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A friendly, intelligent dog named Bärchen joins the family of Louis Pfeif, which consists of Pfeif, his father, his wife, and the Pleifs' young daughter, who is the dog's particular friend. It is 1862, and there is disagreement in the home because German-born Pfeif plans to leave his family to join the Fifty-Eighth Illinois Infantry Regiment. Mrs, Pfeif is grieving his choice but ultimately agrees to her husband's decision to participate in support of the Union by becoming an officer. Bärchen accompanies Pfeif to Chicago's Camp Douglas, where the dog becomes an honorary member of the regiment and, concurrently, a devoted friend and supporter of Louis Pfeif. From Chicago, the unit is transferred to Tennesee and onto Erin Hollow. Through multiple physical and emotional hardships, the truly faithful dog remains close to his master in the military camps and the battlefields, even into mortal danger.
This young adult novel is bittersweetly reminiscent of the stories of Greyfriars Bobby and Hachiko, dogs who remained loyal to their masters to extraordinary degrees. The story of Louis Pfeif and Bärchen is based on fact. It is also, in part, the account of the Fifty-Eight Illinois Infantry Regiment during the Spring of 1862 and has been reviewed and endorsed by historians. Caruthers has created a story that not only engrosses readers but is also highly entertaining. Its characters are realistically drawn, and the bond between the man and dog resonates with anyone who has had a positive, caring relationship with an animal who is totally devoted to the person and the person's "pack."
In the 2020 Eric Hoffer Book Award, Caruthers' The Big Day was Runner-Up in the Children's Category and Vivie's Secret was a Category Finalist.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review