Now we have a Newbery Contender for 2011!
Yes, Saving Zasha by Randi Barrow is one to watch.
This book takes place in Northern Russia not long after World War II has ended. The country is still suffering the effects of the war- very little gasoline and food, and many of the men are still missing or dead from their battle against Germany. The people of Russia are so angry with Germany that they have banned all things German, including dogs, namely, German Shepherds.
When Mikhail is out in the woods one afternoon, he finds an injured soldier and his dog- a German Shepherd named Zasha. Mikhail helps the man onto his horse and back to his home where his mother, little sister Rina and older brother Nikolai run to his aid. They get the man inside and clean him up and help him get comfortable. When Mikhail's mother tries to shoo the dog from the house, the man puts up a fight and the dog is allowed to stay by his side. Zasha is still by his side in the morning. Mikhail discovered that the man died during the night.
The family decides that they must take the dead man into town and explain what happened to the police. The children agree, but want to keep the dog. Their family has been so sad and lonely since their father went missing during the war. Their mother concedes and the dog is allowed to stay with them. However, they must keep Zasha hidden. People are not allowed to have dogs after the war, and a German Shepherd would be killed on site. Nikolai tells his family that he saw a Russian soldier shoot and kill 2 German Shepherds in the street. He also believes that the man they tried to save died trying to protect his dog.
When they arrive at the police station, they tell their story, leaving out the part about the dog. While they are there, Irina, a newspaper reporter arrives, followed by the editor's nosy and snooty daughter, Katia. Immediately Katia is in the middle of the discussion of the dead man. She announces that she will investigate and find the story his death. This makes Mikhail very nervous, because Katia is one of his least favorite people and he doesn't appreciate her sticking her nose into his business.
Once back at the farm, the family must decide how to keep Zasha and the family safe. The boys find several hiding places to keep Zasha in case of an emergency. The family falls in love with her, and she seems to bring happiness to all of them. The boys spend time training her and she catches on quickly. As promised, Katia does investigate the death of the mystery man and ends up at the farm on several occasions. Her guess is that the man had a dog and he was killed trying to protect it. She tells Mikhail that she found dog hairs on the dead man's coat. She took a sample of the hairs and
3 Comments on Book Talk: Saving Zasha, last added: 3/17/2011
Display Comments
Add a Comment
By: Kelly Butcher,
on 3/10/2011
Blog: The Lemme Library (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: tween, book suggestions, middle unit, upper unit, Add a tag
tween (twn) n. A child between middle childhood and adolescence, usually between 8 and 12 years old.
What is it about kids these days? They think they need to grow up so fast! Try as we might, we just can't convince them that there is no hurry. I have noticed these days that my "tween"readers (ages 8-12) are quick to jump in to books that are intended for young adults! (They ask me for Hunger Games and Twilight!) Young adult fiction is geared towards kids ages 14 to 21. Tween readers are ages 8-12.
Today I will let you in on a little known librarian secret: we trick kids. That is right. We trick them into thinking they are reading books that are meant for older kids. I bet you didn't know that, did you? So, today I open my bag of tricks and give you 9 books that I use to trick these "children" into thinking they are reading "young adult" books... if you are a kid, this blog post will self destruct in 10 seconds and you will have no memory of what you've just witnessed.
Considered by many to be mentally retarded, a brilliant, impatient fifth-grader with cerebral palsy discovers a technological device that will allow her to speak for the first time. Starred Review.
Lord, Cynthia. Touch Blue
When the state of Maine threatens to shut down their island's one-room schoolhouse because of dwindling enrollment, eleven-year-old Tess, a strong believer in luck, and her family take in a trumpet-playing foster child, to increase the school's population.
3 Comments on Tween Fiction, last added: 3/12/2011
Okay; I am going to read this. But you must read my 2011 Newbery pick: The Trouble With May Amelia, by Jennifer Holm.
@Kirby Larson
I will have to wait until April 5th! I just put a hold on it at the library! I have already read another Newbery Contender- it's this little book called The Friendship Doll... have you heard of it?
Thanks for the very complete review. This was one I was going to order without reading, and now I feel comfortable doing this.