Dogs of War

Dogs of War, written by Sheila Keenan and illustrated by Nathan Fox: Dogs have always played an important role in the military, and Dogs of War brings three canine heroes to life in three short stories.  Each story focuses on a dog and his/her handler during three different wars.  In WW I, we meet Donnie and Boots, a duo working with a medical unit to find injured soldiers and bring them to safety.  In the midst of trench warfare, they become separated from their unit.  The second story introduces us to Loki  and Cooper, stationed in Greenland during WW II.  The pair are sent to check out a downed plane, and find themselves in a race against the enemy, in the harsh winter conditions.  In my imagination, Loki ran like this:    Finally we meet Lanford, just back from the Vietnam War.  As he bonds with the fatherless boy next door and his mischievous dog, we learn, through flashbacks of Sheba, the dog Lanford worked with in Vietnam.

    If you are a dog lover, history buff, short story fan or just love a good book Dogs of War is a great choice.  Each story highlights the deep bond between each dog and his/her handler.  Also portrayed are the dual roles these dogs played in war.  They diligently performed crucial roles in finding soldiers, listening for the enemy, tracking safe routes, and sniffing for mines.  The dogs also provided comfort, loyalty and love to the soldiers who often desperately needed it.  The graphics are well drawn and wonderfully compliment the text, adding additional detail and richness to the story.  Dogs of War is a moving portrayal of the important roles these four-legged canine heroes played in three different times of war.  This graphic novel also has appeal to a wide level of readers, which makes it an excellent library pick for either the children’s or teen collections.  

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Children’s Books for All Ages

The Interrupted Tale, by Maryrose Wood:  The fourth book of the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series takes us to the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, Penelope Lumley’s beloved Alma Mater.  Penelope has been invited to speak at the Celebrate Alumnae Knowledge Exposition (CAKE!) event at the school, and, of course, the Incorrigible are invited to attend and see their governess speak.  When the Incorrigibles and their governess arrive at Swanburne Academy, Penelope is dismayed to learn that Judge Quincy, now a school trustee, is trying to change everything about her school, changes that are not for the best.  Penelope continues to investigate Judge Quincy’s true identity and, with the help of Simon, she tries to discover the contents of the cannibal book’s mysterious blank pages.  These pages might even hold the secrets of Lord Ashton’s howling “problem,” which of course may help the Incorrigibles.
Another delightful installment of one of my favorite children’s book series.  The writing, as usual, is plucky, witty and clever.  Wood always manages to spring a few surprises and add to the mysteries she has been building throughout the series.  Thankfully there are some questions answered as well as strong hints as to the answering of others, that helps to keep the reader hooked for the next installment!
As with the rest in this series, I listened to The Interrupted Tale, and cannot say enough good things about the reader, who captures the tone and feel of the books perfectly.  She howls with gusto and voices the Incorrigibles perfectly.  The audio for these titles make for fantastic family listening, and would make a family road trip fly by with delight.
Will I Read the Sequel? I can’t stop now!
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The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster:  I’ve been trying to go back and catch up on classics I never had the chance to read, and, of course, this includes children’s books.  I never got around to reading this when I was younger, and that is a shame I can thankfully say I have rectified.  Young Miles drives himself through his new tollbooth and finds himself in a strange land where words, sounds and numbers take on a whole new context and meaning.  You can jump to the Island of Conclusions or be caught up by the Terrible Trivium.  With his friends Tock the Watchdog and the Humbug, Milo travels through the warring Dictionopolis and Digitopolis and finds that he must rescue the Princesses Rhyme and Reason, because only they can bring the kingdom together.
The Phantom Tollbooth is a delightful tale full of whimsy, wordplay and heart.  The beauty of a book like this is the layering.  On the surface the story and adventure are fun and engaging and will capture readers.  Peeking through the surface layer are clever puns and wordplay that add a vastness of depth and enjoyment.  It is impossible to not smile at the Whether Man (not to be confused with the Weather Man!)  the Spelling Bee and the other delightful characters.  There is nothing better than reading a children’s book, as an adult, and becoming just as lost in delight and enchantment as younger readers surely find themselves.
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