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How can a Pigeon be a War Hero manages to present what is otherwise a grim and complex historical period in a light and amusing manner. The book has a multitude of pictures and diagrams and charts which make the book less about reading and more a video presentation for young children. It manages masterfully to weave together facts, people, trends and ideas about the war with a vibrant pictorial presentation. It doesn’t cheapen the memory of the horrific event that was World War I.  but draws you in with a question that is truly one of the most memorable and touching stories of World War I. The book does take a while before it answers the question on the cover and tells the story of the lost battalion and Cher Ami, the messenger pigeon that delivered its message despite being heavily wounded and saved hundreds of men.