Strongheart

October 6, 2014
As she did in Wonder Horse, McCully offers a concise, evocative account of a talented, real-life animal. Raised as a police dog in Germany (“He was bred to be alert, brave, strong, and perfectly loyal”), Etzel was brought to the U.S. in 1920, before the heydays of Rin Tin Tin or Lassie. He was adopted by Larry Trimble, a Hollywood movie director and animal trainer, and his screenwriter wife, who had been searching for the right dog to feature in a silent film. The couple taught the disciplined dog how “to learn to relax and have fun,” gave him the screen name of Strongheart, and cast him as the lead in The Silent Call, the first movie to star a dog. McCully’s watercolors (and the story in general) focus more on Strongheart’s evolution into a dog who can enjoy playing (while still fiercely defending his turf) than on the filming of The Silent Call or Strongheart’s later movies. An author’s note offers backstory for this heartwarming tale, and film reel–style endpapers replicate a few of Strongheart’s on-screen moments. Ages 4–8. Agent: Susan Cohen, Writers House.

October 1, 2014
Caldecott medalist McCully sheds light on a forgotten pioneer. Growing up in World War I Germany, Etzel von Oeringen-later known as "Strongheart"-is trained as a police dog. After the war, he's discarded and sent to a kennel in the United States, where he's found by Hollywood screenwriter Jane and her director husband, Larry. When Larry abruptly enters the yard of the kennel, Etzel attacks. Understandably frightened, Jane screams and runs, but her unmannerly husband demands she, "HALT AND KEEP STILL!"-a directive followed by both Jane and Etzel. Given McCully's penchant for illustrating stories about strong girls and women, it's particularly confusing that Larry's disturbing behavior isn't examined. Larry believes Etzel can act if he can learn to relax, which Larry "teaches" by pushing Etzel over repeatedly and shouting, "Play!" If readers can endure the unlikable owner and struggle through the halting pace, they'll learn of Strongheart's rise to fame to become a well-loved screen star. McCully uses bright colors to offset the muted tones of Strongheart's coat, but so much vibrancy can be distracting.While it's laudable that McCully has ensured this story isn't lost to the annals of history, it's not her strongest visual or written work. (Picture book. 6-10)

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September 1, 2014

K-Gr 2-Chances are that some children of today may know who Lassie or Rin Tin Tin were, but it's likely that few, if any, have heard of Strongheart, the first movie star dog of Hollywood films. Born in Germany, Strongheart, originally named Etzel, was sent to the United States to be adopted after World War I, when his police dog skills were no longer needed. Larry Trimble, a movie director and animal trainer, discovered the German Shepherd in a New York kennel and realized that Etzel possessed incredible intelligence, a great work ethic, and the ability to discern threat from benevolence. The dog proved to be a director's dream: he could project appropriate emotions, follow commands, and conduct risky stunts. His screen name became Strongheart, and he gained a worldwide following. McCully's writing flows easily. Her rich watercolor with pen-and-ink illustrations depict "Roaring Twenties" fashions perfectly and convey Strongheart's range of emotions endearingly. Children will enjoy this sweet story, and dog lovers especially will find themselves revisiting this book time and again-and falling in love with this star, just as audiences did decades ago.-Maggie Chase, Boise State University, ID

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2014
Grades K-3 Born in Germany in 1917 during WWI, Etzel von Oeringen was trained by the police, but he became a popular Hollywood movie actor. Etzel was a German shepherd, renamed Strongheart after being adopted by an American movie producerdog trainer and his screenwriter wife. Strongheart's life in Germany had been all work, but once in the U.S., he learned to relax, play, and act. The canine's physical abilities and facial expressions helped make him a crowd-pleasing star of six silent films. The colorful illustrations, in pen, ink, and watercolor, consist of a few double-page spreads, but it's mainly the small vignettes that reveal Strongheart's work and home life, beginning with an image of the fat, fluffy, sweet-faced puppy. The dog's participation in films led to more canine cinema legends, including Rin Tin Tin and Lassie, and to a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Fans of dogs, movies, and dogs in movies will like this one.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)