Rags: Hero Dog of WWI a True Story describes how a stray dog named Rags became a wonderful companion and military aide to an American soldier, Private James Donovan, fighting in France during WWI. The soldier found Rags wondering around on the streets of Paris, but ended up taking him on the battlefield where Rags assisted by chasing vermin out of the trenches, passing along messages between soldiers, finding breaks in telephone lines, and overall boosting the moral of his fellow soldiers. Rags is injured in a battle that ultimate takes Private Donovan's life and is clear that he is heartbroken over the loss of his friend. Rags' story has a happy ending, though, because he is adopted by a family with two girls who love and care for him, and is given many awards and accolades for his exemplary service to the United States military. The book includes factual information at the beginning and end describing Rags' life and a bit about the history of military dogs in WWI and beyond. There are lovely pictures that help describe the story and see Rags for the hero he is. I would recommend this book for any children interested in dogs, the military, and/or war. This book is based on a true story, so some of the details may be exaggerated or enhanced, but the story of Rags is real and this book does a great job at explaining what an important dog he was. Adults may want to be aware that children could become sad or upset when Donovan dies. It might be a good idea to have some talking points about death ready, or perhaps a follow-up book like The Next Place by Warren Hanson or The Invisible String by Patrice Karst. You can find Rags' story in many places on the internet. This website is one example. Readers might also enjoy Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot by Margot Theis Raven or Stubby the War Dog: The True Story of World War I's Bravest Dog by Ann Bausum. Age Range: 7 - 10 years Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press Publication Date: August 2, 2014 Lexile Reading Level: 740 Accelerated Reader book level: 4.4 AR Points: 0.5 Awards:
2 Comments
10/21/2016 09:17:24 am
Hi, Cynthia.
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Cynthia
10/26/2016 06:49:39 am
Jaime,
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