A 2014 Top Ten Graphic Novel for Teens
Three stories set during different wars tell of the relationship between soldiers and the dogs that aid them. In World War I, we meet Boots, who helps lead medics to soldiers in need on the battlefield. But she's more than just that - a companion and best friend to Donnie, a medic's assistant, and a spot of light in the otherwise dark and dank trenches of France. Then there's Loki, a mischievous sled dog in Greenland during World War II, who helps his human, Cooper, through a blizzard and away from Nazis after they go to retrieve a pilot from a plane crash. And finally, there's Sheba, trained to find booby traps and alert soldiers to snipers in the jungles of Vietnam. She's sorely missed by Lanford once he gets home and discovers that he hasn't left the war behind. I really enjoyed this set of stories. As Sheila Keenan mentions at the end in her author's note, dogs have been following humans everywhere and providing comfort ever since their domestication. And that's very apparent in these three stories. It's clear that these dogs are more than just fellow soldiers or equipment, like Sheba is classified as during the Vietnam War. A fantastic read for dog-lovers everywhere and especially for kids who enjoy war stories. While the age levels I've seen for this book say it's geared towards kids in grade 7-12, depending on how you feel about pictures of war, older elementary students would be able to handle - and most importantly, enjoy - this great graphic novel.
(Read as part of YALSA's Hub Challenge)
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