Sergeant Reckless: The True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Hero – A Picture Book About the Brave Korean War Mare for Kids

by Patricia McCormick, Iacopo Bruno (Illustrator)

The inspiring true story of Reckless, the brave little horse who became a Marine.

When a group of US Marines fighting in the Korean War found a bedraggled mare, they wondered if she could be trained to as a packhorse. They had no idea that the skinny, underfed horse had one of the biggest and bravest hearts they’d ever known. And one of the biggest appetites!

Soon Reckless showed herself more than willing to carry ammunition too heavy for the soldiers to haul. As cannons thundered and shells flew through the air, she marched into battle—again and again—becoming the only animal ever to officially hold military rank—becoming Sgt. Reckless—and receive two Purple Hearts.

This is the first picture book from award-winning novelist Patricia McCormick, sumptuously illustrated by acclaimed artist Iacopo Bruno.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, History, Animals, Biography, War, Childrens

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 12, 2017

About the author

Patricia McCormick is a journalist and writer. She graduated from Rosemont College in 1978, followed by an M.S. from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 1986 and an M.F.A. from New School University in 1999. Her first novel for teens was Cut, about a young woman who self-injures herself. This was followed by My Brother's Keeper in 2005, about a boy struggling with his brother's addiction and Sold in 2006. Her awards include the American Library Association Best Book of the Year, New York Public Library Best Book for the Teenage, and the Children's Literature Council's Choice.

She has written for The New York Times, Parents magazine, The New York Times Book Review, Ladies Home Journal, Town & Country, More, Reader's Digest, Mademoiselle, and other publications and has been an adjunct professor of journalism at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and an instructor of creative writing at the New School University. She lives in New York with two children, a husband, and two cats.

Reviews

[Clay Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books about commitment to duty and courage under fire I have read. The near life like illustrations were a joy to look at.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was deeply troubled by what this horse was eating the whole time I was reading this, but deeply impressed the whole I was reading this by the story and the bravery.

[Louise Bélanger · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The mysterious bond between humans and animals”

The author could not have said it better than that.
Sergeant Reckless is truly an hero and a caring brave horse. Also an endearing one.
The drawings are incredible.

[Danette · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an interesting book! Loved it.

5/21/18 Read with Naomi & Julia.

[Laela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This horse gets to eat in the tent with the other Marines! She also gets feed chocolate bars and cokes. This horse deserves her own book.

[Villa Park Public Library]

This is a moving true story about how an abandoned, undernourished race horse became an invaluable asset for a group of U.S Marines fighting in the Korean War. The tale begins when the Marines became concerned about how they were going to be able to haul heavy ammunition uphill to the new cannon they have acquired. Having limited resources, they attempted to train a scrawny mare who was left behind by his owner. In no time at all, the Marines discovered that the “new recruit”, who they nickname Reckless, will devour any type of food. This characteristic, while very amusing, also turns out to be extremely helpful in motivating Reckless to do things like duck incoming fire, retreat, and move forward up a steep hill with heavy ammunition strapped to her back. Could Reckless’s training hold up when confronted with the realities of booming canons and smoke-filled air?

This is a wonderful story about the trust, love, and respect that can develop between people and animals. Discover how this very special horse was able to gain military rank, and earn two purple hearts as well!

Check this book out at the Villa Park Public Library!:
https://catalog.swanlibraries.net/client/en_US/vpd/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f0$002fSD_ILS:2081449/ada?qu=sergeant+reckless&lm=VPD

[Margaret]

In August 1945 as World War II was ending Korea was divided at the 38th parallel into North Korea and South Korea. The politics of the evolving rulers were distinctly different. On June 25, 1950 the North Korean army crossed the 38th parallel invading South Korea. United States President Truman appealed to the United Nations. They first asked for the invasion to cease. On June 27, 1950 they asked for member states to provide military assistance to the South. (Allan R. Millett, contributor, Korean War, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., July 17, 2017)

United States Marines were sent to fight in a war which lasted for three years. During their service one group made the acquaintance of a red mare, smaller than most horses. Sergeant Reckless: The True Story Of The Little Horse Who Became A Hero (Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, September 12, 2017) written by Patricia McCormick with illustrations by Iacopo Bruno chronicles the remarkable service of this animal.



