Cracker: The Best Dog in Vietnam
What do the soldiers in Rick's squad call their sergeant?
They call him U-Haul.
What particular species of owls are they trying to save in this story?
They are trying to save burrow owls.
What was it that sickened Akeer?
She got ill from the unsanitary water in the pond.
How many seats were available in the boat that the freshman boys were trying out for?
Only nine seats
When Jordan was younger, he used to want to be Superman? Why did he want to be that particular super hero?
Every day it felt to Jordan that he was falling without a parachute. If he were Superman, instead of falling he could fly.
Where did Twenty-Twenty get his nickname?
He did ancient Chinese exercises to keep his vision strong.
What hits Roy in the head when he is following the strange running boy?
He is hit by a golf ball.
What advice does the nurse give to Nya's mother?
If the water is dirty, boil it for a count of two hundred.
Why was it particularly important for Joe Rantz to make the freshman crew team?
He needed the part-time, on-campus job that came with a spot on the team since he was on his own paying for college.
What advice does Jordan's dad give to him with regard to shaking someone's hand?
Use your right hand always, look the person in the eye, and shake their hand firmly. Don't be a "dead fish."
What was Rick's goal for joining the army?
He saved a kid from being hit by a bus and liked the feeling of being a hero. He wanted to whip the world.
What did Officer Delinko find in the porta-potties at the construction site?
He found alligators.
Why was crossing the Gilo River so dangerous?
While you were crossing, men were shooting at you and crocodiles would try to eat you.
What possession did Joe’s father save from their burning house (at great personal risk to himself)?
Joe’s mother Nellie’s precious piano
Liam and his dad are acting as guides for Jordan as he starts school. What is the role of a guide?
They show new kids around school and help them get adjusted.
What did Willie, Cracker's first owner, call Cracker?
He called him Firecracker.
What is the unusual name of Beatrice's stepbrother?
He is called Mullet Fingers.
What two things did Michael, the Irish aid worker, teach Salva?
He taught him volleyball and English.
Al Ulbrickson, the head crew coach at Washington, had a particular goal in mind as he surveyed the new boys trying out for the team. What exactly was his goal?
For his team to go to the Olympics in 1936 and win the gold.
Some upperclass boys call Maury "Maury-O." Why is this a derogatory nickname, and why does Jordan understand it but Liam does not?
It rhymes with "Oreo" which means that someone is or acts white on the inside but is black on the outside. Liam is white so he doesn't understand what is meant by the comment, but Jordan, who is black, realizes the true meaning.
What was Rick's job after he came back from Vietnam?
He was a security guard.
What is supposed to be built eventually at the construction site?
A pancake house will be built there.
Who were the "Lost Boys"?
Boys who had lost their homes and families because of the war and had wandered for weeks or months before reaching refugee camps.
Since Joe’s stepmother no longer fed him when he was living at the mining camp, how did Joe get enough food for a growing, hardworking boy?
Joe worked for the camp cook, carrying trays and dirty dishes. In exchange, he could eat all he wanted of the food prepared for breakfast and dinner at the camp.
What is the name of the most annoying kid IN HIS GRADE that Jordan meets on his first day of school?
His name is Andy.