Excellent Story and superb narrator.
I listened to this with my 3 children aged 6-9 and we all loved it.
It's a story about WW1 but also about peace. It doesn't shy away from the horrors of the first world war, but it's written in a way that isn't scary, and it is informative and hugely interesting, as well as being a fantastic story.
It is also really child friendly as it's told through the eyes of a child.
I'd recommend this to any teachers who are teaching WW1 to use as a class book too.
5 out of 5.
Miss Carrie A. Maggie
Fabulous story, I bought for my son but I found myself reading this story, I was quickly immersed, beautifully well written, told from the perspective of a young teenage lad living through the first world war, uplifting and emotionally poignant.
Definitely recommend for any age to read.
Another great book from this author! 5 out of 5.
Pebbles Point
London In World War 1
Written over several years in collaboration with pupils at military-base primary schools in the United Kingdom, 'WAR PIGEONS: WP&Me' is an original story designed to help children better understand how World War I changed the lives of ordinary Londoners. It follows a London family as they struggle to survive the ravages of World War 1. Standing in huge shopping queues outside stores, dealing with rationing, changes in the schoolyard and the workplace, travel restrictions, and an unruly media often misleading the population - all this they must cope with, not to mention the sense of fear everywhere. But instead of being asked to stay behind closed doors, families saw their men sent to fight.
Tommy and "Pigeon", two teenage brothers, begin their war trying to sign up for "the Pal's Army". Caught up in the general excitement that saw the coming war as "the big adventure", they want to fight for England on The Western Front. Everyone at first thought the war would be over by Christmas.
The older brother Tommy gets through to become one of 250,000 child soldiers who joined the British Army during World War I.
Pigeon is turned away by the army. London becomes a very different place to the home he knew. Marching soldiers fill the streets, to later be replaced bomb craters as German "Taube" fill the sky. More and more men volunteer for the forces - until in the end those who did not volunteer are sent to fight against their will.
One day Pigeon finds a wounded pigeon and takes to home. Once it is strong enough to fly he sadly sets it free, but it does not fly away. WP stays around his home. Over time Pigeon begins to raise a whole flock of pigeons as pets - but this is against war regulations. Will he be arrested as a spy?
Pigeon finds himself traveling across submarine endangered waters to France, serving as another underage soldier. Can his carrier pigeons make a difference to the outcome of the war? Will Pigeon ever find his older brother Tommy, who has gone Missing In Action?
Only by living through the reality of war, has Pigeon been able to fully appreciate peace.
Available as an inter-active storytelling performance and creative writing workshop for primary and middle schools in the UK.