LoveReading4Kids Says
It’s 1917. In the trenches of France, miles from home, Stanley is a boy fighting a man’s war. He is a dog handler, whose dog must be so loyal that he will cross no-man’s-land alone under heavy fire to return to Stanley’s side, carrying a message that could save countless lives. But this journey is fraught with danger, and only the bravest will survive. As the fighting escalates and Stanley experiences the true horror of war, he comes to realize that the loyalty of his dog is the only thing he can rely on.
Based on the fascinating true story of animals who gave their lives during the Great War, Soldier Dog is a heart-breaking book. Set against the devastating backdrop of WWI, this is a powerful story which will bring history to life for young readers.
Read more about the inspiration behing Soldier Dog, and the research which went into writing the book, here.
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Soldier Dog Synopsis
'He'll always be true, faithful and brave, even to the last beat of his heart.' The heart-breaking, powerful story of a boy soldier and his messenger dog, set against the backdrop of WWI.
Stanley's dad hasn't been the same since his wife died and his eldest son went off to fight in the war. Now Stanley is either invisible to his dad or the object of one of his rages, and his only friend is his dad's prizewinning greyhound, Rocket. But one day Rocket escapes, and the result is a litter of non-thoroughbred puppies that Da says will all have to be drowned, even Stanley's favourite puppy, Solider.
Stanley is so angry with his father that he runs away and enlists in the army to train as a messenger dog handler, and despite being far too young he's soon heading to France with a Great Dane called Bones by his side. As the fighting escalates and Stanley experiences the horrors of war, he comes to realise that the loyalty of his dog is the one thing he can rely on. But his father hasn't given up on him, and extraordinary circumstances will bring them together once more...
If you like this story you may also like to read Victory Dogs by Megan Rix.
Soldier Dog was longlisted for the Carnegie Prize, the Redbridge Award and the Branford Boase Award...and shortlisted for the Heart of Hawick Children’s Book Award, the North East Children’s Book Award, Warwickshire Teen Book Award and the Worcestershire Teen Book Award.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781529006490 |
| Publication date: |
20th September 2018 |
| Author: |
Sam Angus |
| Publisher: |
Macmillan Children's Books an imprint of Pan Macmillan |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
279 pages |
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Sam Angus Press Reviews
'Amidst these harrowing events, the bravery and the trusting relationship built up between a dog and their handler shines through. The novel covers an unusual aspect of WW1 which would be a useful springboard to introduce the topic of trench warfare.' - Carousel
'Full of loyalty, bravery and the bond between one boy and his dog. It's a gem.' - WRD About Books
About Sam Angus
Sam Angus grew up in Spain. She studied Literature at Trinity College, Cambridge, and taught A-level English before becoming a ski-wear designer. She lives between London and Exmoor with an improvident quantity of children, horses and dogs. Read more about the author here.
Photo credit Nick Harvey
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