starting to melt)
Love when historical fiction makes me want to look up something like the The Ice Road.
I know, and some of it is just so good and has these not very well known facts like the ice road. They are my favorite kinds of historical fiction.
I haven't read many books that take place in Russia during WWII. I remember reading about the second book on your blog and have been curious about this one. It sounds like it is worth the read and I enjoyed your honest review. :)
Thanks, Finding Zasha is definitely worth reading, and it is an area not often explored.
Reading your review, I was sure you were going to say how much you enjoyed the book, so I was surprised to find you had mixed feelings at the end. It’s funny how that happens sometimes. It does sound interesting enough to make me want to read it but maybe not until I’ve caught up with some of the other books you’ve recommended.
I was surprised I felt that way in the end as well. Still, it is worth reading and for the most part I liked it, but I did have problems with some of what I read.
I just wanted to let you know that I told two students about the second book in this series and they got both books to read. Both boys enjoyed both of the books and wish there were more in the series. I plan to tell them about some of the other treasures I have found on your blog. :) Thanks!
Thanks for letting me know this, Stephanie, It is always nice to know books I reviewed were read by kids who liked them. There is also supposed to be a third Zasha coming out sometime in the near future.
Do you know when the third book is coming out and what it is called?
A heroic and daring WWII story perfect for fans of Alan Gratz and Jennifer A. Nielsen! In 1941, the Germans began the long, bloody siege on Leningrad. During the chaos, twelve-year-old Ivan is sent to live with relatives when his mother's job is moved to the mountains. But it is a long and dangerous journey to get out of Leningrad. After settling into a new town it falls under Nazi occupation and Ivan is picked by Axel Recht, an especially heinous soldier, to come work for the Nazis. One of Ivan's more pleasant tasks is to train Alex's dogs. Yet Ivan is determined to use his position to undermine the Nazis and rescue the dogs. But Ivan underestimates Axel's attachment to Zasha and Thor, and soon finds himself being hunted by a ruthless soldier who will stop at nothing to get his dogs back. As World War II rages around them, Ivan must find a way to hide from Axel, protect Zasha and Thor, avoid the constant barrage of deadly bombings, and survive in the devastating conditions of a city cut off from the world.
The best book ever.
Yes the book make more zasha books
I think everyone should read this amazing book!
More books by randi barrow.
by Randi Barrow ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 2013
This effort will especially appeal to readers of Saving Zasha, but those who enjoy historical fiction will also find it to...
In a prequel to Saving Zasha (2011), Barrow provides a mildly harrowing depiction of life in Russia during World War II.
Speaking in a plausible first-person voice, 12-year-old Ivan, a talented concertina player, begins the war living in Leningrad. Conditions swiftly deteriorate as the Germans both bomb and lay siege to the city. After his mother is sent to work in a distant factory, Ivan escapes across a frozen lake with Auntie, his wise elderly neighbor. In swift succession he joins the partisans, then deliberately—planning to work as a spy—attracts the attention of a sadistic Nazi, Maj. Axel, who keeps him in his headquarters to provide musical diversion. Axel owns a pair of German shepherd puppies that he's planning to brutalize into becoming virtual bloodhounds, hoping to use them to track down Russians. Ivan is determined to steal the dogs; surprisingly, he convinces the partisans to help. Parts of this tale are remarkably suspenseful, especially the escape across the frozen lake and Ivan’s scheming at the German headquarters as he puts his plan into place. At other times, especially near the conclusion, the effects of the war become muted, lessening both the impact and the believability of the story.
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-545-45218-2
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 1, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2012
CHILDREN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE FICTION | CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S HISTORICAL FICTION
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by Alan Gratz ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 25, 2017
Poignant, respectful, and historically accurate while pulsating with emotional turmoil, adventure, and suspense.
In the midst of political turmoil, how do you escape the only country that you’ve ever known and navigate a new life? Parallel stories of three different middle school–aged refugees—Josef from Nazi Germany in 1938, Isabel from 1994 Cuba, and Mahmoud from 2015 Aleppo—eventually intertwine for maximum impact.
