Cracker!

January 15, 2007
The author of Weedflower
and Kira-Kira
takes readers back to the Vietnam War era in this meticulously researched story about a special friendship that develops between an American soldier and a dog. When 17-year-old Rick Hanski enlists in the army, he intends to "whip the world," but he soon finds out that he can't do it alone. As a dog handler, he relies on Cracker, a sharp-minded German shepherd to protect him from danger and provide him with companionship during his tour of duty in Vietnam. The author builds tension when Rick and Cracker are sent on a mission to rescue two POWs, and again when they are taken by surprise in an ambush attack. Alternating human and canine points of view, Kadohata shows how Rick and Cracker come to trust and depend on each other during times of crisis. Rick's thoughts encapsulate the confusion and growing paranoia of soldiers living in a land where friends and foes are hardly distinguishable. Cracker's perspective represents more basic emotions, though some readers may be troubled by occasional anthropomorphization (e.g., "Cracker didn't think the dog was crazy. He was just protecting his handler. She kind of respected him"). Although the author remains politically neutral in telling her tale, she does acknowledge war protesters' attitudes and deftly conveys the way Rick's own feelings about the war change over time. Offering adventure mixed with stark realism, this novel will leave a lasting impression on readers. Ages 10-up.

May 21, 2007
Since winning a Newbery medal for her World War II book, Kira-Kira
, Kadohata has ventured into the muddier world, literally and figuratively, of the Vietnam War (the “American War” to the Vietnamese). Cracker—bred as a show dog, raised as a pet and later trained as a booby-trap-sniffing military canine—is a heroic and sympathetic character. Some of the tale is told from the perspectives of her boy owner, Willie, and her partner/trainer, Rick, but the lion's share is from Cracker's vantage point. Farr narrates the piece with patience and perfect diction. Her calm tone is only broken whenever trauma rears its head, and though there is plenty of tension, overall her Cracker keeps a Zen-like innocence and calm throughout (with an occasional shout of “Wiener!” when a favorite training treat is detected). In the same way that Kadohata avoids discussing the reasons for the conflict, Farr's portrayal of Cracker successfully keeps listeners inside the world of a dog's mind, to great effect. Ages 10-up.

Starred review from February 15, 2007
The author of " Kira-Kira "(2004) and" Weedflower "(2006) tells a stirring, realistic story of America's war in Vietnam, using the alternating viewpoints of an army dog named Cracker and her 17-year-old handler, Rick Hanski, who enlists to "whip the world" and avoid a routine job. From their training at a base in the U.S, complete with mean sergeant and close buddies, to their stalking the enemy, the heartfelt tale explores the close bond of the scout-dog team, relating how it detects booby traps and mines, finds the enemy, rescues POWs, and returns home to a heroes' welcome. Throughout the struggle, the dog and the teenager care for one another. There's no background on the conflict ("he didn't and couldn't understand what he was doing here in Vietnam"). Rather, the focus is on how Cracker uses her senses to help the team accomplish its goals, and on her physical bond with Rick, who understands Cracker's every movement. Add this to books in the "Core List: The Vietnam War in Youth Fiction" (2006). Also give it to readers who liked Gary Paulsen's " Woodsong "(1990).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)

March 1, 2007
Cracker is a German shepherd living with her boy, Willie, until Willie has to move and Cracker gets a new job-training with Rick, who's going to Vietnam. Cracker learns to sniff out tripwires and hidden ambushes, and Rick learns to trust his sometimes rebellious dog, slowly gaining her undying devotion. After the two ship out to Vietnam, Rick relates the alternating boredom and terror of life in a war zone, his and Cracker's camaraderie with their squad mates, and their exciting stint working with Special Forces. After some early simplistic passages from the dog's point of view, Kadohata digs into the dog handlers' Vietnam experience with rock-solid details and a canny understanding of the emotions soldiers deal with. Without asking too much of her middle-school readers, Kadohata creates tension and pathos around the bonds between humans and dogs in wartime, spurring on the narrative with uncertainty about Cracker's fate. Those without much familiarity with the Vietnam War will find an easy intro via Rick and Cracker in this emotionally resonant tale.

(Copyright 2007 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

February 1, 2007
Gr 5-8-Bred as a show dog, Magnificent Dawn of Venus von Braun was a German shepherd destined for greatness until a broken leg took her out of contention and into the arms of a boy named Willie. Reminded of the landlord's no-pet policy, the heartbroken boy answers a newspaper ad and Venus, now "Cracker," is accepted into a military canine unit to help soldiers sniff out booby traps in Vietnam. She and her handler, Rick Hanski, quickly bond and head to the front lines. Cracker and Rick's successful missions lead to more dangerous operations and they are ultimately separated during a siege. Critically wounded, Rick is sent home, not knowing what has become of Cracker, and it is a heart-wrenching wait for word on her whereabouts. Kadohata shifts point of view from Willie to Cracker and Rick. While the dog's thoughts and feelings supply the crucial visceral elements associated with her job and her relationship to Willie and Rick, she competes with Rick for top billing as main character. Willie is the story's casualty, as he realizes that Cracker now belongs to Rick. Divided reader empathy aside, the story is filled with action and accurately re-creates the experience of the military canine program, from aspects of training to the battlefield. It's likely to spark readers' interest in this little-known area of military history."Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.