Strongheart

By Candace Fleming, Eric Rohmann (Illustrator)

A fierce German shepherd becomes a Hollywood sensation in the 1920s.

4.1/5 Goodreads · 899 ratings

256 pages· 17,173 words· Est. 2.5 hour read

$18.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

In 1920s Berlin, director Larry Trimble discovers Etzel, a fierce German shepherd police dog. Renamed Strongheart, this canine star captivates Hollywood, transforming from a growling guardian to a silver screen sensation. As Strongheart's fame rises, he finds a leading lady, Lady Julie, and together they charm audiences. Can this wonder dog maintain his stardom amidst the glitz and glamour? Discover the true story of the dog who took America by storm.

From the publisher

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 2018A CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST BOOK OF 2018

At a glance