Three countries, three time periods, three brave protagonists. Yet these three refugee odysseys have so much in common. Each traverses a landscape ruled by a dictator and must balance freedom, family, and responsibility. Each initially leaves by boat, struggles between visibility and invisibility, copes with repeated obstacles and heart-wrenching loss, and gains resilience in the process. Each third-person narrative offers an accessible look at migration under duress, in which the behavior of familiar adults changes unpredictably, strangers exploit the vulnerabilities of transients, and circumstances seem driven by random luck. Mahmoud eventually concludes that visibility is best: “See us….Hear us. Help us.” With this book, Gratz accomplishes a feat that is nothing short of brilliant, offering a skillfully wrought narrative laced with global and intergenerational reverberations that signal hope for the future. Excellent for older middle grade and above in classrooms, book groups, and/or communities looking to increase empathy for new and existing arrivals from afar.
Pub Date: July 25, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-545-88083-1
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2017
CHILDREN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE FICTION | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S HISTORICAL FICTION
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by Alan Gratz ; illustrated by Judit Tondora
by Alan Gratz ; illustrated by Brent Schoonover
by Alan Gratz
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From the captain underpants series , vol. 10.
by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 15, 2013
Series fans, at least, will take this outing (and clear evidence of more to come) in stride.
Zipping back and forth in time atop outsized robo–bell bottoms, mad inventor Tippy Tinkletrousers (aka Professor Poopypants) legs his way to center stage in this slightly less-labored continuation of episode 9.
The action commences after a rambling recap and a warning not to laugh or smile on pain of being forced to read Sarah Plain and Tall . Pilkey first sends his peevish protagonist back a short while to save the Earth (destroyed in the previous episode), then on to various prehistoric eras in pursuit of George, Harold and the Captain. It’s all pretty much an excuse for many butt jokes, dashes of off-color humor (“Tippy pressed the button on his Freezy-Beam 4000, causing it to rise from the depths of his Robo-Pants”), a lengthy wordless comic and two tussles in “Flip-o-rama.” Still, the chase kicks off an ice age, the extinction of the dinosaurs and the Big Bang (here the Big “Ka-Bloosh!”). It ends with a harrowing glimpse of what George and Harold would become if they decided to go straight. The author also chucks in a poopy-doo-doo song with musical notation (credited to Albert P. Einstein) and plenty of ink-and-wash cartoon illustrations to crank up the ongoing frenzy.
Pub Date: Jan. 15, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-545-17536-4
Page Count: 224
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2013
CHILDREN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE FICTION
More In The Series
by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey
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by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey color by Jose Garibaldi & Wes Dzioba
by Dav Pilkey ; illustrated by Dav Pilkey ; color by Jose Garibaldi & Wes Dzioba
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9780545452182
Randi Barrow
Scholastic Inc.
01 January 2013
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The main character is twelve year old Ivan. After an intense bombing of his home city of Leningrad, Ivan and his mother are forced to leave their home. The company Ivan’s mother works for is moving operations to the Ural mountains for safety and continued productivity. Ivan is not allowed to go with her; therefore, she is forced to make the heart wrenching decision of separating from her only child. Mom decides to send Ivan to live with her brother Boris who lives 70 miles away.
Ivan’s new city is soon overtaken by the Germans and Ivan inadvertently becomes an entertainer for the German commander, Major Axel Recht, a cruel and ruthless man. Axel has two German Sheppard puppies that he is training to hunt and kill Russian citizens. Ivan is horrified at the intended use of these beautiful creatures and appalled at their cruel treatment, so he makes up his mind to steal the dogs away from Axel. Axel is a man who callously and blatantly punishes anyone whom he perceives to have crossed him in any way. Ivan realizes that Axel in all likely hood will literally kill him for what he is about to do, but he feels compelled to steal the dogs regardless of the potentially dire consequences he could face.
This prequel gives the reader introduction to characters and motivations that are in the first book Saving Zasha . This is an interesting read for upper elementary and middle school students. Both boys and girls will enjoy the story. The beginning hooks the reader with the bombing of Leningrad. The story lags just a bit in the middle and the end wraps up just a little too quickly; however, Finding Zasha is still a very engaging read.
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Chigozie obioma offers a narrative that transcends bullets and politics..
The Biafran War (1967–1970) was Nigeria’s big “what if?” civil war, in which the oil-rich Biafra region broke from the greater Nigerian nation in response to repeated oppression of the Igbo people, Obioma’s own ethnic group. It is a war that figures heavily in Igbo identity—with echoes in the writing of Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, among many others—and a source of both pride and sorrow.
