- 12th & final book in a historical fiction series with a time traveling dog
- a day of WWII infamy comes to life for a new generation of readers as Japan bombs and kills thousands
- convo: mentions deaths from the attack without details, introduces the difficult topic of how Japanese-Americans were treated during these years
- clean language
- great Author’s Note and further resources suggested in back
Type: chapter book
Ages: 8-12
Author: Kate Messner
Illustrator: Kelley McMorris
Some of the main characters were Japanese-Americans. Anyone who knows history will realize the depth that element immediately gave the story. A brief scene shows a mother burning all their books right after Japan attacked, because she was afraid to be caught with books in the Japanese language. Relatedly, as in real history, a couple of the [fictional] people were suspected and brought in for questioning. This was all done on an age-appropriate level. More information in the Author’s Note tells of the concentration camps families were forced to live in for a few years.
A young sailor is blasted off his ship when a bomb makes contact. He is struggling to stay afloat in the oil-drenched water, so rescue dog Ranger seeks help. Ultimately, he comes across a young brother-sister duo who witnessed the entire attack from their small rowboat. They’re able to save the sailor from the water, but he is badly wounded. Can they get him to the hospital in time? (Parents, a spoiler: yes.)
The level of intensity is on par with the rest of the series, which, now that I have read them all, I can happily and fully recommend! Your children will love getting to know the friendly and smart golden retriever, Ranger, and meeting new characters in each book. I hope you can enjoy some of his adventures!