My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...

[Mariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are what make this book stand out. I must admit I wish this book had been written in a way that helped children understand the Korean War a little more. It is an endearing animal hero story, nevertheless, and the author's note at the end is very nice, especially the photo of the real Reckless, who had originally been named Flame in Korean. My biggest beef with this book is one incorrect sentence: "Sgt. Reckless, the little mare who became a marine, is the only animal to officially hold military rank." Without researching this in detail, simply by merit of other children's books I have read, I know this is not true. I read and loved the book, Soldier Bear, by Bibi Dumon Tak, which is a nearly accurate account of a bear that earned military rank within the Allied Forces in WWII. If the author, McCormick had overlooked the very famous bear Voytek, she might have overlooked another heroic animal or two that may have earned military rank.

[Colette · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Patricia's words and Iacopo's artwork, this is a hands down winner of a book! Your eyes are taken everywhere on the page, but they find the words and read. I love all of the dimensional work, collage type, adding bits and pieces to a full two page spread. This book is brilliant in using exactly what was available at the time bits and pieces. I love the story of training a horse to do the solders work. Her heart, and appetite are immeasurable. If you know a marine, please share this book with them. Kids too!

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wish I could rate this higher, but the food mentioned being given to this vital horse is toxic to horses. It's either a complete lie, or (quite frankly) animal abuse. If they had eggs and apples and sugar cubes, why the **** would they offer coffee and chocolate bars?! The art was gorgeous, and the storytelling was brilliant. But the content is TERRIBLE.

[Elizabeth☮ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with my six year old tonight. A beautiful story of a scrawny mare that becomes the only animal given a military rank.

The illustrations here are quite detailed with military artifacts and other memorabilia from the Korean War.

A nice lesson of endurance and tenacity.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The artwork in this book was incredible! I loved learning about Sergeant Reckless and laughed at all of the things she ate. I think students will really enjoy this book and I can imagine it won't stay on the Library shelves for long!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when real story books make the best story books. The kids were delighted with the real horse's antics and the illustrations were excellent and emotive. Kids insisted I read all the bio info in the back and was happy to find that was even compelling.

[Kary · Rating 5 out of 5]

2019 Children's Sequoyah masterlist. The illustrations and the way the text was presented were beautiful! Just loved this story!

[Kristine Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blown away by this piece of history and the unbelievably rich illustrations. Top notch. There's a reason all those kids voted for this book to win the Texas Bluebonnet Award.

[Jennybeast · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, good story, and wow, the things that happen in war would be hard to make up. Don't feed your horse these things at home.

[DaNae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great design, exciting story. Can't wait to share it with my students.

[Ben Truong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sergeant Reckless: The True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Hero is a children's picture book written by Patricia McCormick and illustrated by Iacopo Bruno. It depicts the story of a horse, which U.S. Marines reluctantly adopt to carry ammunition in battle during the Korean War, believing she will be too weak for the job, but was quickly proven wrong.

Staff Sergeant Reckless, a decorated war horse who held official rank in the United States military, was a mare of Mongolian horse breeding. Reckless was bought by members of the United States Marine Corps and trained to be a pack horse for the Recoilless Rifle Platoon, Anti-Tank Company, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division and quickly became part of the unit.

McCormick's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. It depicts the life of Sergeant Reckless, the only animal to officially hold military rank in the United States and how she endeared herself to her troop. Backmatter includes an author's note and pictures. Bruno's realistic spreads are heavy with green and brown camouflage hues, which depict the Marines training and doting on their charge, while poignant close-ups show Reckless nuzzling soldiers' faces, training, and performing bravely in battle.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Starving and abandoned during the Korean War, the former racehorse was discovered by U.S. Marines serving overseas and pressed into service to carry ammunition for cannon dubbed the reckless rifle. More than a pack animal, the small mare who would eat anything and made herself at home among her new family.

All in all, Sergeant Reckless: The True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Hero is an endearing story of wartime camaraderie won���t soon be forgotten.

