Fly, Cher Ami, Fly!: The Pigeon Who Saved the Lost Battalion

by Robert Burleigh, Robert MacKenzie (Illustrator)

Based on a heroic true story

 

The soldier held the little creature gently with both hands.

In the dim light, he carefully attached the message to the bird’s leg.

He called out the bird’s name: “Cher Ami. Dear Friend, go safely. Save us!”

Fly, Cher Ami, fly!

 

Cher Ami was one of six hundred carrier pigeons used by the American Army during World War I. Riveting text by award-winning author Robert Burleigh and lush illustrations by Robert MacKenzie capture the intrepid story of his most famous flight. A tale of triumph and bravery, Fly, Cher Ami, Fly! tells the true story of a heroic pigeon who, against all odds, helped rescue a lost battalion of soldiers and left an unforgettable mark on American history.

Genres: Picture Books, History, World War I, Childrens, Animals, Birds, Nonfiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2008

About the author

Over the past 35 years, I have published poems, reviews, essays, many filmstrips and videos, and more than 40 children's picture books.

Born and raised in Chicago, I graduated from DePauw University (Greencastle, Indiana) and later received an MA in humanities from the University of Chicago. I've published books for children since the early 1990s. My books - including numerous unpublished ones! - run a broad gamut, from stories geared for pre-schoolers to survival stories and biographies aimed at seven to eleven-year-olds. My work is wide-ranging because, basically, I'm a generalist by experience - and inclination!

In addition to writing, I paint regularly under the art name Burleigh Kronquist and have shown work in one-person and group shows in Chicago, New York, and elsewhere around the country.

-from robertburleigh.com

Reviews

[Alex Baugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

During World War I, carrier pigeons were frequently used by the army to deliver important messages because of their innate ability to find their way home, even if it means flying over ground combat and going great distances. For one lost battalion, it was a matter of life and death.

In 1918, a battalion of the US infantry was fighting in France, surrounded by the enemy, when their radio communications went out. No one knew where these soldiers were located to send help and rescue them. There was only one chance to save themselves - send a message back home, attached to the leg of their last carrier pigeon, Cher Ami.

Flying through gun fire aimed at him by a German soldier, Cher Ami managed to avoid being hit and kept flying. Even when the Germans send a hawk after the pigeon, he managed to fly at the sun and blind the hawk just before it could sink its talons into the pigeon.

Arriving at the army's base in England, Cher Ami delivers his message, and as the army prepared to rescue their fellow soldiers, Cher Ami found his nice comfortable nest for a hard earned rest and a job well done.

There are lots of versions of Cher Ami's story out there, but this one is aimed at young readers who probably don't know a lot about war in general, and WWI in particular. And it really doesn't give much information about war, nor is much needed. What this book does do is give kids a nice, age appropriate fiction biography of one famous heroic carrier pigeon and highlights the importance of the role they played for helping soldiers in dangerous situations (although they did more than what this story shows).

Burleigh doesn't give details about the battle that the battalion was involved in, not does he give names to any of the soldiers. This is definitely Cher Ami's story. Cher Ami's tale is complimented by the realistic illustrations of Robert MacKenzie, which are done in a palette of mainly browns and burnt oranges for the battlefield and dull smoky blue for the sky, presumable from all the weapons being shot.

I do have one problem with this fictional bio. We see Cher Ami being shot at, but the reader is not told that he is hurt. Cher Ami was actually seriously wounded on this trip, which proved to be his last. He didn't die, but one of his legs was badly hurt, so doctors fashioned him a wooden prosthetic leg to replace the injured leg. I would have like to see this within the story, not pushed in an Afterword at the end of the book.

As a book about carrier pigeons and what they are capable of, Fly, Cher Ami, Fly! would be an excellent teaching tool. It would also be useful as part of a WWI unit, but not as a primary resource.

A Cher Ami Coloring Book is available to download for free at the Home of Heroes, where you can also read more about the Lost Battalion of WWI

This book is recommended for readers age 5+
This book was purchased for my personal library

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somehow, in the back of my mind I knew the story of Cher Ami and how he saved American soldiers during WW I, and when I discovered this book on Goodreads the other day I thought it was a story that my niece would like to hear. It's good to know history, and it's good to value the stories of our heroes, weather those heroes are humans or animals. Fly, Cher Ami, Fly was told in a very digestible way for a child audience; this was a story of bravery and desperation, and the author successfully conveyed both. The afterword also provided more detail about carrier pigeons, and Cher Ami in particular, and the whole package ended up being a lesson about valor and about honoring our heroes. My niece and I both enjoyed this book.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wonder if this is talking about the same program as the second part of the early Newbery book, Gay-Neck: The Story of a Pigeon, by Dhan Gopal Mukerji. That is an excellent book, and, honestly, if you're old enough to understand history books like this, you're just about old enough for that classic, which I loved, and which gets an #OwnVoices tag.

