  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 04/15/2011 Joshua Reed and his Vietnam-era military-recruiter dad relocate to Cheslock, in the mountains of Pennsylvania. Because it’s summer and Josh will be alone all day, Dad suggests getting a dog; Josh chooses a rare Pharaoh hound and names him Jack. The two bond quickly, but the dog soon becomes the town scapegoat after he instinctively kills a rabbit, leading people to assume he is also responsible for overturned garbage, a dead cat, and an attack on a horse. Joshua believes that the real culprit is a coyote, but he can’t prove it. Haworth, the author of The Summer of Moonlight Secrets (2010), here mines her own experiences as the daughter of an air force recruiter. She addresses the Vietnam conflict—especially the difficulties faced by returning veterans—and weaves issues of bullies, friendship, children using guns, and the loss of a loved one into this quiet story. Readers interested in learning more about the war will also appreciate Walter Dean Myers’ Patrol (2002) and Frances O’Roark Dowell’s Shooting the Moon (2008). - Copyright 2011 Booklist. School Library Journal - 05/01/2011 Gr 4–7—Joshua Reed's mother passed away a few years ago, and he and his dad are constantly moving because his father is an air force recruiter during the Vietnam War. It's not the easiest of circumstances for a sixth grader. In his newest home, in the steep hills of Pennsylvania, Joshua and his father decide to adopt a dog from the local pound. Jack spooks and scares most of the community because he's so strange looking (he's actually a Pharaoh hound). He is blamed for breaking into the chicken coop, knocking over garbage cans, and more. Joshua has to defend Jack and determine who or what is frightening the community, while simultaneously making a comfortable place for himself. The constant presence of the Vietnam War plays an integral role in this novel. When attending church for the first time, Joshua and his father hear the pastor congratulate a local family on their son's upcoming return and empathize with a family whose son is MIA. Me & Jack is well paced and keeps readers focused and concerned about the characters and their development.—Patty Saidenberg, George Jackson Academy, New York City - Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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