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jillcd's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent historical fiction book about a boy who loves his dog but morally does what he feels is right. A fabulous story about doing the right thing and the power of companionship and love.
orndal's review against another edition
2.0
I've had this growing obsession with ww2 for a while, and it's only getting worse as I count the days until I get to see "Dunkirk". So in my quest to find the great ww2 fictional novel, I've sought out some children's lit. And while "Duke" is better than "Hitler's Daughter", It didn't quite give me the feels.
Sure, I did almost cry a few times during the letter sequences, I just had the feeling that there was too much going on behind the scenes, and too little going on in the actual novel. (i. e. duke's "letters" home, the teacher's husband, Hodie's (?) dad's situation ...) There just wasn't enough focus on one thing.
The crying mostly happened because I listened to this audiobook while walking my highly intelligent border collie mutt, Lucky. but yeah.
So Hodie lives in Chicago? No, seattle, during ww2. His father is in the army, and everywhere he looks, people and the media, tell him to "do his part". So naturally, he feels sort of guilty for not letting his pet dog go to war. Something makes him change his mind, and Duke is sent off. Hodie thinks it's okay, seeing as most army dogs stay state side, but Hodie's trained up duke so well, that he's eventually put with the marines in the pacific.
And here is where my problems with this book come in. No 10 year old can train a dog like that. Seriously. Ever seen a kid raise a dog? I have. The results were a toy poodle who had to be subdued so they could wash him. For a wash! They also had to be four people to cut his claws.
As to the author's fact-checking, it was okay, but I really have problems finding actual respect for authors who spew out children's books about the same subject each year. I don't know. I just know that as a kid, I would put this up against harry potter - and it would lose.
Sure, I did almost cry a few times during the letter sequences, I just had the feeling that there was too much going on behind the scenes, and too little going on in the actual novel. (i. e. duke's "letters" home, the teacher's husband, Hodie's (?) dad's situation ...) There just wasn't enough focus on one thing.
The crying mostly happened because I listened to this audiobook while walking my highly intelligent border collie mutt, Lucky. but yeah.
So Hodie lives in Chicago? No, seattle, during ww2. His father is in the army, and everywhere he looks, people and the media, tell him to "do his part". So naturally, he feels sort of guilty for not letting his pet dog go to war. Something makes him change his mind, and Duke is sent off. Hodie thinks it's okay, seeing as most army dogs stay state side, but Hodie's trained up duke so well, that he's eventually put with the marines in the pacific.
And here is where my problems with this book come in. No 10 year old can train a dog like that. Seriously. Ever seen a kid raise a dog? I have. The results were a toy poodle who had to be subdued so they could wash him. For a wash! They also had to be four people to cut his claws.
As to the author's fact-checking, it was okay, but I really have problems finding actual respect for authors who spew out children's books about the same subject each year. I don't know. I just know that as a kid, I would put this up against harry potter - and it would lose.
aprilbooksandwine's review against another edition
3.0
Straight up, I am partial to books with dogs on the cover, even though to be honest, they kind of scare me. I get nervous because OMG what if the dog dies? So, y’all, I obtained Duke by Kirby Larson at BEA 2013. It’s a middle grade historical fiction book and of course, there is a German Shepherd on the cover. I knew that I was dying to read it, yet also scared because how the heck would I handle that beautiful cover dog who looks like dogs that I love dying? So, I kept on putting the book off. Of course, once I read it I finished it in a single sitting and realized, oh hey, this is a book aimed at small children and is being published in a time when we treat children as though they are fragile. I stopped worrying and put my rational hat on. Turns out, Duke by Kirby Larson is not a bad book at all.
Read the rest of my review here
Note: Review will post/link will work on January 27, 2014
Read the rest of my review here
Note: Review will post/link will work on January 27, 2014
mainebookworm22's review against another edition
3.0
As a homeschooling mom, I enjoyed this story. My daughter and I have been on a WW 2 reading jag lately and this is another good one to add to the keeper shelf. This story deals with Hobie Hanson and his family. He wants to be a good soldier and he keeps asking himself and being asked, is he doing everything that he could be doing? What transpires is a heartwarming story about what it is to be a hero and what it means to be brave.
jenannisreading's review against another edition
3.0
The beginning was kinda boring but I liked it towards the end because he was addressing his problems and addressing them good (check out my profile to see how I rate
mmattmiller's review against another edition
3.0
This would be a great piece of historical fiction to add to my classroom library. I think kids will be able to relate to the main character, and understand that he has some really tough choices to make. I love that while it is a book that takes place during war time, it is truly about the kids- and how their lives are lived in that time. (Allowing kids today to try to relate.) I also learned about families "donating" their pets to the military- I hadn't heard of that before! It's amazing the things we don't learn in school! How interesting, though! I think my students would find it interesting too!
libscote's review against another edition
4.0
Oh man. I don't think I could ever give up a pet to the army. I cried a few times while reading it.
jenannisreading's review against another edition
3.0
The beginning was kinda boring but I liked it towards the end because he was addressing his problems and addressing them good (check out my profile to see how I rate
karenteacher's review
4.0
I enjoyed this book. Hobie, the main character, is a boy whose father enlisted during WWII, and left him, at 10, as “the man of the family”. Hobie, as did so many others like him, steps up to meet, and even exceed, his father’s expectations. Historically accurate, this is an engaging story with a few tear-jerking moments.
bibliogirl's review
5.0
I particularly love this one because I think it's suitable for an even younger age range than some of Kirby's other historical novels. It's difficult to find excellent historical fiction for younger students that doesn't talk down to them, but meets them where they are. I'm really looking forward to sharing this with 3rd graders.
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