4 | kregel.com Related Titles Unique Selling Points Animals Making Headlines 30 Devotions About Brave, Friendly, Cute, Rebellious Creatures Sue Irwin Thirty true and inspiring tales of animals that made headlines E xtra! Extra! Read all about it! Twenty-one circus elephants prove the Brooklyn Bridge is safe for people! A carrier pigeon delivers a life-saving message during battle! A painting gorilla dazzles zoo-goers! These are just a few of the true stories of animal rescues, rela- tionships, and shenanigans that middle-grade readers will love to learn about in this one-of-a-kind devotional. Set up just like a real news source—with the sections National News, Interna- tional News, Sports, Entertainment, and Home and Lifestyle— this collection of thirty true stories paired with thirty import- ant spiritual lessons is perfect for kids who love tales of daring, caring, and unlikely animal heroes. Some tales are funny. Some are poignant. But every one will touch the heart of today’s young reader and spark conversations about important life lessons. Sue Irwin writes award-winning books for kids and teens, includ- ing Safety Stars, Breaking Through, and Hey There, Blue Bird, Why Do You Chirp? A former teacher, Sue is active in the children’s writing community. When she’s not reading or writing, she can be found digging in the garden, designing and creating crafts, or cheering on her favorite athletes as they compete around the world. 978-0-8254-5400-4 • $16.99 Paperback • 5.25 x 8 • 80 pages JUVENILE NONFICTION / Religious / Christian / Devotional & Prayer Kregel Publications • Rights: WW February 23, 2027 • Eye-catching, four-color devotional will enchant middle- grade readers • Each devotional includes a Bible verse, a true animal story, and a prayer • Conversational tone to spark discussion with kids about big issues, such as their relationship with God, their life choices, and eternity Candle Bible for Kids 978-0-8254-5557-5 $17.99 An Arkful of Animal Prayers 978-0-8254-7840-6 $9.95 1942. DiePPe, France. O n a misty summer morning in 1942, pigeon number NPS.41. NS.4230— a.k.a. “Beachcomber”— became a hero. During World War II, armies relied on carrier pigeons to deliver lifesaving messages not just from town to town, but to soldiers fighting in fields, to crews sailing on ships, to pilots, and from one spy to another. After all, pigeons flew fast. They flew high and far from dan- ger. And they knew how to find their way back. Soldiers scribbled their notes onto tiny scraps of pa- per, rolled them up, and tucked them into a con- tainer attached to the pigeon’s leg. Then they sent the bird on its way. On this August day, Canadian troops led an at- tack at Dieppe, a town on the north- ern coast of France. The soldiers left their ships and headed toward the beaches. But because of the fog, those who stayed on the ships couldn’t see the shore. They couldn’t tell when the other soldiers reached the land. The ground troops needed to let their com- manders know they’d arrived and the raid had begun. They needed their fine- feathered fighter, Beach- comber. Usually, at least two pigeons traveled with the same infor- mation. That way, if one pi- geon didn’t arrive safely, the news would still get through. Not on this day. This time, Beachcomber was on his own. Beachcomber watched for dan- INTERNATIONAL NEWS DEVOTION 8 A HERO’S JOURNEY “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2 niv 26 Animals Making Headlines 27 ger, skillfully dodging enemy gunfire. He flew straight from the shore to the ship to deliver the important mes- sage. His brave actions saved the lives of hun- dreds of people. Remember Beach- comber whenever you think there’s little you can do to make a difference. Like the heroic pigeon, you can be a warrior too. A prayer warrior, that is, sending im- portant messages to God. As God’s messenger, watch for opportunities. Think of people who are sick (James 5:16), leaders of the country (1 Timothy 2:1– 2), missionaries work- ing for God in far- away lands (Ephe- sians 6:18), or even people who mistreat you (Matthew 5:44). Then, deliver your messages to God. You can be sure your prayers will get through, and they’ll make a difference. Thank you, Father, for giving me the honor of being a prayer messenger. Thank you, too, that I can talk to you anytime and anywhere, and that you’re always ready to listen. Beachcomber was one of only three Canadian animals to receive the Dickin Medal for their service during World War II. The other two to receive this top honor for animal war heroes were a German shepherd called Sam who helped rescue a soldier, and a Newfoundland named Gander who used his bark to scare the enemy.
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