Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam

Author: Cynthia Kadohata

Lexile Score: 730

Genre: Historical Fiction

Maturity level: Middle School 

Pages: 308 Chapters: 31 Average Chapter Length: 10 pages

Theme: relationships, war, tenacity

Project ideas: collect dog stories, other examples of working dogs

First Line: Grrrr!  For I am the all-powerful Cracker!

Main Character: Rick Hanski, Cracker

Review in 25 words or less: Wonderful book, many opportunities for rich discussion, a Call of the Wild for a new generation?

Grade: A+

This story, set during the Vietnam war, is partially told from the viewpoint of the German shepherd bomb-sniffing dog of the title, as well as the two young men that love her – briefly, the boy who had to give her up, and mainly, the soldier assigned as her handler.  I found this piece of history intriguing, and it gave me a new understanding of many new impacts of war.  The story itself is lovingly and carefully written, and while there is some violence, I believe a book club could discuss the author’s purpose in including some of the darker aspects in the novel. 

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