Pigeons at War: An Interview with Author Connie Goldsmith
Pigeons were the unsung heroes of both world wars. In Pigeons at War: How Avian Heroes Changed History by Connie Goldsmith, readers discover how these unassuming birds were crucial to communications between Allied troops. When phone, radio, and telegraph lines were cut or officers needed to send top secret messages, pigeons delivered information from the front.
Today author Connie Goldsmith joins us to describe her writing process, hopes for young readers, her favorite pigeon from history, and more!
What first sparked your interest in pigeons?
Pigeons at War happened in a roundabout way. A few years ago, I saw a Facebook entry about military working dogs that amazed me. I knew little about these heroic dogs and presented the topic to my Lerner editor. She loved the idea and my book Dogs at War: Military Canine Heroes came out in 2017. Next we decided on a book about all animals that had helped people through the ages. My 2019 book Animals Go to War: from dogs to dolphins talked about heroic elephants, dogs, horses, and pigeons. The research I did for that book, inspired me to write an entire book featuring only pigeons. My newest book, Pigeons at War: How Avian Heroes Changed History, came out in February 2024.
What was the most interesting fact about history or about pigeons that you discovered during your research?
While I had heard that pigeons carried messages in tiny containers on their legs, I had no idea how much that ability—and the ability to always return home—had helped people for centuries. Pigeons played a big role in helping Allies win both world wars. Pigeons’ ability to fly home even when badly injured was amazing and inspiring. Did pigeons somehow sense they had a vital mission to complete? Some pigeons, like some soldiers, received medals for their feats.
Your book covers specific events and battles that relied heavily on the messenger pigeons for success. Was there an event/pigeon you wish you had been able to include, but had to cut during edits?
Fortunately, all the stories I wrote about pigeon bravery made it into my book. It was very interesting to tie the pigeon stories to military information, such as the particular battles they ‘starred’ in.
Do you have a favorite pigeon from your book?
Cher Ami is the most famous homing pigeon from World War I. But my favorite pigeon is Winkie from World War II. Winkie (first known as Pigeon NEUH.40.NS.1) was in a British four-man bomber that the Nazis shot down in the North Sea. The plane tore apart when it landed and the men scrambled into a tiny raft. The pigeon cage broke open and freed Winkie. She sat on part of the plane until it sunk. Then she took off, headed to her home loft 129 miles away in Scotland. Her wings were wet and covered in oil; the night was freezing. When she staggered into her loft after her sixteen-hour flight, the pigeon specialist figured out how far she could have flown, and narrowed down the crash site. A plane found the men within 15 minutes and saved them. The crew held a dinner in the pigeon’s honor and named her Winkie because her eyelids fluttered from exhaustion. Winkie was a true hero!
This book covers history, science, and other subjects with pigeons at the core. How did you decide on the best structure to tie them all together?
It worked well to structure the book in terms of historical events—with pigeons at the core—moving from ancient history into modern times and through two world wars. I used sidebars to cover some of the science of pigeons, for example, how pigeons navigate and how their anatomy makes them the perfect flying machine.
What do you hope young readers take away from this book after reading?
I hope readers will not ‘pigeon-hole’ pigeons, and that they will appreciate pigeons’ contributions to humans throughout history. Egyptian leaders sent pigeons across Egypt to spread the word that a new pharaoh had come to the throne. Greek pigeons carried results of ancient Olympic Games across the country. And long before drones captured images from the sky, pigeons carried miniature cameras that photographed the scenery. I hope readers will understand the value of pigeons and look at them with new eyes and think about the many ways they worked for us over the centuries.
Praise for Pigeons at War
“Readers who love reading about animals accomplishing great deeds will enjoy this while, at the same time, they’ll learn a lot about a much-maligned bird.”—Booklist
“Will incite sympathy, not to say outrage, along with admiration for these often-underestimated birds.” —Kirkus Reviews
Connect with the Author
Connie Goldsmith is a registered nurse with a bachelor of science degree in nursing and a master of public administration degree in health care. She has written numerous books for YA readers and nearly two hundred magazine articles. Her recent books include Kiyo Sato: From a WWII Japanese Internment Camp to a Life of Service (2020), a Junior Library Guild selection; Running on Empty: Sleeplessness in American Teens (2021); Understanding Coronaviruses: SARS, MERS, and the COVID-19 Pandemic (2021); and Bombs Over Bikini: The World’s First Nuclear Disaster (2014), a Junior Library Guild selection, a Children’s Book Committee at Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year, an Association of Children’s Librarians of Northern California Distinguished Book, and an SCBWI Crystal Kite Winner. She lives in Sacramento, California.
Comments