Still, this is pretty good, and it does include an afterword, and I'm glad I found it on my visit to B'ville.

[Syd Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short children's book about a brave pigeon who saved the lives of a battalion of American soldiers during World War I. Full of suspense, the Germans released a falcon to kill Cher Ami so he couldn't get the message to the troops in England. The clever pigeon escaped and flew for many hours until he finally got the message to the people who turned around and \saved the battalion. it's a true and heart warming story. Little Cher Ami losta leg in his fl;ight. A surgeon fashion a pegleg for Cher Ami and he learned to use it. Cher Ami is in the Smithsonian institute,peg leg and all. I've added a visit to see Cher Ami to my bucket list.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't discount pigeons! They are smarter and braver than we might imagine. This is the energetic and inspiring true story of Cher Ami, a pigeon who carried a message that saved an entire battalion of US soldiers in WWI.

[Sarah S · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars: This was a quick, interesting historical picture book about WWI. I'm always on the lookout for more kids' books about the First World War and this checked the box; gentle & should be ok for sensitive readers.

[Emily Myhren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be sure to read the afterword.

[Karen Yoder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story of a carrier pigeon.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to track this one down but I like it as much as the other Cher Ami book. Recommended, if you can find it.

[Renee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Look, this book is fine, but as your resident Cher Ami expert, I'm here to tell you they got some facts wrong, and also missed out on the best part of the story, which is the doctors rushing to resuscitate Cher Ami, shortly before building him a little wooden leg. Just imagine a team of army doctors performing cpr on a pigeon and you'll see what a missed opportunity there was for some real charm, by golly!

Anyway, out of 550 of the lost battalion, 356 of them were shot down by friendly fire from their own troops. 3 carrier pigeons were shot and killed before Cher Ami finally got through with his message, but not before having his wing shot, his leg shot off, losing and eye, and being shot across the chest. The real story of Cher Ami is a lot more brutal and emphasizes not just the stupidity and inhumanity of most wars, but also the fact that animals are a casualty in the midst of human aggression. I'm not against a children's book about Cher Ami, but this ain't it.

[Shaundell · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the year 1918, during World War I, there was a battalion that was lost, with very limited food and water, surrounded by enemy troops. Their only hope of survival was a carrier pigeon, named Cher Ami. Against all odds, this little bird was able to fly, with the message and map strapped to his leg, to safety. Cher Ami, which means “Dear Friend” in French, was able to save the soldiers.

This story is based upon true events, and the Afterword by Mr. Burleigh states the importance of carrier pigeons, as well as information about this particular bird - both during and after the flight. A great little book that shows that miracles still happen!

[Heather Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cool historical fiction book that told the tale of a carrier pigeon's rescue of a stranded company of US WWI soldiers. It was neat to learn how carrier pigeons were actually used for the military back then. And this pigeon is still on display at the Smithsonian in DC!

Genre- Poetry

CO: 2008

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a pretty cool story, and it's true. It's WWI from the point of view of a carrier pigeon. I wasn't aware that carrier pigeons played as much of a role as they did, but this book really brought the idea home. It covers one flight of one pigeon, Cher Ami, as he relays a message about a lost battalion. It's heroic and it's true. Good book.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

We got to see Cher Ami at the Smithsonian last year and wanted to learn more about the topic. This book had weirdly juvenile text - because who is going to read a book about WWI to a really young kid? We would have liked a little more detail and a little less patronizing. Still - nice to see this animal hero profiled in a book.

[Acton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a little pigeon who saves World War II for the US. It meets a German falcon who gives up. It flies on to tell a US batallion that another US batallion is lost and needs help such as food, water and firepower.

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

A non-violent* version of Cher Ami's story for children. Very sweet and dramatic with lovely illustrations.

* Cher Ami sustained bullet wounds on his real journey

[Dawn VanLerberghe · Rating 3 out of 5]

My grandfather was one of those saved by this pigeon. Good book, but not how I envision it.

[Abby Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

very well done book for kids about a little war hero

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew pigeons were good for anything other than pooping on my car? What a brave and noble bird! I loved this story.

[Sara Neuhauser]

Historical fiction, 2008. Story about Cher Ami, a carrier pigeon from World War I. The book teaches about World War I and about using the carrier pigeons to communicate. Also Cher Ami was a real carrier pigeon and this was a true story!