Nene Award
2013 · Children's Fiction · Nominee
About This Book
CRACKER IS ONE OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY'S MOST VALUABLE WEAPONS:
a German shepherd trained to sniff out bombs, traps, and the enemy. The fate of entire platoons rests on her keen sense of smell. She's a Big Deal, and she likes it that way. Sometimes Cracker remembers when she was younger, and her previous owner would feed her hot dogs and let her sleep in his bed. That was nice, too.
Rick Hanski is headed to Vietnam. There, he's going to whip the world and prove to his family and his sergeant -- and everyone else who didn't think he was cut out for war -- wrong. But sometimes Rick can't help but wonder that maybe everyone else is right. Maybe he should have just stayed at home and worked in his dad's hardware store.
When Cracker is paired with Rick, she isn't so sure about this new owner. He's going to have to prove himself to her before she's going to prove herself to him. They need to be friends before they can be a team, and they have to be a team if they want to get home alive.
Told in part through the uncanny point of view of a German shepherd, Cracker! is an action-packed glimpse into the Vietnam War as seen through the eyes of a dog and her handler. It's an utterly unique powerhouse of a book by the Newbery Medal-winning author of Kira-Kira.
a German shepherd trained to sniff out bombs, traps, and the enemy. The fate of entire platoons rests on her keen sense of smell. She's a Big Deal, and she likes it that way. Sometimes Cracker remembers when she was younger, and her previous owner would feed her hot dogs and let her sleep in his bed. That was nice, too.
Rick Hanski is headed to Vietnam. There, he's going to whip the world and prove to his family and his sergeant -- and everyone else who didn't think he was cut out for war -- wrong. But sometimes Rick can't help but wonder that maybe everyone else is right. Maybe he should have just stayed at home and worked in his dad's hardware store.
When Cracker is paired with Rick, she isn't so sure about this new owner. He's going to have to prove himself to her before she's going to prove herself to him. They need to be friends before they can be a team, and they have to be a team if they want to get home alive.
Told in part through the uncanny point of view of a German shepherd, Cracker! is an action-packed glimpse into the Vietnam War as seen through the eyes of a dog and her handler. It's an utterly unique powerhouse of a book by the Newbery Medal-winning author of Kira-Kira.
Awards
Colorado Blue Spruce Award
2012 · Young Adult · Nominee
Nene Award
2012 · Children's Fiction · Nominee
California Young Reader Medal
2011 · Middle School · Winner
Colorado Children's Book Award
2011 · Junior Novel · Nominee
Massachusetts Children's Book Award
2011 · Children's Book · Honor Book
Nene Award
2011 · Children's Fiction · Nominee
Golden Sower Award
2010 · Young Adult · Winner
Grand Canyon Reader Award
2010 · Tween · Nominee
Iowa Teen Award
2010 · Young Adult · Nominee
Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award
2010 · Grades 6-8 · Nominee
Maud Hart Lovelace Book Award
2010 · Grades 6-8 · Third Place
Nevada Young Readers' Award
2010 · Intermediate · Nominee
North Carolina Children's Book Award
2010 · Junior Book · Winner
Sequoyah Book Award
2010 · Intermediate · Nominee
West Virginia Children's Book Award
2010 · Children's · Nominee
William Allen White Childens Book Award
2010 · Grades 6-8 · Winner
Buckeye Children's Book Award
2009 · Grades 6-8 · Winner
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award
2009 · Children's · Nominee
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award
2009 · Grades 6-8 · Nominee
Truman Readers Award
2009 · Grades 6-8 · Second Place
Alabama Camellia Award
2008 · Grades 4-6 · Winner
South Carolina Childrens, Junior and Young Adult Book Award
2008 · Junior Book · Winner
Cybils
2007 · Middle Grade Fiction · Finalist
Parents Choice Award (Spring) (1998-2007)
2007 · Recommended · Winner
