YA review: Cracker! The best dog in Vietnam by Cynthia Kadohata

The thing that struck me first on this book is the ease of readability.  I'd put it in the fourth or fifth grade reading level based on the simplistic words and sentence structure Kadohata uses.  The story is interesting: Cracker, the beloved pet of ten year old Willie, gets 'drafted' by the army for military service in Vietnam after Willie's family can no longer keep a dog at their apartment.  The omniscient observer point of view gives us the thoughts of many individuals, including the dog.  While this anthropomorphic view unsettled me on occassion (how could the author-- or anyone-- really know the dog is thinking that?), seen through the eyes of a ten year old boy, it can be believable. I've recommended this one to a few high school students, especially freshmen, looking for stories about the effects of war. It's probably better suited to a middle school crowd of 6-8, but it's an enjoyable and interesting read for anyone.