[Vernon Area Public Library KIDS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Readers will enjoy learning about Sergeant Reckless, a small, hungry and courageous horse who became a marine during the Korean War. Reckless, the only animal to hold an official rank in the military, received two Purple Hearts and retired with the rank of staff sergeant. The Author’s Note at the end of the book includes more information about her heroic life and background, a selected bibliography, and a picture of Reckless at a ceremony that was held in her honor. This title is on the list of 2021 Illinois Bluestem Readers’ Choice Award Nominees.

Reviewed by: Liz Glazer, Youth and School Services, Vernon Area Public Library

[Rachel Stine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a very cute story with fantastic illustrations. I was engaged. I was excited. I couldn’t put the book down. I laughed at the descriptions of her eating things because a 2,000 pound horse WILL eat all day and will eat almost anything they encounter, even if it’s not good for them. However, this is a non-fiction book but it’s short on important facts. No dates, no specific locations, very few names. I would recommend this as a fun story but don’t expect the kiddos to actually learn much.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy learning about little known people, animals, etc who were parts of big events but are often overlooked. The illustrations were beautiful and Reckless' story is inspiring. It shows how feeding and caring for animals brings out their loyalty. Reckless was definitely driven by hunger but she knew her job was important and she helped even without reward. I appreciated the details at the end about who owned her before her time in the military.

[Erin Waymel · Rating 4 out of 5]

All listened with rapt attention. Enjoyed very much

[Emily Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like that this book is a whole new twist on a biography. Since I usually think of famous people for biographies, I wasn't expecting to see an animal because there aren't very many animal biographies in the world. I think this would be a book to use for a research project for studying wars.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Korean War story about a horse who helped a group of Marines. The horse really showed his mettle during a battle when he hauled ammunition up a hill to a gun (then back down unloaded, then up again, etc.) for hours.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about the close relationship between people and animals. In the Korean War, one group of U.S. Marines were exhausted carrying shells up a hill to a cannon when one of them, Lt. Eric Pedersen, had an idea. Why not use a horse? The problem was that the only one he could find was a small mare with a white blaze, more a racehorse than a mule. He took a chance, and she, who earned the name Reckless, became that horse. Iacopo Bruno creates the pages with war scenes of soldiers working and fighting and resting while all along, Lt. Pedersen trains the mare. Through patience and a lot of treats (he soon learned she loved to eat--everything), they readied her with a big pack, then loaded the shells. She didn't try to throw them off but was calm and seemed ready to do her job. I enjoyed how Iacopo created some illustrations like photographs with scrapbook corners or extra pieces that add to the scene, like playing cards and poker chips when the soldiers were playing poker, with Reckless, too! The illustrations are full of action on every page, beautiful to see!
Patricia McCormick writes the story about this amazing relationship from the beginning training to when Reckless helped the soldiers make it through an important battle. Here are those statistics for Reckless during that battle: fifty-one trips, gone a distance of thirty-five miles up and down steep terrain, carried nine thousand pounds of ammunition. Reckless saved many lives through her actions. It's hard to see how she survived! After being promoted to Staff Sergeant at the end of her career, she was allowed to move to the U.S.
The backmatter shares that Reckless had three colts: Fearless, Dauntless and Chesty. There is also a wonderful backstory written by Patricia McCormick about how she discovered this story and about the early life of Reckless and her original owners.The endpapers are collaged with newspapers showing war headlines and then at the back, parts of the medals and acclamations earned by Reckless. It's an inspiring story of a horse who helped soldiers do hard things, even in the terrible noises and dangers of battle, and the soldiers who loved one horse.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful illustrations just draw you into a book about an amazing horse who served in the Korean Conflict. To solve the problem of the soldiers wearing themselves out carrying the heavy ammunition uphill to a new cannon, Lt. Pedersen had the idea of finding a mule to do the job. But all he could find has a scrawny mare. It turned out that she had the heart of a warrior and a set of nerves to match. Oh, and an appetite that wouldn't quit - she ate anything. Her morning breakfast had her rousing the chef each morning in his bunk so that she could eat her scrambled eggs and toast and then wash it down with a cup of coffee.
The horse was named Reckless after the name of the cannon she was supplying but also for her actions. Her long day in the Battle of Outpost Vegas ended with her making 51 trips carrying 9000 pounds of heavy ammunition under fire for a distance of 35 miles up and down the steep hill to the cannon and helped change the course of the war. For that devotion to duty, she was promoted to Sergeant. After the war the soldiers started a campaign that brought Reckless to the United States. She lived out her life at Camp Pendleton and mothered 3 foals. Her official retirement care specified that she be given Coca-cola in limited amounts and scrambled eggs lightly salted and without pepper. (These details are found in author's notes at the end of the book). Also, a life-sized statue of her can be found at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, VA.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

