Wolfie

Letters from Wolfie
by Patti Sherlock

//This is a story about a boy who sends his dog Wolfie to Viet Nam as a scout dog. He hopes that his dog will save his brother and other soldiers who are fighting in the unpopular war. It is about sacrifice, loyalty and patriotism.//

I really enjoyed this story but it did sometimes made me cry. Wolfie is a great dog and I was sad to see him go to war but very glad to hear how he saved soldiers' lives. I recommend it to everyone and give it five stars! Mrs. Ng

The bond of a boy and his dog isn’t the only bond that is torn apart in __Letters From Wolfie__, but it is what author Patti Sherlock focuses on during the time of the Vietnam War. It’s 1969 and Mark Cantrell donates his dog, Wolfie, to the Army as a search dog. Tension rises when Mark receives a letter from his brother saying to abort the plan of donating Wolfie. He realizes he’s made a fatal mistake with Wolfie. His struggle to regain his beloved dog begins with the help of family, friends, and other supporting members in a fight for all war dogs. Wolfie is the reason I chose to read this particular book because I really love animals, but mostly dogs. I was completely surprised by how much Wolfie behaves like my own dog, energetic and friendly. When Mark asks Wolfie if he wants to play, Sherlock writes that, “Wolfie sprang up. His paws skidded on the bare floor and he slid into the rug, scattering everything.” Danny, Mark’s brother, is off serving in Vietnam. It was he who first encouraged Mark to loan Wolfie to the Army’s scout program. Danny’s subsequent letters give rise to Mark’s apprehension about Wolfie’s future. Mark doesn’t have a good relationship with his dad who is a World War II veteran. He is proud of Danny for going off to serve his country and is disappointed that Mark is having second thoughts about having sent Wolfie to Vietnam. Mark’s neighbor, kind and sweet Effie Heinbach, helps him with these tough times, treating him like her adopted grandson, feeding him and giving him words of advice and wisdom. Mark describes Effie’s tantalizing kitchen smell when she is baking, “The warm-oven, cinnamon smell in Mrs. Heimbach’s kitchen made me light-headed with hunger.” Other characters, such as Mark’s mom, his social studies teacher Mr. Casey, and his friend Claire help him organize a protest against dogs being used as Army equipment. Mark plays the most important part in the plot of Sherlock’s story. You can feel his attachment to Wolfie just as if you were he. I know how it feels to have a special bond with a dog so I felt connected with Mark in his time of worry. One of the themes of the story is how humans bond with pets. That is one of the reasons why I think Sherlock chose to write this book because of her childhood life on a farm and love for animals. The major theme of the story is that war affects everyone, not just the people serving and their families. Even though the Vietnam War occurred many years ago there are lessons that can be learned and that apply to today’s war in Iraq. To discover what happens to Wolfie, Mark and his family you’ll just have to read this book to find out! Midori Schardein