Joey Gets His Wings by Catherine Bauer, illustrated by Jennifer Horn

Title: Joey Gets His Wings

Author: Catherine Bauer, illustrated by Jennifer Horn

Genre: History

Publisher: Big Sky Publishing

Published: 7^th September 2026

Format: Paperback

Pages: 32

Price: $24.99

Synopsis: Inspired by the real stories of Australian soldiers who carried small mascots from home to bring comfort during the First World War.

Beneath the vast blue skies of Australia’s outback, a young boy named Art dreams of flying, with his small toy kangaroo, Joey, never far from his side. When Art leaves home to join the Australian Flying Corps, Joey is tucked into his bag — a small reminder of home.

Together, they travel far beyond the red earth, Joey strapped to the front of Art’s plane as he soars through unfamiliar skies where courage is tested and home feels very far away. But when Joey is lost during the war, his journey becomes one of waiting, remembering and hoping.

Alone in a distant field, Joey waits and hopes, holding onto the memory of the boy who carried him there.

Inspired by true stories, Joey Gets His Wings is a gentle and heartfelt tale of friendship, courage and the enduring ties that lead us home.

Captain Elliot “Tab” Pflaum, an Australian Flying Corps pilot from South Australia, carried his leather kangaroo mascot, Joey, through WWI skies. Perched on his aircraft, Joey symbolised courage and companionship, enduring aerial missions and later preserved as a treasured keepsake, connecting past sacrifice with remembrance.

From the award-winning creator of Dreaming Soldiers

‘A powerful and moving story… its strength lies in the friendship and shared journey at its heart.’

~*~

Joey is a toy kangaroo who has been with Art his whole life. When Australia joins the First World War, Joey heads off on an adventure with Art, to flight school and Europe, flying missions over the devastated lands. Until Joey finds his wings one day and takes a flight into the war-torn fields of France. Will Joey ever find his way home?

Joey Gets His Wings is based on true stories about soldiers and airmen that took mascots from home to war. Some of them were toys, some of them would have been real animals. A little taste of home in the hard times and places. In skies and trenches, in hospital wards and in battle. These people took part of hoe with them to remind them of joy and love.

Joey and Art’s story brings these to life for children and bring a time that is far removed from many of our experiences to life. It reminds us that there were so many stories that came out of the First World War. The big battles are talked about. Anzac Cove. Ypres. Pozieres. The Somme. The tragedy of war is ingrained in the ANZAC legend, and we remember the millions that died and never came home. But what about those that did?

Their stories matter too, and this is a small one based on the kangaroo mascot of Elliot ‘Tab’ Pflaum from South Australia. It captures what would have happened, and what could have happened to the kangaroo. In this version, there is hope that it will be returned because of the address Art’s mother sews on the scarf. It reminds us that there are many ways to find our way home, and there are many war stories out there. Stories that are family history as well, that give the war its human face beyond the facts and figures about battles and the number of people who died. Of the confusion and misidentification that no doubt would have happened in those days.

This is a gentle story about war, where the images reflect the reality but don’t make it too traumatic. It shows that there are ways to learn about war that give a whole picture, that show how individual people cope with war and what happens when the things we treasure come back to us when we least expect it.

A charming book that younger readers will love.