A review by goodbetterbetsy
Gay-Neck: The Story of a Pigeon by Boris Artzybasheff, Dhan Gopal Mukerji

3.0

I picked up this book because during our first Newbery Club meeting at the library, I had a couple kids ask if I had read it. I had not so I decided I should. It was better than I expected. I don't usually like animal books all that much (especially if they get hurt - not a spoiler, it's on the back). However, this was a pleasant surprise. We follow the life of Gay-Neck the pigeon from birth through his service in the war. The narrator is a child, living in India, but we never learn his name. Gay-Neck is definitely the main character and even narrates sometimes. The story gives a lot of insight into the life of birds and carrier pigeons. I found it was quite interesting, although I it did seem to really start to drag part way through.

Recommended for those who like animal stories, Newbery books, and like a little bit of factual information mixed in with their fiction.