Cracker!

In this fascinating dog story with a twist, Cracker, an intelligent German Shepherd, sadly has to leave his boy, Willie. He is trained and sent to Vietnam, where he and his handler, Rick, search for mines, sniff out enemy locations, and rescue missing soldiers. Despite the quirkiness of telling the story partly through the dog's viewpoint, this production is filled with authentic, gritty details of the realities of war. Kimberly Farr's voice is steady, calm, and reassuring, qualities that are helpful in tempering the emotional intensity and heart-wrenching suspense. Her accents sometimes sound forced, but she brings genuine expression to the main characters, Willie, Rick, and Cracker. And she delivers a terrifically hearty "Woof!" E.S. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

July 1, 2007
Gr 5-8-Cracker, a large German shepherd, is given up by Willie, her young owner, because the landlord says she's too big to live in the family's apartment. She is given to the Army as part of the military canine program to be trained to sniff out bombs, traps, and the enemy during the Vietnam War. Rick Hanski, 17, is headed to Vietnam to "whip the world." Cracker and Rick are paired up, and the two learn to work together finding traps and saving men's lives. The story by Cynthia Kadohata (Atheneum, 2007) is told from alternating viewpointsRick and Crackerand gives listeners an unconventional look at the war. When Rick and Cracker are separated, listeners feel the urgency as Rick begins a campaign to find his partner. Kimberly Farr does a great job as narrator, giving each character a distinctive voice. A good choice to make students aware of a little-known aspect of military history."Lisa W. Baker, Chocowinity Middle School, NC"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.