Parents' Guide to Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero

This animated film has a surprising amount of impact, offering an educational introduction to war history, along with messages of teamwork, courage, and more. The narration by Helena Bonham Carter as Margaret, Conroy's older sister, isn't strictly necessary, but it provides structure to the story, which is based on real events. Lerman's voice performance as a young-ish soldier is believable and sweet, particularly in contrast to Depardieu's worldly, wise Gaston, who becomes part of the "Three Musketeers" with Conroy and Stubby. Younger kids may need more information beyond what the film's exposition offers to understand the story's historical context, although it's possible they'll just focus on Stubby's deeds and not wonder too much about how realistic the movie may or may not be.

Something refreshing about the portrayal of Stubby is that he isn't overly humanized. With the exception of a few tricks (he can salute a superior officer), Stubby does what dogs naturally do: smell, find, dig, retrieve. Stubby doesn't speak, and he only wears a "uniform" when presented with a military-style cape by a French civilian. The movie's war scenes may occasionally be a bit too realistic for more sensitive younger viewers, but there's plenty of sweet humor, too. Informative and clearly well-researched, Sgt. Stubby is interesting enough to keep tweens entertained and cute enough to make younger kids want to learn more about the real dogs of war.