War Dog [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio Cassette]

Martin Booth (Author), Christian Rodska (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1997

Jet is a beautiful black labrador-cross, trained by her master to be the ideal poacher's dog, but when her master is caught and sent to prison, Jet is requisitioned by the army and trained to work during the Second World War.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up. This novel set during World War II features Jet, a black Labrador trained as a poaching dog. When her owner is arrested, Jet is requisitioned by the British Army. She learns to seek out enemy soldiers and is wounded at Dunkirk. She is then used to locate casualties in bombed-out English cities. Finally, Jet travels to Italy with an infantry division and comes across her original owner, now a soldier. Though interesting and unusual, Booth's story fails to fully engage readers. The plot is basically a recitation of events and activities, and becomes tedious after a while. Characterization is superficial at best and, oddly in a book geared to youth, the main characters are all adults. The author lacks a clear point of view; the novel moves inconsistently from Jet's mind and thoughts to those of her handlers to the remarks of an omniscient narrator. Lastly, War Dog is very British in style and vocabulary, limiting its appeal to American teens. Booth definitely has a winning subject; it's too bad his writing style doesn't match it.?Ann W. Moore, Schenectady County Public Library, NY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

In his first novel for young readers, Booth (Dreaming of Samarkand, 1990, etc.) introduces Jet, a black Labrador hero in the tradition of Rin Tin Tin. After Jet's owner is jailed for poaching game, the dog is enlisted in the British Armed Forces. This isn't as crazy as it sounds; the preface reminds readers that many animals have been requisitioned in times of war. World War II is brewing in Europe and Jet proves to be the perfect military trainee. She is sent to combat with her new ``handler'' in France, where her duties include sniffing out the enemy and the wounded. When Jet herself is wounded, she serves her country in a different capacity by searching out people buried in rubble in a bomb-torn city. Soon, she's needed back in the front lines, where she is miraculously reunited with her original owner. Military buffs will relish the war details: This book has the feel of the black-and-white movies of the 1940s. All readers will be stirred by the heroic canine's adventures. (Fiction. 8-12) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Chivers Audio Books; Unabridged edition (November 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0745173934
• ISBN-13: 978-0745173931
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,116,416 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars war dog is a good book, November 30, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: War Dog (Hardcover)

I liked the book War Dog because I like war themed things, dogs, and also animals. War Dog is a good book because it shows the love for the dog, and shows many different views of war. It was cool how Jet, the dog, could sniff out enemies and survivors of war. It is a fun and interesting book to read.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A realistic and exciting story for dog lovers, June 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: War Dog (Hardcover)

This novel was one of the best books I've read in a while. The main character is a black labrador named Jet who is seperated from her owner when he's arrested for poaching right before WWII. Jet is requisitioned by the Army and begins her adventure in Dunkirk where she and Turpin (her new handler) fight against the Germans. She is soon moved to England and then to Italy where she saves many lives and becomes a hero. There weren't any dull parts in the story, and I also learned a lot of history. I'd recommend this story to anyone, young or old, who loves animals and happy endings.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a book for dog lovers., May 24, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: War Dog (Hardcover)

If your like me and love dogs this book is an amazing book for you. The book is about an army that is going to war aginst Germany and there leting dogs be in it. This is how Jet, the dog, got in to the army. At the begening Jets origanal owner was a poacher, someone who hunts in a way that is aginst the law. One day when he was poaching with Jet the police caught him and took him to jail and Jet was put in a cage and Turnip was looking for a dog because he was in the army and he needed a dog and Jet had been turned down several times so Turnip took Jet and used her in the army. Turnip had'nt knoun Jet was a pouching dog so she was already trained. So one day when they were training the dogs the captian saw Jet and Turnip training and the captian was impressed so he said they were going to war. In war Jet and Turnip were both shot but they made it and Americ, after a long hard war, defeated Germany.