About this item
With World War II raging and his father fighting overseas in Europe, eleven-year-old Hobie Hanson is determined to do his part to help his family and his country, even if it means giving up his beloved German shepherd, Duke. Hoping to help end the war and bring his dad home faster, Hobie decides to donate Duke to Dogs for Defense, an organization that urges Americans to "loan" their pets to the military to act as sentries, mine sniffers, and patrol dogs. Hobie immediately regrets his decision and tries everything he can to get Duke back, even jeopardizing his friendship with the new boy at school. But when his father is taken prisoner by the Germans, Hobie realizes he must let Duke go and reach deep within himself to be brave. Will Hobie ever see Duke, or his father, again? With powerful storytelling and gripping emotion, critically acclaimed author Kirby Larson explores the many ways bravery and love help us to weather the most difficult times.
About the Author
I was born at Fort Lawton Army Hospital in Seattle and haven't moved very far from there since. An avid reader and writer, it wasn't until I heard a snippet of a story about my great-grandmother homesteading by herself in eastern Montana that I found my true calling: writing historical fiction. My great-grandmother's experiences inspired my first novel, HATTIE BIG SKY (Newbery honor award) and I haven't looked back, writing titles such as THE FRIENDSHIP DOLL, HATTIE EVER AFTER, DASH (Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Prize winner) , DUKE, LIBERTY, AUDACITY JONES TO THE RESCUE, AUDACITY JONES STEALS THE SHOW, and the forthcoming, CODE WORD COURAGE.My dear friend, Mary Nethery, and I have co-written two nonfiction picture books celebrating interspecies friendships: TWO BOBBIES: A TRUE STORY OF HURRICANE KATRINA, FRIENDSHIP AND SURVIVAL (Henry Bergh ASPCA Award winner) and NUBS: THE TRUE STORY OF A MUTT, A MARINE AND A MIRACLE (Christopher Medal Award winner) . A third collaboration is in the works!If you want to know more about what I'm up to, it's easy to subscribe to my newsletter-- just click on the "subscribe" button at my website, kirbylarson.com. Every Friday on my blog, I shine the spotlight on a fellow artist's latest book. You can check that out at kirbylarson.com/blog.