SERGEANT RECKLESS is an inspirational true story about a horse named Reckless who helped turn the tides at the Battle of Outpost Vegas during the Korean War.

Reckless was a young, small mare and the men weren't sure whether or not she'd be able to keep up with them, but they trained her nonetheless. Her training consisted of kneeling to avoid bullets, retreating, and carrying ammunition. She picked up on these skills quickly thanks to the various rewards she received, such as chocolate or apples.

Reckless had an appetite and as she worked to carry their ammunition, she slowly became part of the group. The cook would even make her breakfast every morning. Then, the battle reached them one morning while they were unprepared. Reckless was fearful, but knew what her job consisted of. She worked so hard that day that it changed everything and helped to save many men.


Final Verdict: I loved everything about this book. I love that it was based off of a true story. The layout of the book was beautifully crafted with a military feel throughout the whole thing. It's a story I wish would've been told sooner because it's inspiring to read about a horse that defeated the odds that were stacked against her. I would highly recommend this book to boys and girls ages six and up who want a feel good story or love history. Make sure you read the author's note at the ends too because it gives a little bit more insight to how this story was discovered.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

(School Library Journal) 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.
The book concludes with a synopsis of Reckless's retirement in the United States.

End papers include an author's note about the Korean War, a selected bibliography and a photo of Reckless.

While the writing is first rate, the bold illustrations are superior. Some illustrations look almost like photos, and some pages are set up to look like the pages in a photo album complete with end corners.

Best for younger readers – grades 2-5

[Arminzerella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sergeant Reckless started off her career in the U.S. Marines in Korea, during the Korean War, when Lieutenant Eric Pedersen had the idea of training a mule to carry ammunition uphill to their cannon. When no mules were available, they recruited Reckless, a “scrawny sorrel mare” with a huge heart and an even bigger appetite. She underwent training to make her bomb-proof and teach her her new job. And Reckless ingratiated herself with the troops by eating everything in sight (rations, chocolate bars, people breakfasts, etc.). Her bravery and determination on the battlefield eventually earned her Sergeant’s rank, and when the war ended, the soldiers who had fought alongside her found a way to bring her to the United States where she was able to retire. An unusual footnote in our history, Sergeant Reckless’ story is both inspiring and touching. Patricia McCormick’s words and Iacopo Bruno’s illustrations of that tireless little red mare bring her personality to life.

From Author’s Note:
An official letter about her retirement care specified that she be given Coca-Cola “in limited amounts” and “scrambled eggs, lightly salted and without pepper.”

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meet Korean War Vet Sergeant Reckless. She isn't any old Sergeant, she is a horse and she was amazing! The great true story of how animals help win wars.

It reminds me of Sergeant Stubby (book by Hosea Who is getting a movie in 2018 to commemorate 100 year of World War I.)
Reckless is a amazing and the book states it is the only animal to officially get a military rank but Stubby was a sergeant and his headstone says he is a sergeant and stuffed and in the Smithsonian so that sounds official to me. Books: Stubby the War Dog: The True Story of World War I's Bravest Dog Ann Bausum and Stubby the Dog Soldier: World War I Hero by Blake Hoena.

ALSO FOR FUN I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS BOOK WRITTEN BY ME Wojtek was a Syrian brown bear purchased, as a young cub, at a railroad station in Hamadan, Iran, by Polish II Corps soldiers who had been evacuated from the Soviet Union. Don't steal my idea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wojtek_...