Top Dogs: Canines That Made History

by Elizabeth MacLeod

Overview

For the millions of kids who love dogs, this book tells the stories of 8 amazing canines through the ages whose actions influenced the course of history. Author Liz MacLeod’s kid-friendly, narrative style captures the time and place when the events took place as well as the sense of adventure that colors every story. Among the dogs featured are Stubby, a mutt who rescued American soldiers in the trenches of WWI, Buddy, the first seeing-eye-dog in North America, Brandy, a German Shepherd who discovered a bomb aboard a plane, and Seaman, the Newfoundland, who accompanied Lewis and Clark, helping them complete their expedition by protecting them from wild animals and providing them with food. Scattered throughout the book are side bars filled with information about the exploits of many other dogs as well as the history, habits, and characteristics of various breeds.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781554519064
Publisher:	Annick Press, Limited
Publication date:	03/14/2017
Pages:	98
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	1010L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Elizabeth MacLeod is a prolific and award-winning author whose non-fiction books have been widely published. Top Dogs: Canines That Made History is her sixth book with Annick Press.

Editorial Reviews

02/01/2017
Gr 3–6—Opening with Seaman, the Newfoundland who accompanied Lewis and Clark on their adventures, and going on to cover the role of the Pekingese in China's Boxer Rebellion, the first guide dog in the United States, and more, this title chronicles the lives of a number of legendary canines throughout world history. The chapters are well organized and chock-full of photos and other design elements to keep readers' interest. The text is accessible and bursting with energy; readers will be captivated by tales of how these four-legged friends race sleds or sniff out bombs and other hazardous materials. VERDICT Sure to be a hit with dog lovers and kids looking for a dip into history.—April Sanders, Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL

School Library Journal

2017-01-17
Dogs have played a role in human history for eons.MacLeod provides coverage on eight doggy themes arranged chronologically: Seaman, the Newfoundland that accompanied Lewis and Clark; Pekinese dogs' connection with Chinese royalty; dogs that served in World War I; Togo and Balto and their lifesaving trek across the Alaskan tundra with diphtheria antitoxin; the first American guide dog, Buddy; dogs that served in World War II; bomb-sniffing dogs, including Brandy, who found explosives on a jet in 1972; and search-and-rescue dogs, especially those that served on 9/11. A plethora of excellent photographs accompanies the engaging text. Unfortunately, a profusion of text boxes, sidebars, and other interruptions breaks up the stories. Page-sized featurettes on a yellow background headed "Dog Data" primarily focus on the history of dogs and their natural characteristics. Small pullouts entitled "Woof!" contain brief, miscellaneous tidbits that usually, but not always, relate to the topic at hand. The chapter on World War II dogs also includes: a section on modern war dogs; a Woof! on a border collie that scares birds away from a Michigan airport; boxes on both mythological Cerberus and a dog that defended a Persian city in 456 B.C.E.; and a World War I photo. Excellent information presented in a frustrating and distracting jumble. (Nonfiction. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews