War Animals

America's highest military award, the Congressional Medal of Honor, was awarded to 440 deserving members of the "Greatest Generation" that served in World War II. But in 1943, before the war was even over, Allied leaders realized they needed another kind of award to recognize a different kind of World War II hero - animal heroes. Founded in 1943, the prestigious PDSA Dickin Medal is the highest award an animal can achieve for gallantry and bravery in the field of military conflict. It was given to 55 animals who served valiantly alongside the members of the Greatest Generation.

The War of the Animals series is an animal bible that chronicles the rise and fall of animal civilization over ten generations. In this sequel to The Shut Face Of Thunder, the snake empress Thraxis strikes. The anaconda ruler resurrects long-dead species of dinosaurs to create an army that will allow her to rule the seven continents of the newly forged animal world like her great ancestors once did. Yet, just as Thraxis seizes power, a new threat emerges. The animals must unite before the supreme force on the planet, King Blu, unleashes an apocalypse unlike any the animal world has ever seen.

At the onset of World War II, Williams formed Elephant Company and was instrumental in defeating the Japanese in Burma and saving refugees, including on his own "Hannibal Trek." Billy Williams became a media sensation during the war, telling reporters that the elephants did more for him than he was ever able to do for them, but his story has since been forgotten.

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.

The War of the Animals series is an animal bible that chronicles the rise and fall of animal civilization over ten generations. In this sequel to War Of The Animals: Cry of the Gods, King Blu, the whale god, pronounces the sentence for the land animals: total annihilation. King Blu plans to make an ocean world in the land animals’ stead. A new generation of animal lords fights King Blu in a seemingly hopeless battle. Continent after continent falls to the whale god until a new revelation arises: King Blu is not the only god among the animals. The animal lords must race to find a legendary...

The War of the Animals series is an animal bible that chronicles the rise and fall of animal civilization over ten generations. In Book 4, Azaz, King of Kings, a young grizzly cub fights for his life after hunters murder his mother before his very eyes. The newly awakened bears, fearing retribution, exile Azaz and his father for murdering humans. Military hunters capture Azaz and experiment on him. The experiments create a monster of untold strength. Azaz's father leads an attack on the military base, freeing Azaz. The military fatally shoots Azaz's father. Azaz vows revenge. The grizzly ...

The War of the Animals series is an animal bible that chronicles the rise and fall of animal civilization over ten generations. In Book 5, the second epoch emerges. One-thousand years have passed since the events of The Crown of Crowns. Two Roman-style empires rule the world of Animus. Feng The Fire Bringer rules one half of the world, while Dryga The Destroyer rules the other half. From The Badlands, a new threat arises. The Red Tiger, a ferocious warrior, wishes to overthrow the empires in favor of a worldwide republic that will usher in the modern age. The three rulers face off in The ...

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 War of the Animals series is an animal bible that chronicles the rise and fall of animal civilization over ten generations. The first book, The Shut Face of Thunder, asks the question: What would happen if animals fought back against the destruction of their habitats? What if it was a fair fight? After the military weaponizes animals, their intellects awaken. The military responds by creating death camps to exterminate infected animals. Moon Shadow, an Arctic white wolf, unites with White Claw, a polar bear king, to form Animus Nor, the first animal republic, to negotiate peace. The ...

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

When the Iraq war began, conservationist Lawrence Anthony could think of only one thing: the fate of the Baghdad Zoo, caught in the crossfire at the heart of the city. Once Anthony entered Iraq, he discovered that hostilities and uncontrolled looting had devastated the zoo and its animals. Working with members of the zoo staff and a few compassionate U.S. soldiers, Anthony defended the zoo, bartered for food on war-torn streets, and scoured bombed palaces for desperately needed supplies.

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.

When Justin's older brother, Kyle, is killed in Afghanistan, Justin can't believe that his brother is really gone. Except there's one thing that Kyle left behind.... Max is a highly trained military canine who has always protected his fellow soldiers. But when he loses his handler and best friend, Kyle, Max is traumatized and unable to remain in the service. Max is sent home to America, where the only human he connects with is Justin, and he is soon adopted by Kyle's family, essentially saving his life.

Ramree Island, Burma, February, 1945 As World War Two raged like an inferno across the globe, Captain Ryoichi of the Imperial Japanese Army could feel the cancer growing inside of him, like the roots of a plant reaching into the darkness, clawing at his lungs, growing larger each day. Not wanting to end his life in a hospital bed, the Captain longed to die in battle; a glorious, honourable death. The British were coming and they would soon provide the opportunity for immortality. But after a terrible defeat, fate would lead the Captain and his men, most of them injured, near starving, and ...

Military working dogs gained widespread attention after Cairo participated in the SEAL Team 6 mission that led to Osama bin Laden's death. Before that, few civilians realized that dogs served in combat, let alone that they could parachute from thirty thousand feet up. The Dogs of War reveals the amazing range of jobs that our four-legged soldiers now perform, examines the dogs' training and equipment, and sets the record straight on those rumors of titanium teeth.

After being bombed and shipwrecked repeatedly while serving for several wild and war-torn years as a mascot of the World War II Royal Navy Yangtze river gunboats the Gnat and the Grasshopper, Judy ended up in Japanese prisoner of war camps in North Sumatra. Along with locals as slave labor, the American, Australian, and British POWs were forced to build a 1,200-mile single-track railroad through the most horrifying jungles and treacherous mountain passes.

When a deadly accident leaves extreme sport superstar Colton Harrison questioning what his future holds, he decides to take a timeout in his hometown of Oak Creek. He knows the mountains and wildness of Wyoming will help him heal. But he has no idea how he’s known sweet Ella O’Conner all his life but is somehow only really seeing her for the first time now. People in his world may say she doesn't measure up, but this woman—and all her sexy curves—is downright beautiful to Colton. Ella is who he wants. Who he needs. Who he wants to spend the rest of his life with. Although convincing...

Belfast, October 1940. Twenty-year-old zookeeper Hettie Quin arrives at the city docks in time to meet her new charge: an orphaned three-year-old Indian elephant named Violet. As Violet adjusts to her new solitary life in captivity and Hettie mourns the recent loss of her sister and the abandonment of her father, new storm clouds gather. A world war rages, threatening a city already reeling from escalating tensions between British Loyalists and those fighting for a free and unified Ireland.

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.

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.