From School Library Journal Grade 6 Up. This novel set during World War II features Jet, a black Labrador trained as a poaching dog. When her owner is arrested, Jet is requisitioned by the British Army. She learns to seek out enemy soldiers and is wounded at Dunkirk. She is then used to locate casualties in bombed-out English cities. Finally, Jet travels to Italy with an infantry division and comes across her original owner, now a soldier. Though interesting and unusual, Booth's story fails to fully engage readers. The plot is basically a recitation of events and activities, and becomes tedious after a while. Characterization is superficial at best and, oddly in a book geared to youth, the main characters are all adults. The author lacks a clear point of view; the novel moves inconsistently from Jet's mind and thoughts to those of her handlers to the remarks of an omniscient narrator. Lastly, War Dog is very British in style and vocabulary, limiting its appeal to American teens. Booth definitely has a winning subject; it's too bad his writing style doesn't match it.?Ann W. Moore, Schenectady County Public Library, NYCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Kirkus Reviews In his first novel for young readers, Booth (Dreaming of Samarkand, 1990, etc.) introduces Jet, a black Labrador hero in the tradition of Rin Tin Tin. After Jet's owner is jailed for poaching game, the dog is enlisted in the British Armed Forces. This isn't as crazy as it sounds; the preface reminds readers that many animals have been requisitioned in times of war. World War II is brewing in Europe and Jet proves to be the perfect military trainee. She is sent to combat with her new ``handler'' in France, where her duties include sniffing out the enemy and the wounded. When Jet herself is wounded, she serves her country in a different capacity by searching out people buried in rubble in a bomb-torn city. Soon, she's needed back in the front lines, where she is miraculously reunited with her original owner. Military buffs will relish the war details: This book has the feel of the black-and-white movies of the 1940s. All readers will be stirred by the heroic canine's adventures. (Fiction. 8-12) --
