"Brownie, a rambunctious one-year-old German Shepherd dog, belonged to a 11-year-old Oren Kendley in King, Wisconsin, whose family decided to enlist him in the military's war dog program during World War II. After training, Brownie served as a sentry on a Pacific island, standing watch to keep US soldiers safe, until his service was cut short due to an eye injury. Brownie was sent home and reunited with Oren and his family, who adjusted to personality changes from the dog's service. Soon Brownie found a new way to serve his country, accompanying Oren's mother to her job at the Wisconsin Veterans' Home in King, where he became a companion to veterans. Brownie's story focuses on veterans and service and is a kid-friendly way to introduce difficult topics to young readers. Kids will learn about World War II, military service, and dealing with differences such as Brownie's injury through the eyes of its young main character, Oren"--

Kelly Nelson has loved true animal stories ever since she was a little girl. Brownie the War Dog is her first book, inspired by a visit to the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King to seek care for her father, a veteran of the Korean War. Kelly lives in Wisconsin with her husband, Jason; children James and Brooke; dogs Ladybug, Mabel, and ZuZu; and cat, Lenny.

Aaron Boyd knew by age six that he wanted to illustrate children's books. After graduating from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Aaron practiced his craft in children's magazines and board games before illustrating his first picture book in 1999. Since then, he has illustrated dozens of books, including The Story of Civil Rights Hero John Lewis and Backwards Dog.