Duke

Gr 4–7—A handsome German shepherd dominates the patriotic cover of Larson's World War II home-front novel, but the book's action centers on the dog's absence. Hobie Hanson, an endearingly earnest 11-year-old, loves his father, who is stationed overseas in the Army Air Corps, and his crackerjack dog named Duke. Determined to aid the war effort (and by extension his dad) any way he can, Hobie loans Duke to Dogs for Defense, a real-life organization that trained pets for the military. Larson weaves a wonderfully genuine attachment between boy and dog and thoughtfully examines Hobie's conflicted emotions as Duke gets partnered with a battle-bound Marine; fearful, proud, and lonely, among other muddled feelings, the boy guiltily schemes to bring his pet home. The author peppers the novel with charming period and regional details-who knew about Wheato-Naks cereal or the Seattle fishing fleet's annual blessing ceremony?-and maintains a fairly sunny tone despite the premise's potential for tragedy. Smaller-scale tensions fail to engage, such as bullying by a meanie and manufactured quarrels between Hobie and his new friend, Max Klein. Both side plots could likely be resolved with a swift talking to from the mindful, swaggering, baseball-captaining Catherine, who is clearly the character with the best head on her shoulders. Larson's tale succeeds best as a study of the home-front experience and a poignantly dogless tale for dog lovers.—Robbin E. Friedman, Chappaqua Library, NY