Wings of Glory

by Dermot O'Leary

What the Book Is About

Wings of Glory follows Linus, a small swift in the Royal Bird Force, during World War II. He wants to prove himself as a hero, but the falcons who are supposed to be leading him think he's too small and weak to do the job, so they bully him instead. When his sister goes missing and there are rumours of a spy in the ranks, Linus has to go on a mission to find her and prove that swifts can be just as brave as falcons, with a combination of teamwork, talons, and (of course) poo.

Who This Book Is For

I picked this book up on one of our trips to England when I was younger, so I think it's great for younger kids, maybe your little brothers or sisters who are interested in WWII but aren't old enough for Junior Company yet. It's also perfect for anyone who wants to read about the war but is a little scared to read about it happening to real people, because none of the characters in this book are human.

What I Thought

This book is really funny and was a lot of fun to read. It manages to make a war story kid-friendly without losing what makes it interesting. My favourite part was watching Linus stick with it even though the falcons bullied him for being small. It gave me hope that being different is okay, and that you don't have to be the biggest or strongest to end up being the hero. The illustrations by Claire Powell are awesome too, they really add to the story.

Final Thoughts

If you love WWII history but want something lighter and funnier to start with, or you know a younger reader who isn't ready for the real thing yet, Wings of Glory is the way to go.

Reviewed by a Junior Company Reader, age 12