  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 07/01/2017 *Starred Review* With every war comes stories of heroism, and often those heroes are animals. In this case, it’s a little sorrel mare used to haul heavy ammunition by U.S. soldiers during the Korean War. The ammo, for the new “reckless” rifle, proved too heavy for soldiers, so Lt. Eric Pedersen set out to find a mule and instead found a small, hungry horse. Though the marines had doubts about her ability to haul the heavy loads, they dubbed her Private Reckless and began her training. It quickly became apparent that not only did Reckless have a large heart, she’d also consume anything—including chocolate, Coca-Cola, and poker chips. Fears that Reckless would prove skittish in battle proved unfounded, and she soon became a valuable soldier, persevering in battles that would determine the course of the war. Eventually, Reckless was promoted to sergeant, making her the only animal to hold military rank, and was granted two Purple Hearts at the end of the war. McCormick (The Plot to Kill Hitler, 2016) offers up her first picture book, and it’s a rousing success; the Korean War is covered less frequently than its Vietnam and World War counterparts, and there’s plenty of fascinating information here. If that weren’t enough, Bruno’s bold pencil illustrations range from endearing depictions of the inquisitive (and perpetually hungry) Reckless to somber battle scenes. An engaging slice of history. - Copyright 2017 Booklist. School Library Journal - 08/01/2017 Gr 1–5—At the height of the Korean conflict, a young racehorse was abandoned and left hungry at a racetrack. Around the same time, a nearby U.S. Marine unit was exhausted from lugging heavy ammunition uphill during their battles. While a mule would have been preferable, Sergeant Pederson trained that once-abandoned horse to carry the ammunition for the Marines—and what followed is a remarkable story. Named Reckless, she carried herself with aplomb under the roughest of combat conditions, in one battle she made 51 trips and carried 9,000-pounds of ammunition. Meanwhile she ate everything and anything, waking up the company cook to get her breakfast. Reckless would eventually attain the rank of Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps. McCormick's narrative is excellent and Brunos's bold illustrations contribute to the story as much as the text. The work concludes with a synopsis of Reckless's retirement in the United States. While Melissa Higgins's Sgt. Reckless the War Horse: Korean War Hero is a suitable title, McCormick's is more exciting. VERDICT This well-illustrated war story will appeal to many, especially fans of Michael Morpurgo's War Horse. A strong selection.—Margaret Nunes, Gwinnett County Public Library, GA - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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