McCormick, Patricia. Sergeant Reckless: The True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Hero. Illustrated by Iacopo Bruno. Balzer + Bray, 2017. $17.99. ISBN 9780062292599. Unpaged. Ages 4-8. P8Q8
A small sorrel mare was the only animal ever to hold a U.S. military rank. She also received two Purple Hearts for injuries sustained in battle. In Korea, a troop of U.S. Marines reluctantly adopted the stray horse to move heavy loads of ammunition and the perpetually hungry horse became the company pet and pack horse. Named Reckless, the horse would eat scrambled eggs, chocolate, and drink Coke. On the battlefield, after learning to ignore the explosions, Reckless worked to move heavy artillery shells and on at least one occasion saved the lives of several Marines. After the war, the Marines raised the money to bring Sergeant Reckless to live out her days at California’s Camp Pendleton. Digitally colored pencil drawings set off the text, which is often arranged as a collage of document, newspaper clippings and advertising. This picture book biography has the feel of a time capsule or period collage and brings the Korean War to life for a younger generation.
Verdict: Highly recommended for elementary and public library collections.
October 2017 review by Jane Cothron.
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