Saving Zasha

Gr 4—7—Life is hard for 13-year-old Mikhail Tarkov and his family in their rural Russian community. World War II has ended and the Germans are gone, but Mikhail's father has not come home. When the boy finds a dying man and his German shepherd in the woods, he is determined to keep the dog despite the hatred many Russians feel for everything German. He convinces his mother, brother, and sister to hide the dog they name Zasha on their farm, out of sight of dog thieves and a meddlesome schoolmate. Mikhail learns of a soldier building a kennel on a nearby farm in hopes of breeding a new Russian dog, since so few dogs of any breed were left alive after the war. Dimitri Moravsky wins the boy's trust and proves to be a true friend to the Tarkovs when dog thieves come back for Zasha. In a moving climax, great courage is exhibited and Mikhail's father returns home. Roger Mueller narrates Randi Barrow's tale (Scholastic, 2011) using a slight Russian accent throughout, and he believably conveys the boy's love for this beautiful, intelligent dog and his determination to keep her. Dog lovers of all ages will enjoy this fast-paced, beautifully told story.—Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN