Two boys grow up in South Shields, England. During summers, they lead tourists along the beach on donkey rides. Promising never to forget his friend Billy, Jack, seeking adventure, heads off for a life that takes him around the world. He discovers that home is where he truly wants to be. Hoping to get home as quickly as possible, Jack joins the British army as a stretcher-bearer and is thrust into World War I. Following Jack as he climbs down a rope into a rowboat, charges up to take the enemy beach while bullets whistle past, and then daily crawling through the battle to carry the wounded back to first-aid stations, young readers are presented with the hardships of war. But they are never overwhelmed by the horrors of war or with graphic representations that would be inappropriate for children. The illustrations are detailed yet unsophisticated depictions of the story, but it is their folk-art style that really works with the story itself.

Jack, with the aid of a donkey he has found while in the thick of battle, rescues more than three hundred men in the battle of Gallipoli. He risks his own life for each wounded man he brings back, and eventually he dies a hero's death trying to rescue yet another soldier. The book closes with an “and-now-you-know-the-rest-of-the-story” moment when we learn that Jack, in saving those three hundred soldier's lives, also saves Billy’s life.

World War I can be a confusing war for young students. It’s rarely studied in much detail, and the period of history is just that much removed from modern life that depictions can at times seem familiar and yet remain foreign. This picture book biography offers a look at one man’s role in that war, and thus personalizes history. The last pages of the book offer historical footnotes about the main characters, the battlefield of Gallipoli where the story takes place, and the Turks whom the British were fighting. It offers an introduction to World War I from which students can begin to build an understanding of the war. The theme of the book is appropriate for older elementary students through high school. The picture book format should not keep you from using this book with older students.