Deborah Hopkinson World War II Close Up: They Saved the Stallions

In this post, we feature award-winning author Deborah Hopkinson, whose over 70 previous titles include Titanic: Voices from the Disaster, a Robert F. Sibert Honor Book. You can hear her speak about her new book, World War II Close Up: They Saved the Stallions, and try her “invitation to imagine” activity. You’ll also find other resources to explore. Thanks for joining us, and let us know what you think in the comments below!

Deborah Hopkinson and the cover of They Saved the Stallions.

World War II Close Up: They Saved the Stallions

Written by Deborah Hopkinson
Published by Scholastic Focus, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc.
Release date: October 15, 2024

In the closing months of World War II, American bombs rained down on Nazi Germany and its territories, including Austria. In Vienna, a horse named Nero and his stable mates, the dancing white Lipizzaner stallions of the famed Spanish Riding School, are at risk. The school’s director, dedicated horseman Alois Podhajsky, will do everything he can to keep them safe. Yet Alois can’t do it alone. And in the chaotic last days of the war, as their fate becomes more uncertain than ever, Nero will play a key role in helping Alois appeal for aid from an unlikely ally—America. It will take a daring band of American soldiers—along with horse lovers from opposing sides—to pull off a secret mission that would prove to shape history. Acclaimed author Deborah Hopkinson brings to life the exhilarating true story of Operation Cowboy and the miraculous survival of the Spanish Riding School and demonstrates how history reaches into the present in countless ways.

From World War II Close Up: They Saved the Stallions, written by Deborah Hopkinson.

“Even though his family never stayed in one place long enough for it to feel like home, one thing remained constant in Alois’s life: horses.”
Click here to view a longer preview of World War II Close Up: They Saved the Stallions, written by Deborah Hopkinson.

Explore World War II Close Up: They Saved the Stallions

Listen to Deborah Hopkinson talking with TeachingBooks about creating World War II Close Up: They Saved the Stallions. You can click the player below or experience the recording on TeachingBooks, where you can read along as you listen, and also translate the text to another language.

Invitation to Imagine

TeachingBooks asks each author or illustrator on our Virtual Book Tour to share a writing prompt, a drawing exercise, or just an interesting question to spark curiosity and creativity. Enjoy the following activity contributed by Deborah Hopkinson.

Imagination Activity with Deborah Hopkinson

They Saved the Stallions is about the rescue of the Lipizzaners—the famous dancing horses of Austria—in the final days of World War II. In a daring rescue called Operation Cowboy, American soldiers braved enemy fire to reach the farm where the horses were held by the German army. They then used army trucks to take hundreds of horses to safety, away from the fighting.

What would it feel like to be part of this rescue? Imagine you’re a WWII soldier in Operation Cowboy writing a letter home. What would you say to your family back in the U.S.? You might tell them how much you miss them, how you’ll be home soon, and what it was like to save these amazing horses so that people in the future can see them perform.

Finish This Sentence . . . with Deborah Hopkinson

As part of our Virtual Book Tour, TeachingBooks asks authors and illustrators to complete short sentence prompts. Enjoy Deborah Hopkinson’s response.

“A surprising thing that helps me work is…”

A surprising thing that helps me work is the music of canaries singing. Yes, we have canaries—and not just one or two! Right now we have nine grown-up canaries and ten babies born this year. Some are just a few days old and like to stick their necks up out of the nest, begging to be fed. Male canaries have beautiful voices. They like to sing along to other noises, like the radio, a microwave, or the clothes dryer. Listening to their chatter and songs helps me concentrate on my writing.

“While working on this book, I was surprised to learn that…”

While working on They Saved the Stallions, I was surprised to learn that these gorgeous horses are born with dark coats, which later turn silver or gray, much like people’s hair turns gray. I learned a lot I didn’t know. And I was lucky that horse expert Lisa Simmons took the time to read my manuscript and correct mistakes. I can’t wait to bring the book to Lisa and meet her Lipizzaner stallion named Astra!

Thank you!

To wrap up this Virtual Book Tour, we thank Deborah Hopkinson for signing a book for all of us.

The title page of They Saved the Sallions, signed by the author, Deborah Hopkinson.

More Connections to Deborah Hopkinson and World War II Close Up: They Saved the Stallions

Explore all of the titles featured in the TeachingBooks Virtual Book Tour: one link with author interviews, lesson plans, activities, and more!

All text and images are courtesy of Deborah Hopkinson and Scholastic, Inc. and may not be used without expressed written consent.