Darling, Mercy Dog of World War I, by Alison Hart, Illustrated by Michael G. Montgomery, 2013, Peachtree, $12.95, hardbound, 162 pages. Category/Genre: adventure. Cover: engaging. Where we got it: publisher. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million.
This book is written from the point of view of a dog named Darling, who lives in Cosham, England during World War I. Darling is a mischievous dog, and gets into all sorts of trouble with her friend Rags, the terrier next door. She doesn't care about the war or hard times, or anything except running free.
But Darling's family can't afford to keep her any more, and one day they give her away to become a war dog, helping the troops. Because the British army can't afford to keep dogs who don't give them anything in return, any dogs who don't do well in training must be put down. All Darling wants to do is escape and run home.
Things have changed drastically for the fun-loving Darling, and things change even more when her trainer is injured and it's up to her to find help. Soon she becomes a mercy dog: a dog trained to seek out the injured soldiers on the battlefield and bring the medics to them.
This is a true adventure story, with lots of angst and dramatic action. It's interesting to see history through the eyes of a dog, and to learn how dogs actually served during war time.
Written for ages seven through ten.
If you like this one, try: the forthcoming Murphy, Gold Rush Dog.
Don't forget to check out the other sites on the tour!
The Other Side of Free, by Krista Russell, 2013, Peachtree, $16.95, hardbound, 251 pages. Category/Genre: adventure. Cover: not bad. Where we got it: publisher. Where you can get it: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million.
Charles Town, 1739: 13-year-old slave Jem lives with his adoptive Aunt Winnie, the town's most powerful conjure woman. One night, Aunt Winnie wakes Jem and sends him away with a stranger named Phaedra to go to Fort Mose in Spanish Florida. There they will no longer be slaves, but will pledge allegiance to the Spanish and promise to fight the English army for them.
But not Jem; Phaedra says he's too young to fight. There are other escaped slaves in Fort Mose, too, such as Big Sunday, whose half-Indian son Domingo visits them sometimes.
There's also Reynard, a French trader who befriends Jem and trades with him for the wooden whistles Jem carves. Jem also has another friend: Omen, the owl he saves from a murder of crows.
Then new slaves come, with news from Charles Town: a rebellion has started, and some white women and children were killed. The English will track down the rebels at any cost, and have put a heavy price on the head of any rebel returned to Charles Town.
Jem aches to join the Spanish militia and be seen as the man he thinks he's become. But Jem has a lot of growing to do yet, even though he doesn't know it. He learns along the way, making mistakes as he goes, and finally begins to understand something about the people around him.
This is an unusual coming-of-age story told from a historical point of view.
Written for ages 10-14.
If you like this one, try: Suggestions?
Don't forget to check out the other sites on the tour!
