Three-Legged Hero

This is a very readable set of early chapter books about service dogs. The simple plots and informative text make a winning combination. In each short book, a child is introduced to a dog, an adult explains how the dog is trained, and there is always an opportunity for the dog to help a character in the story. Along the way, the reader is also introduced to various breeds and situations. The simple illustrations show characters from all walks of life and many ethnicities. There are also questions at the end on a “What do you think?” page. This is a nice series to use in learning about helpers. Glossary. Table of Contents.
Recommended

Ten-year-old Cali watched her new dog-walking client hop around the neighborhood. Thunder was a retired military dog—a real-life hero who had saved several lives in Afghanistan. The German shepherd only had three legs, but he moved around almost as quickly as any other dog. What did Thunder do in the Marines, and would he once again prove himself a hero? Cali was about to find out.

Even dogs can be military heroes!

Cali wants to earn some money and decides to start up her own dog walking business. During her first days, she runs into Thunder and his owner at a park. Thunder only has three legs, but he’s an amazing dog. It doesn’t take long before Cali learns how smart and heroic Thunder really is.

This book hits two stories at once: a girl trying to start-up her first job as a dog walker, and a dog who is so much more than he appears to be. The author does a fantastic job weaving these two stories together to make a very engaging read from beginning to end. Cali’s struggles to earn a little money, something readers of this age will be able to sympathize with. Although Thunder, with his three legs, might appear to add to Cali’s troubles at first, it’s wonderful to see that it’s quite the opposite. Just because Thunder is different, he’s by no means a dog to feel sorry for or ignore.

The explanation behind military dogs and Thunder’s experience in Afghanistan makes some of the rough circumstances soldiers face clear. It raises the awareness of what dogs are capable of, and gives insight into an area that many people may not even know exists. By the end of this book, readers will have gained a new respect for dogs in the Armed Services.

On the last pages of the book, there is not only a glossary to help readers pronounce and define more difficult words, but there is a list of questions about the story to help young readers process what was read in the story.