No Better Friend

February 15, 2016
Judy, an English pointer caught up in World War II, formed a solid bond with a young British airman, Frank Williams, and exhibited remarkable heroism. Judy was hated by the Japanese who ran the prison camp where she and Frank were held for over three years, so he taught her how to keep out of their sight. Yet time after time, she risked her life to protect the prisoners and is credited with saving many lives. During one harrowing episode, the ship the Japanese were using to transport the prisoners was torpedoed. Frank pushed her out a porthole and was later able to save himself. In the water, Judy dragged one drowning man after another to safety. This adaptation of the original book for adults, also titled No Better Friend (2015), includes numerous lengthy sidebars, written for the young readers' edition, that are interesting and informative but unnecessarily interrupt the flow of the narrative with an annoying frequency. More useful are the many period photographs included. The brutality--near-starvation diet, rampant disease, frequent beatings, etc.--that characterized the prisoner-of-war camps in the Pacific theater is not minimized, but the focus of the story is more on the traits that made Judy such an extraordinary and meritorious canine and the attachment that she shared with Frank. A riveting and highly moving dog story that's marred by clumsy design. (Nonfiction. 11-18)

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February 1, 2016

Gr 6-9-Weintraub's middle grade adaptation of his adult book is an almost unbelievable tale of animal survival and loyalty amid the horrors of World War II. Born in Shanghai, China, Judy the purebred pointer dog began her military career when she was adopted by a group of English sailors who took her onboard a gunboat and eventually moved her to Singapore just as World War II reached the Pacific. Judy survived sinking ships, torpedoed boats, and life on a desert island before following her human companions to a Japanese internment camp, where she met Frank Williams, a radarman in the Royal Air Force. The friendship between the two, as well as Judy's encouragement and protection of other men interned at the camp, helped raise spirits in a desperate situation. Readers will appreciate this work, which has been lovingly and engagingly adapted by Weintraub. Through accessible language, the author makes it clear that he is inferring many aspects of the narrative. Sidebars on topics such as the Sino-Japanese War, the Battle of Britain, and post-traumatic stress disorder among soldiers add context. Photographs are frequent, well chosen, and clearly captioned. A thorough notes section (present in the adult version) is left out. VERDICT An enormously readable account of animal and human companionship and survival; recommended for budding historians and fans of survival stories.-Kristy Pasquariello, Wellesley Free Library, MA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2016
Grades 5-8 This young-reader adaptation of a New York Times adult nonfiction best-seller is about an extraordinary dog who inspired and protected British prisoners in Japanese internment camps during WWII. Vivid descriptions detail the bond between Judy, an English Pointer, and Frank Williams, an English POW. Judy had an unnatural ability to sense danger and communicate timely warnings. Frank, a traumatized introvert until he connected with Judy, trained the dog to follow sophisticated commands, and together the pair survived horrific situations. More important, Judy's presence in the camps served as a reminder of home and normalcy and, according to multiple testimonies, kept hope alive for several desperate prisoners. Brisk action and cliff-hangers keep the story moving, although younger readers may have difficulty with some of the content; conditions were harsh, and thousands of prisoners died. Multiple sidebars update the evolving war in the Pacific, creating context. As with Weintraub's other titles, this is well written and engaging, and it will be welcomed by military history enthusiasts and animal-lovers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)