I received an arc of this book from netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

I really really liked this one! It was engaging, and I wanted to read it all over again. The illustrations are charming and it was just a really cool story. Well worth reading!

As soon as I saw that cover and title, I knew I wanted to read SERGEANT BILLY, and I’m so glad I did! This is an utterly charming real life story about a goat’s adventures in the War to End All Wars. The illustrations are so heart-tugging as is the story, which is both poignant and funny. Such a fun way to learn history, with truths revealed through the tale of a creature that got trench foot, saved soldiers by head-butting them away from a deadly shell, was court marshaled for eating top secret papers, but in the end was decorated and returned home safely as a hero. Loved it! 5/5

Pub Date 17 Sep 2019

Thanks to Mireille Messier, Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#SergeantBilly #NetGalley

This was a fascinating story. Leave it up to Canadians to adopt a pet goat for the war. (I mean this as an absolutely loving compliment) the fact that the soldiers took Sergeant Billy from a farm in Saskatchewan to the front lines of WWI is very interesting.

It was really great how we got to learn a bit about the war in a kid friendly sort of way. Travelling from Canada, to the front lines and back again.

I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who’s child is interested in history, or to introduce them to history.

Amazing historical kids book! I love that is based off true events and even has extra info abput the real sergeant billy! Fantastic art as well!

I'd never heard the story of Sergeant Billy before! It makes for quite a cute picture book.

Billy was a goat who was borrowed from a little girl named Daisy to be a mascot for the Fifth Canadian Battalion during World War I. He was smuggled to England, and eventually to France, where he kept morale up and even saved some lives (for which he was awarded the Mons Star). At the end of the war, as promised, he was returned to Daisy by the soldiers and lived out the rest of his life.

This is a nice example of a biographical picture book. The fact that the subject is a goat did little to diminish my enjoyment of the story. The illustrations work nicely with the text, helping to propel the narrative.

There are a couple of pages at the back with notes and photos. Although it's not explicitly spelled out in the text, you can see a picture of the actual Billy on display. The fact that he was stuffed and placed in a museum after death might be disturbing to some readers, so be aware of that.

This is a strong picture book about a little-known animal hero of World War I. Fans of history and animals might want to check this one out.

Thank you #netgalley for giving me a copy of #SergeantBilly to review. I always enjoy reading true stories that you wouldn't think are true. Sergeant Billy is a goat that went to war and helped his soldiers. War and animals are two things my students love so I know they will enjoy this book. I can't wait until September for this book.

Until this book, I had never heard of Sergeant Billy! I think this is a good springboard for introducing the subject of WWI to elementary school children. The old-fashioned illustrations add to the feel of the story and in the back is more information on war animals and the important part they played in the health and well-being of the soldiers. An incredible true story worth reading!

What a cute story! It reminded me a lot of the movie Sgt. Stubby, about the dog in WWI. Based on a true story, it's written at an elementary-appropriate level and includes non-fiction information about animals used for jobs and mascots during the Great War.

What a sweet story! I knew dogs and horses were used in wars, even birds, but a billy goat? Who knew! Young kids will enjoy reading about this special goat's adventures in WW1. I am happy to report he made it home safely to Canada and his girl Daisy! Ok, that was a spoiler, but I really don't think kids are reading these reviews and adults might want to know before purchasing the book for their littles. The war was depressing enough without a goat getting maimed. The illustrations are wonderful and will look wonderful. Kids will enjoy the happy smile on Billy's face!

The true story of Billy, a goat who served as the regiment mascot for the Fifth Canadian Battalion during WWI. The text does a good job of balancing humor and fact and the illustrations are playful and pleasant.

Sergeant Billy is the true story of a girl named Daisy’s pet goat from Saskatchewan who became a decorated hero with the Canadian Expeditionary Forces in WWI before returning home to Daisy.

As author Mireille Messier writes, Bill’s early life was spent helping Daisy by pulling carts. But in 1914, his life changed. When soldiers spotted the girl with her goat on a train station platform, they asked for permission to take the goat to their training camp. She agreed under the condition that they promised to bring him back.

The Fighting Fifth Battalion made the goat their mascot and named him Private Billy, and he indeed went to their training camp. But that wasn’t the end of his journey. His soldiers secreted him aboard a boat bound for England and though mascots were prohibited, their goat had become such an important fixture to the soldiers that he also joined them on the front lines in France. Although the goat boosted morale immensely, he caused his fair share of trouble and was courtmartialed twice: once for being caught munching on battalion records and another for charging horns-first at a superior officer. Some leaders insisted rations weren’t plentiful enough to keep him around and argued again that mascots were banned from service.

During his service, Private Billy saved several soldiers’ lives, captured an enemy guard, was wounded and suffered shrapnel injuries several times, contacted trench foot, and suffered shell-shock. He was also gassed at one point and saved the lives of three soldiers.

In 1915, Billy was promoted to the rank of sergeant. He was also later decorated with the Mons Star, the General Service Medal, and the Victory Medal. After living out the remainder of his life in Winnipeg with Daisy, his original owner, he underwent taxidermy and now inhabits an enclosure at the Broadview Historical Museum. Beautifully illustrated by Kass Reich, Sergeant Billy is an abridged story for children about this celebrated goat.

(My review ended up being more of a book report and probably longer than the book, but it piqued my interest and led me to read more about this distinguished goat. It also contains some more mature information not in the book, which is aimed at a young target audience. I would recommend this book without hesitation.)


Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for the provided e-ARC and the opportunity to read this book. My review is honest, unbiased, and voluntary. #NetGalley #SergeantBilly

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