messenger bird, nor Charles Whittlesey, the army officer, can anticipate how their lives will briefly intersect in a chaotic battle in the forests of France, where their wills will be tested, their fates will be shaped, and their lives will emerge forever altered.

Filled with harrowing tales of knife-edge bomb-detection work, including an extraordinary baptism by fire, Sergeant Rex is a heart-pounding account of how an unbreakable human-canine bond helped Mike and Rex to stay focused on their mission and save countless lives.

Animals have played an important role in warfare throughout history. Military forces have long relied on animals' natural abilities to achieve their missions. From medieval warriors charging into combat on horseback to dolphins locating explosive mines at sea, learn about the many ways animals have helped armies find success on the battlefield. Then be sure to catch the other amazing titles in the Beasts and the Battlefield series.

When a body washes up outside Deception Cove, Washington, Jess Winslow - once a US Marine, now a trainee sheriff's deputy - is assigned to investigate. But when she realizes it's "Bad" Brock Boyd, a hometown celebrity lately fallen from grace, things become complicated. The last person seen with Boyd was her own boyfriend, Mason Burke. An ex-convict and newcomer in town, Mason is one of the only people who can understand Jess' haunting memories of her time in Afghanistan - and her love for Lucy, her devoted service dog.

This warm-hearted story by the author of The Incredible Journey recounts the adventure of Bel Ria, a dancing gypsy dog who is caught in France with the retreating British Expeditionary Force.

The world can be a dangerous place. Over time, animals evolved many natural defenses to help them survive. Combat during wartime is extremely dangerous. Why not look to nature to find the best defenses for soldiers on the battlefield? Military forces have done just that for hundreds of years. From the armor of medieval knights to tomorrow's advanced camouflage, learn how military technology often mimics the traits of animals to help protect soldiers in combat. Then be sure to catch the other amazing titles in the Beasts and the Battlefield series.

Michael Morpurgo’s classic tale, capturing the power of the human spirit. First published back in 1982, ‘War Horse’ has taken the world by storm. The book was adapted to the stage and was performed at the National Theatre and on Broadway. This full and unabridged edition is beautifully performed here by the National Theatre’s first Albert, OIivier-award-winner Luke Treadaway. At the outbreak of World War 1, Joey, young Albert's beloved horse, is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France.

Kit is a young raccoon who has lived his whole life under the Big Sky. But when a pack of hunting dogs destroy his home and kill his parents, Kit needs to escape. He finds himself in Ankle Snap Alley, a city in the midst of a turf war between the Wild Ones and the people's pets who call themselves The Flealess.

In the wild, animals use teeth, claws, and other natural weapons to attack their prey. On the battlefield, soldiers need weapons to fight the enemy. Military forces have often looked to nature for inspiration to develop effective weapons and combat tactics. From the first feathered arrows to tomorrow's high-tech weaponry, learn how military technology often imitates the natural weapons of animals to help soldiers succeed in combat. Then be sure to catch the other amazing titles in the Beasts and the Battlefield series.

Listen all about the brave little pigeon that carried out a dangerous mission to deliver a desperate message across a deadly battlefield.

In this animal fantasy series, 12-year-old Leo is next in line for the throne of Singara. But before he can become king, he must prove his worth in a fight to the death with a slaycon, a scorpion-like monster. However, killing a slaycon may be the least of Leo's problems. The Maguar, Singara's sworn enemy, are rising up, and closer to home, Singara is being torn apart by Leo's cousin. Even worse, Leo is a Spinner, cursed with a dangerous, forbidden magic.

Set against the backdrop of the war in Afghanistan, Saving Cinnamon chronicles the love story of Navy Reservist Mark Feffer and a stray puppy he bonded with while stationed outside of Kandahar. When Mark is about to return stateside, he decides to adopt Cinnamon and sets up her transport back to the United States. But the unthinkable happens: Cinnamon is abandoned by the dog handler who was supposed to bring her home and disappears without a trace.

Hutton has now written a fascinating full biography of Sergeant Reckless, who earned two Purple Hearts for her heroic efforts, among other military decorations. Hutton has spoken with the marines who fought alongside Reckless and tells the complete and captivating tale of how a would-be Korean racehorse became one of the greatest Marine Corps wartime heroes. Sgt. Reckless brings the legend back to life more than half a century later.

In book three of this hysterical series, Klawde faces a challenger he never imagined: a dog, who has arrived on Earth to settle the intergalactic score. He's hyper, he's loyal, he's an all-around-good boy, and he's here to bring Klawde to justice. Can our ferocious feline evade the long paw of the law? Raj, on the other hand, is faced with his own out-of-town visitor who, although from Earth, may prove to be even more formidable: his grandmother. When she plans a birthday party Raj doesn't want, will he survive the embarrassment?

In book four of the Klawde series, our favorite warlord cat turns his malevolent gaze to the one target he never thought he'd consider: Earth. But conquering a world is a challenge, even for Klawde, and he'll need two things for his plan to succeed: an army of zombie squirrels, and, of course, money. Lots of money. And he has a plan to get it. Meanwhile, as his evil pet plots world domination, Raj is also trying to make some extra cash. He's dying for a cool virtual-reality headset and is determined to get his yard-cleaning business off the ground to pay for it.

Judy, a beautiful liver and white English pointer, and the only animal POW of WWII, truly was a dog in a million. Whether she was dragging men to safety from the wreckage of a torpedoed ship, scavenging food to help feed the starving inmates of a hellish Japanese POW camp, or by her presence alone bringing inspiration and hope to men living through the 20th century's darkest days, she was cherished and adored by the British, Australian, American and other Allied servicemen who fought to survive alongside her.

Cracker is one of the U.S. Army's most valuable weapons: a German shepherd trained to sniff out bombs, traps, and the enemy. Rick is headed to Vietnam to prove to everyone who didn't think he was cut out for war that they were wrong. When Cracker is paired with Rick, she isn't so sure about this new owner. He's going to have to prove himself to her before she's going to prove herself to him. They need to be friends before they can be a team, and they have to be a team if they want to get home alive.