Brigadier: Gentle Hero (True Horse Stories)
Grade 5–8—Brigadier, a member of the Mounted Unit of the Toronto police force, was killed when a reckless driver plowed his van into the horse, causing injuries so severe that he had to be put down. The officer survived. This tragedy sparked a lot of media coverage when it happened in February of 2006. A large portion of the book focuses on finding and training the animal, and the author pays special attention to his gentle, comical, smart, and endearing personality. Children will fall in love with Brigadier, as did so many Torontonians. The author mentions the fight to bring "Brigadier's Law" into existence—the man responsible for the death of this amazing horse got a "slap on the wrist." Illustrations include occasional sketches that are quite lovely. All in all, a good story, tenderly told.—Corrina Austin, Locke's Public School, St. Thomas, Ontario, CanadaEND