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Friday, September 9, 2022

Cher Ami: Based on the World War I Legend of the Fearless Pigeon, written by Melisande Potter and illustrated by Giselle Potter. Little, Brown and Company. 2022. $23.99 ages 6 and up

 


"She flew fast with the urgent message. 
only this time the enemy spotted her. Shots
echoed over land like a thunderstorm as 
bullets whizzed past Cher Ami, one after
another. 

                    Pow!"

An author's note lets readers of this true story from WWI know that her tale is "a blend of truth and legend". She then chronicles the life of Cher Ami, a pigeon born on an English farm. Her early days were filled with enjoyable flights with other pigeons and adventures that took her far from home. She always knew exactly how to find her way back. When war broke out, Cher Ami and other homing pigeons were called to duty. They were tasked with carrying messages to help the US Army. They trained in France, where Cher Ami proved her mettle; she worked hard and quickly proved her worth. Sent to the front line where it was noisy and dangerous, Cher Ami continued doing the work she was meant to do. Though tired from her many assignments, she could be counted on to make risky journeys.

When things became unbearable for front-line soldiers who were unintentionally being fired on by their own men, and other pigeons had failed to deliver the message concerning their whereabouts, it was up to Cher Ami to deliver the urgent message. In doing so, she was shot down by the enemy. Though badly wounded, she fought to carry on. Arriving at her destination, wounded and minus most of her leg, she completed her assignment. 

It was now up to others to take of her. She even got an artificial leg from a concerned and grateful soldier. Declared a hero, she became a mascot for the US Army. 

Taking some poetic license, readers see the events from a bird's-eye view. The clear and dramatic text imagines the bird's experiences. The watercolor and ink illustrations ensure that readers always focus on Cher Ami because of her coloring. Notes from both author and illustrator (mother and daughter), and a list of sources are included in back matter. 

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