Plot Summary: Mark has always been in the shadow of his older brother, Danny, who's everyone's favorite. His mother never shares jokes with him like she does his brother, and his dad doesn't look at him with that shining pride in his eyes like he looks at his brother. When Danny enlists in the Army and gets sent overseas to Vietnam, his actions cast an even bigger shadow over Mark. In one of his letters home, Danny mentions that the Army needs dogs to help the soldiers in Vietnam, dogs like Mark's beloved pet german shepard, Wolfie. After a little pressure from his dad, and in an effort to cast his own shadow, Mark volunteers Wolfie to the Army and sends him on a plane to be trained. As soon as Wolfie has left for training Mark regrets his decision, but by then it's too late. While Mark can't get Wolfie back, he can write to his new handler, a young soldier named Tucker. Through the letters from Tucker, Mark gains new understanding of the war, sacrafice and fear. Meanwhile, things are far from settled at home and everyone seems to have different opinion on the war and what it means. Together Mark and his friends try to make sense of it all, and get Wolfie home.
Critical Evaluation: Patti Sherlock excels in writing stories about animals, and in this novel she manages to take a scary and controversial topic like the Vietnam War and boil it all down to the relationship between a boy and his dog. While the protaganist of this novel is only thirteen, the inclusion of his older brother, the young soldier who's in charge of Wolfie while he's in the Army and the strength of the bond between boy and dog will make it appeal to an older audience. Sherlock has created a completely heartbreaking tearjerker that is based on real events, which makes it even more touching. The reader is drawn in completely and really roots for Mark and his dog Wolfie. The varied viewpoints of Mark, Danny and Tucker show a multifaceted representation of the Vietnam War that make it accessible to teen readers who might not be that familiar with the personal struggles families faced during that time. The addition of a draft dodger into the family of characters continues the nuanced portrayal creating a wonderful story for kids, teens and adults.
Reader's Annotation: Mark's not sure how he feels about war, but one thing's certain, his beloved dog, Wolfie is headed to Vietnam to help the soldiers there. Now that the decision's been made, how will Mark deal with it?
About the Author:Patti Sherlock has written numerous books about animals, driven by her love of animals and the outdoors. Along with her husband, Patti founded a sheep farm in Idaho and has won awards for the Polypay sheep they raise there.
Patti began writing when her twin sons were very young, travelling through the Idaho mountains to interview sheep herders for her first novel. Now, her children are grown and she continues to write and live in Idaho on her farm.
Information retreived from http://www.pattisherlock.com/
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Curriculum Ties: History, Civics
Booktalking Ideas: Pets given for a bigger cause. Thoughts on protesting and war.
Reading Level: 10+
Interest Age: 13+
Challenge Issues: War and protests
Challenge Response: Good exposure to turbulent time in American history without graphic imagery.
Why is This Included: Good title for teen boys.
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