HERO DOGS

The terrorist attacks of 9/11 provide a focus for this photo-documentary on the many ways dogs support and succor humans. From the story of Roselle, a seeing-eye dog who led her owner safely out of the World Trade Center, to the search-and-rescue dogs who scoured the rubble, to Tikva, a therapy dog who provided an outlet for the traumatized rescue workers, Jackson details the incredible canine-human partnerships that played a part in the aftermath of the attacks. She moves on from 9/11 to expand her focus to include members of the Department of Agriculture’s Beagle Brigade, Canine Companions for Independence, bomb-sniffing dogs, and regular old pets who take the initiative to assume a hero’s role within the family. Each type of dog is discussed by introducing one or two specific individuals; this provides a series of mini-narratives, punctuated by color photographs and interviews with the handlers and owners, drawing readers into their respective dramas and personalizing the experiences. The narrative is notably restrained, eschewing the maudlin and letting the stories tell themselves. (glossary, further reading, Web sites, museum exhibit) (Nonfiction. 8-13)