Nonfiction
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For fans of Balto and other real-life dog stories, here's a heavily illustrated middle-grade novel about a canine movie star of the 1920s, dramatically told in both words and pictures by an acclaimed author and a Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator.
When movie director Larry Trimble travels to Berlin searching for his next big star--a dog!--he finds Etzel, a fierce, highly trained three-year-old German shepherd police dog. Larry sees past the snarls and growls and brings Etzel back to Hollywood, where he is renamed Strongheart. Along with screenwriter Jane Murfin, Larry grooms his protégé to be a star of the silver screen--and he succeeds, starting with Strongheart's first film, The Love Master, which is released in 1921. Strongheart is soon joined by a leading lady, a German shepherd named Lady Julie, and becomes a sensation. Touching, charming, playful, and based on real events, this moving tale by Candace Fleming and illustrated by Eric Rohmann tells all about "the wonder dog" who took America by storm. A NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST BOOK OF 2018 A CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST BOOK OF 2018 |
Activity 1:
Strongheart starred in several films. Larry Trimble is quoted as saying, "A dog has no politics or religion, so you can tell people about them freely. And when you’ve finished, you’ll have talked to them about themselves. I can tell more about people from what they say about their dogs, then what they say about themselves." What do you think of that quote? Do you agree with it? Answer this question with either a drawing or writing. Your writing CAN NOT be only a sentence long!! It needs to be at least a half page, and you need to include some writing if you choose to do a drawing. I love my dog, I think Larry Trimble has a point!
Strongheart starred in several films. Larry Trimble is quoted as saying, "A dog has no politics or religion, so you can tell people about them freely. And when you’ve finished, you’ll have talked to them about themselves. I can tell more about people from what they say about their dogs, then what they say about themselves." What do you think of that quote? Do you agree with it? Answer this question with either a drawing or writing. Your writing CAN NOT be only a sentence long!! It needs to be at least a half page, and you need to include some writing if you choose to do a drawing. I love my dog, I think Larry Trimble has a point!
Activity 2:
Write a fictional newspaper article about the book Strongheart. Some ideas might be how he came to fame, his time while being trained by the police department, his visit to the Pacific Home for Orphaned Boys, and this is just a few ideas. Include some details from the book. Again, your story needs to be at least a half page long, NOT one sentence!!
Activity 3:
Strongheart was involved with a court case where they were just trying to get some of his money. There were many lies told, but thankfully, the truth came out. Do you think this kind of thing still happens today? Create a poster telling us why you think this is a good thing to do or a horrible thing to do. Use some of the characters from the book to help you tell your story. I'm so glad Sophie was all right, but I'm also glad that the truth won!!