Duke

An enjoyable story about the frienship between a boy and his dog.

It is World War II in Seattle, Washingthon, USA. Hobie's Dad is a pilot and he is fighting away in Europe. Hobie, his sister and Mom are at home, together with their dog Duke. Hobie wants to do everything to help win the war. He decides to do the unthinkable, send his dog to help in the Dogs for Defense. In my opinion, Hobie is a bit selfish because he donated his dog so his Dad can return faster.

"Friends double our joys and halve our sorrows."

There are a lot of disapointments: loss of best friends, loss of loved ones, soldiers being imprisoned. Hobie also faces a lot of challenges: a bully, being the man of the house, and taking care of Lily Bess.

"Life is full of things we don't like, Mom said. But what matters is our attitude."

I loved the jokes and riddles that Hobies dad send in his letters and in Hobies joke book. Here are just a few of my favourites:

"How many letters are in the alphabet?" (write your guess in the comments, and check for the right answer next month)

"What happens when it rains cats and dogs. Answer: You might step in a poodle."

"What do you do when your dog gets lost in the woods? Answer: Put your ear to a tree and listen for the bark."

On the author's website you can see pictures of real Duke's memorial in Guam.