Cracker! The Best Dog in Viet Nam Cracker! The best dog in Viet Nam . Kadohata, Cynthia; New York, Atheneum Books, 2007. Grade Level: 6-8 Hardback ISBN & cost: 1416906371, 9781416906377, 16.99 Paperback ISBN: Aladdin Paperbacks 9781416906384 141690638X Blanket Permission to Reproduce Book Jackets: Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing |
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Synopsis:
A young soldier in Vietnam bonds with his bomb-sniffing dog.
General Review:
A German shepherd dog is trained to sniff out bombs, traps, and the enemy.
Told in part through the point of view of the German shepherd “Cracker,” this book is an action-packed glimpse into the Vietnam War as seen through the eyes of a dog and her handler.
Themes: German shepherd dog – War use – Juvenile fiction; Dogs – War use – Juvenile fiction; Vietnam War, 1961-1975 – Juvenile fiction; Human-animal relationships – Juvenile fiction
Author information
http://www.teenreads.com/authors/au-kadohata-cynthia.asp
http://www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/books/fb_detail.asp?bid=825&pid=MS&wid=%3C/div%3E This website is a short video of the author talking about her book.
Discussion Questions: (Standard 3; Benchmark 3)
- Describe the difference between Rick's relationship with Cracker and Cracker's with Rick compared to Willie and Cracker. Talk about trust and respect.
- In Chapter 11-6 th paragraph, the author explains, “The Vietcong were guerillas.” Explain what this means. Discuss why dogs were needed in this war.
- In Chapters 14-16, Cracker and Rick have several successful missions. Talk about their feelings during and after these missions and how these missions change their relationship with each other.
4. At the end of Chapter 16, a joke has been played on Rick. Discuss why it helped soldiers to survive to play practical jokes sometimes.
Activities:
• Using Internet and book research, have students a write a paragraph about the Vietnam War.
Invite them to share their paragraphs in class. (Standard 9, Benchmark 1)
• Begin your lesson about dogs used in wartime by assessing your student's prior knowledge using
a K-W-L chart. List on a chart the facts that your students already know about dogs and wartime. Next ask them to tell you what they want to know. After reading the book, have students tell you what they have learned. (Standard 1, Benchmark 3)
• Select a significant event from the book and draw an illustration. Be sure to include the page
number(s) where the event takes place and write an original caption for the illustration.
(Standard 5, Benchmark 3)
• Dogs have extraordinary senses. Do research on the senses of dogs that make them
indispensable during times of war. (Standard 1, Benchmark 5)
• Compare and contrast Cracker's relationship with Willie and Rick. Use a Venn diagram. What type
of summary statement could you make based on the completed Venn Diagram?
(Standard 3, Benchmark 1)
• Draw a timeline for the events chronicled in this story. (Standard 3, Benchmark 1)
Similar Books for Further Reading:
• Letters from Wolfie by Patti Sherlock
• War Dog: a novel by Martin Booth
Websites with related activities for this book:
www.simonsays.com/content/book.cfm?pld=626603&tab=7&agid=10
For more information and pictures of dogs used for war, try this website:
