When I first discovered that the grubby grey pigeon, was actually a war hero in the First World War, I wanted to find out more. I had no idea that pigeons and doves were virtually the same, and wondered how an ordinary pigeon could become a hero- a symbol of peace and hope. I'd read plenty of books about the soldiers and battlefields of Europe, but I also wanted to explore the story of those left behind- the heroes of the home front. So after months of historical research and fact-finding about this amazing bird, I finally wrote the story of how a boy and his family fought to transform a War Pigeon into Peace Dove.