AUDIO BOOK: HISTORICAL FICTION (ages 9-13)
Brief Description: Mikhail encounters a wounded man and his dog Zasha in the woods on his property. WWII is over, but much hatred of Germany and all things German exists in Russia. Dogs are no exception. He knows immediately that he must keep this secret; he brings them home where his kind mother, sister and brother care for the man and the dog. When the man dies overnight, they must bring him to the police. Through a series of encounters with dog thieves and Russian soldiers returning home from war, Zasha's life is threatened. Ultimately, however, the family prevails, and Mikhail's soldier father finally returns home after four years at war. Everyone wins in this heart-warming story of a boy and the dog he comes to love.
Awards: Nominated for the New Hampshire Great Stone Face Award; Parent's Choice Award Winner, Spring, 2011.
Personal Opinion: I absolutely loved this exciting story about Zasha! The author clearly understands dog behavior and carefully crafts Zasha's personality; dog lovers will be enchanted by her tenderness, intelligence, and beauty...and her singing! I hadn't realized that dogs were nearly exterminated in Russia following WWII, particularly German dogs. While the story is fictional, the end note indicates that the Russian Government did, in fact, strive to create a "super" Russian dog, and the Black Russian Terrier was bred and was finally recognized by the AKC in 2004 in the working group class. I admit that the story was fairly predictable, but in this case, it is comforting. Great pacing, narrator does a nice job with Russian accents, and fair character development earn this audio book 5 out of 5 stars.
Programming/Curriculum Ideas: This book is perfect to accompany a unit on WWII, or a study of the Black Russian Terrier.
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