Daring Dogs

March 15, 2020
There has never been a shortage of heroic dogs, but this effort singles out a kennelful for special attention. From search-and-rescue dogs to those that showed special dedication to their human companions, film-star dogs to those that attend to humans with special needs, royal dogs to pups that have provided distinguished service on the battlefield, they run the gamut. So does the clarity of the presentation. Hamilton starts off with a timeline of human-canine interaction, with entries including: "1925 / Life-Saving Serum Run in Alaska Sled Dogs to the Rescue"; "C. 450 BC / Plato Says, 'A Dog Has the Soul of a Philosopher' "; and "14,000 BC / Earliest Dog Is Discovered in Germany." Another page, "They Also Served," lists the exploits of 15 brave dogs in World War II--and Buster, who sniffed bombs in Iraq in 2003. Most of the work is taken up with one-page biographies (with life dates if known) of 30 well-known and some other less-recognized canines. These brief tales are engaging and include stylized illustrations of the dogs, provided by 17 different illustrators. Clumsy writing, however, results in the not-infrequent infelicitous sentence: A former stray "buries any leftovers in his food bowl," for instance. Inaccurate glossary definitions further diminish the book's utility. A final list includes 10 useful ways to help dogs. Uncritical dog lovers may lap this up. (further reading, websites, index) (Nonfiction. 8-12)

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May 1, 2020

Gr 3-5-Dogs are more than just man's best friend. This companion title to Hamilton's Fearless Felines: 30 True Tales of Courageous Cats highlights more than 30 furry friends who have saved lives, helped with scientific breakthroughs, and traveled the world. This title is broken up into one-page stories about the dogs interspersed with double-page spreads filled with fun facts, other heroic hounds related to one of the main dogs featured, quizzes, and other fun canine-centric listicles. Each individual dog's profile includes art created by a different illustrator, giving each story its own artistic flair. Dogs are depicted as cartoons and gorgeous watercolor impressions. A time line of dog "firsts" is shown at the beginning of the book and the end. A glossary, information about the author and illustrators, further reading, and an index are also appended. VERDICT An excellent addition to elementary school libraries and children's nonfiction collections where animals, especially dogs, are popular.-Molly Dettmann, Norman North High School, OK

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2020
Grades 3-7 In this companion to Fearless Felines: 30 True Tales of Courageous Cats (2019), Hamilton lets dogs have their day. Using a similar format, this canine compendium opens with a time line of dog facts through history before delving into short, upbeat profiles that highlight dogs' derring-do. From war heroes (like Judy, an English pointer who aided POWs during WWII) to rescuers (like Brandy, a German shepherd in the New York Police Department who sniffed out a bomb on a plane in 1972?before trained bomb-sniffing dogs existed) to adventurous trekkers (like Taro and Jiro, Sakhalin huskies who survived the harsh conditions of Antarctica on their own in the 1950s after the first Japanese expedition had to evacuate), these dogs show why they've earned the reputation of faithful and loyal companions. Adding to their fascinating stories are visual representations in a variety of media by multiple artists, as well as interspersed facts on topics like film stars with fur and presidential pooches. Back matter with even more related information completes the unleashed fun.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)