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Summary
Summary
World War II has just ended when thirteen-year-old Mikhail finds a dying man and his German shepherd, Zasha, in the woods. It's dangerous-some say traitorous-to own a German dog after Germany attacked Russia, so Mikhail must keep Zasha a secret to keep her alive.
But Mikhail's rival, Katia, is determined to find the dog she is sure he's hiding. At the same time, a soldier named Dimitri is breeding a new Russian dog at a nearby farm. So many dogs were lost to starvation and in combat that the country is in dire need of every kind of dog. Dimitri, too, has suspicions of Zasha's existence, and would like nothing more than to add her to his breeding program.
Mikhail's inspiring journey to save his best friend, the last German shepherd in Russia, forces him to face some of life's hardest lessons about war, hate, forgiveness, hope, love, and man's best friend.
Author Notes
Randi Barrow is an attorney and amateur historian, who has previously published adult nonfiction titles. Saving Zasha is her debut middle-grade novel. She lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband and their Chihuahua mix, Manuel.
Reviews (5)
Publisher's Weekly Review
In her first book for children, adult author Barrow brings readers a gentle and suspenseful story straight from the heart of a dog-lover. Just after WWII ends, 13-year-old Mikhail finds a beautiful German shepherd named Zasha and her owner, Petr, in the woods near his small Russian town. Shortly after, Petr dies and Mikhail and his family (except for his father, who has not yet returned from the war) are determined to keep the beloved dog hidden from those seeking to capture or kill the dog because of the breed's association with Germany: Katia, a nosy schoolmate and the daughter of the newspaper editor investigating Petr's death; Dimitri, a breeder who hopes to create a Russian superdog; and a pair of conniving dog thieves. Mikhail's sense of humor, concern for his family, and love of Zasha are all readily apparent in his narration, which smoothly incorporates background information for readers unfamiliar with 20th-century Russian life and history. If occasionally precious, Barrow's novel is quick reading yet weighty, and captures the prejudices and aftereffects of war. Ages 9-13. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
Mikhail protects dog Zasha after her owner's death. In post-WWII Russia, though, German shepherds are outlaws ("Only traitors would keep a German shepherd...maybe you are hiding a German, and not just a German dog"). Canine thieves, a secret Russian dog-breeding program, and a subplot involving Mikhail's missing solider-father keep the pace moving (sometimes at the expense of character development). (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Devastated by Germany's conflict with the Soviet Union at the end of WWII, Mikhail, 13, and his family are struggling to survive in their rural Russian community, where everything German is hated and Mikhail's father is missing in action. When the family shelters a beautiful German shepherd (they call her Zasha), they know they will be called traitors, but they bond with the beautiful dog, and they save her life by hiding her. Then they discover that she is pregnant. Can they build a safe shelter for her and her pups without being detected? What about the spies who see dog hair on Mikhail's clothes? Mikhail's first-person account will grab readers with the physical details of training and protecting his beloved pet as well as the history of the devastating war and its aftermath. Mikhail's family does have a happy reunion, but Barrow reminds readers that so many others were not as lucky. A long historical note tells more about the abuse and misuse of dogs in warfare.--Rochman, Hazel Copyright 2010 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-Living in Russia in 1945, 13-year-old Mikhail finds a dying man with a beautiful German shepherd in the woods near his home. During the war, Russians, hating all things German, killed this breed. But Mikhail and his family, minus his father who has not returned from the war or been heard from in several years, are determined to protect Zasha. She must be kept a secret, since many Russians feel it is traitorous to keep such an animal. But now the war is over, and the country needs dogs to perform various functions since most of them were killed in battle, thus spawning dangerous thieves who want to steal and sell them. Dimitri, a former soldier, is attempting to breed a new, improved Russian dog, and he would be very interested in acquiring a German shepherd. While this story captures the love of a boy for his dog and reflects the dark effects of war on both humans and animals, secondary character development is weak. Mikhail's mother shares platitude after platitude. The ending, with the father's return and the birth of puppies, is predictable, pat, and saccharine. An additional purchase for dog lovers and those interested in little-known facts about World War II.-Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
In an evocatively realized postWorld War II Russia, as some of the severe hardships of war are receding, 13-year-old Mikhail, his older brother, younger sister and mother are suddenly faced with a new peril when they decide to keep a beautiful female German shepherd after its owner dies. They must hide her carefully. The few dogs remaining after the brutal war have become targets for unscrupulous thieves, while anything even vaguely German is liable to be destroyed by authorities or an angry public. The nosy daughter of the local newspaper owner is relentless in her determination to discover the secret she's certain they're hiding. Each new threat effectively heightens the sense of danger, making this a page-turner. A parallel storythe Russian Army's attempt to develop a uniquely Russian breed of working dogweaves through the account of the family's efforts to protect an innocent pet. Some of the specific atrocities of war suffered by dogs are briefly described. A highly engaging and ultimately hopeful animal story with a strong sense of time and place.(Historical fiction. 10-14)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Excerpts
Excerpts
From Saving Zasha "Maybe the soldier you found wasn't alone. Or he told you something important before he died. Or he still had his dog with him. His German dog," Katia said. "He did tell us something," I agreed. "He told us the war is over." "I think his dog is still around here, and I'm going to find it." "And then what?" I laughed, pushing down every fearful feeling that bubbled up in me. "Bring him to justice." "What--a trial? Do you have a good dog translator?" "Don't be stupid. He'll be treated like all other German shepherds. He'll be killed." "What a noble goal--to kill an innocent animal." There was an edge in my voice now as I pictured Zasha and the harm that could befall her. "How can you pretend to love animals--and talk to your horse like he understands you--and even think of taking the life of a dog?" "Those dogs were our enemy, too. They trained them to hunt people and to kill." "All armies did that with dogs. So did we." When she reached the end of the path before it wound around the rocky outcropping, she glanced around once more before mounting her horse. As she gave it a kick in its sides with her heels she said, "It's not only dogs who can sniff out what's hidden." Excerpted from Saving Zasha by Randi Barrow All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
