Angus, Sam. Soldier Dog.

Angus, Sam.  Soldier Dog.  Macmillan/ Feiwel & Friends      2012  249p  ISBN 978-1-250-01864-9    ms/jr     Hardback    VG-BN    Historical fiction

Stanley’s mother is dead and his only brother is away at war.  When Stanley runs away from home to escape his turned-abusive, grief-crazed father, he lies about his age and joins the military.  Stanley lands a post as a dog handler whose dog must be so loyal that it will cross no-man’s-land alone under heavy fire to return to his side, carrying documents that may save many lives. 

Conditions are bleak, and only the strongest and bravest survive.  When Stanley’s first dog dies after a brutal mission, the true horror of war is brought home to him.  It takes the devotion of another loyal canine to heal Stanley’s spirit and make him heart-whole once more.

Pair this volume with Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse.  It is a vivid, engaging tale of a little-known aspect of World War I (military dog handlers), a war that is often glossed over in children’s literature in favor of novels about the Civil War or World War II.  While the book will appeal to all readers, it is a good choice for middle-school boys due to the subject matter, action, and fast-paced plot.  This is an absorbing debut novel.

Summary: Stanley becomes a dog handler in the trenches of France during World War I.  Although he is a boy, he must fight a man’s war.       

World War I–Fiction                                               --Hilary Welliver