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Strongheart: Wonder Dog of the Silver Screen
Last updated Wednesday, July 5, 2023
Author: Candace Fleming
Illustrator: Eric Rohmann
Date of Publication: 2018
ISBN: 1101934107
Grade Level: 4th (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Jul. 2023
Synopsis:
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.
Based on real events, this moving tale tells all about "the wonder dog" who took America by storm.
| Note to readers: |
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Stongheart is abused as a puppy. If you would like to skip to the part when he goes to Hollywood, start reading around page 48.
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| Discussion topics for before reading: |
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Why do you think this dog is named Strongheart?
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This book is based on a true story. When do you think it took place? (see list of movies and dates on page 239)
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What is the silver screen?
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See list of movies and dates on page 239, and pictures of the real Strongheart on pages 240-241.
Vocabulary:
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silver screen - the movie industry; movies collectively
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| Discussion topics for during/after reading: |
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What do you think Etzel would have been like if he had stayed in Germany and worked as a police dog?
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What did the director see in Strongheart that made him think he could be in movies?
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Why are all the pictures in this book in black and white?
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How do you think Strongheart made such a drastic change?
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Which type of movie do you prefer? What is a favorite?
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What are some of the differences between a pet and a working dog?
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| Special activities: |
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Draw a sketch of a dog in a movie scene. Add some notes for action and/or dialogue.
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*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions.
You can use them, but you don't have to use them.
You can expand upon them, or add your own twist.
Remember, though, that the focus of your time should
not be on the development and execution of a craft;
the focus should be on the read-aloud and the
enjoyment of the book!
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