Finding Zasha

Finding Zasha by Randi Barrow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The book opens with 12 year old Ivan, his mother, and a few neighbors coping with the horrific 1941 Siege of Leningrad. When his mother's job sends her to work in the Ural Mountains, Ivan is not allowed to join her, but is sent with his "Auntie" to supposedly safety in the Russian north country. After a harrowing trip across the ice road of Lake Ladoga, Ivan's place of safety is occupied by the Germans and Ivan, by circumstance, ends up entertaining the Nazi commander Major Axel Recht. To his delight he also is told to take care of the commander's two beautiful German Shepherd puppies, Zasha and Thor. When Ivan, now a partisan, sees his chance of escape - he take the pups with him and Recht gives chase. Can Ivan ever find safety?

Notes in the back and an overview help fill in places and dates of World War ll. Finding Zasha is a prequel to Saving Zasha.

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