Cracker!: The Best Dog in Vietnam

Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readinngjunky" for TeensReadToo.com This book tells the story of a Vietnam hero. It's not your usual run-of-the-mill war story because it's told from two points of view. A young soldier named Rick Hanski and a German shepherd he trained for the military share the spotlight as they recount their adventures from training camp to active...more

Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readinngjunky" for TeensReadToo.com This book tells the story of a Vietnam hero. It's not your usual run-of-the-mill war story because it's told from two points of view. A young soldier named Rick Hanski and a German shepherd he trained for the military share the spotlight as they recount their adventures from training camp to active duty in the jungles of Vietnam. Cracker and Rick are paired together in training to sniff out bombs, booby-traps, and enemy soldiers. Neither one is too sure of the other at first, but they eventually become inseparable friends and soldiers. Rick's goal is to prove his worth and "whip the world," and Cracker is by his side throughout the experience. Cynthia Kadohata gives the reader detailed descriptions of the dog training process, as well as a view of the dog handler/animal relationship. The scenes set in Vietnam provide a close-encounter type look that makes the reader feel part of the action. Cracker is a book for anyone with a love and respect for the intelligence of animals and an interest in how they can interact with and serve humanity.   hide

Having two German Shepherds myself, I really enjoyed reading this book. This book shows the reader how devoted the breed is to their owner.

I particularly enjoyed the canine point of view throughout the book. The author really captured the canine mind in those passages. And an excellent story made for a great book. Highly recommended.

I loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove this book! I am really into reading, though. It was one of those books that took a really long time to read, even though it wasn't that long, too, though.