What Kunle discovers as he is tossed into a larger conflict is the power of brothers (and sisters) in the face of danger and oppression. He muses: “In war, every soldier comes to understand that faced with the possibility of cruel and sudden death, what they fear most is being alone.” The brotherhood of war friends that emerges includes a poetry-spouting soldier named Felix and a pious, reserved comrade nicknamed Fada, and this varied fellowship ushers a half-hearted and awkward Kunle into the maturing environs of war. Ultimately, the novel expands beyond Kunle’s ill-planned search and rescue mission to a broader meditation on war and friendship, loss and lament for a country that would never be.
You’ll find elements of classic war stories like The Things They Carried and The Red Badge of Courage here, and thanks to Obioma’s exquisite research you’ll learn much about the Biafran War and Europeans’ fetishization of it. But your expectations are likely to be quickly expanded as Obioma’s narrative becomes infused with the spiritual tendencies of his Igbo heritage, conveying an imagination that spans time and materiality in a way that only the greats—writers like Gabriel García Márquez, Jorge Luis Borges, and Ursula K. Le Guin—can accomplish. We need novelists like Obioma to remind us that the barriers between the physical and metaphysical are not as rigid as we may think—and that our narratives of pain and loss are not the final story.
Aaron Brown teaches English at LeTourneau University and is author of the memoir Less Than What You Once Were .
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amazon. In a prequel to Saving Zasha (2011), Barrow provides a mildly harrowing depiction of life in Russia during World War II. Speaking in a plausible first-person voice, 12-year-old Ivan, a talented concertina player, begins the war living in Leningrad. Conditions swiftly deteriorate as the Germans both bomb and lay siege to the city.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers. Show full review. 2 likes. Like. Comment. Ethan. 11 reviews 1 follower. Currently reading. March 23, 2018. ... Finding Zasha is another book circulating the events of WWII except for one big reason, it stands apart from other books. I read a lot of books about people's experience with ...
Book Review: Finding Zasha, by Randi Barrow (Scholastic, 2013) Recommended for ages 9-14. Author Randi Barrow's debut novel, Saving Zasha, was one of my favorite historical fiction titles of 2011, and was recognized with many honors. Not only was it terrific historical fiction, it was a great dog story, one that could appeal equally to both ...
Book 1. Saving Zasha. by Randi Barrow. 4.18 · 2,725 Ratings · 372 Reviews · published 2011 · 21 editions. In post WWII Russia, one boy dares to save an enti…. Want to Read. Rate it:
Rating: 5 stars. "Finding Zasha" is the companion story to " Saving Zasha " by Randi Barrow. Barrow obviously loves dogs and clearly understands the emotional connection one can have with a puppy or adult dog. This novel, "Finding Zasha," is actually a prequel to the earlier work. The setting is Russia during World War II.
Books. Finding Zasha. Randi Barrow. Scholastic Inc., Jan 1, 2013 - Juvenile Fiction - 352 pages. A heroic and daring WWII story perfect for fans of Alan Gratz and Jennifer A. Nielsen! In 1941, the Germans began the long, bloody siege on Leningrad. During the chaos, twelve-year-old Ivan is sent to live with relatives when his mother's job is ...
Finding Zasha has 5 reviews and 7 ratings. Reviewer betawolf09 wrote: "This is a GREAT book in WW2 i def. recomend"
Finding Zasha. Hardcover - January 1, 2013. by Randi Barrow (Author) 4.7 129 ratings. See all formats and editions. Randi Barrow is back with another gripping heroic World War II story about a boy and his best friend, a German shepherd! In 1941, the Germans began the long, bloody siege on Leningrad. During the chaos, twelve-year-old Ivan is ...
Finding Zasha - Ebook written by Randi Barrow. Read this book using Google Play Books app on your PC, android, iOS devices. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read Finding Zasha.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Finding Zasha at Amazon.com. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users.
Finding Zasha. Paperback - September 6, 2022. by Randi Barrow (Author) 4.7 129 ratings. See all formats and editions. A heroic and daring WWII story perfect for fans of Alan Gratz and Jennifer A. Nielsen! In 1941, the Germans began the long, bloody siege on Leningrad. During the chaos, twelve-year-old Ivan is sent to live with relatives when ...
Of course, after reading Saving Zasha, we all wondered where she really came from and who was the German soldier she was with.Well, Randi Barrow has written a prequel that pretty much answers those two questions. Finding Zasha begins with the September 1941 Siege of Leningrad. When German soldiers surround the city and cut off all supply lines, life becomes more difficult for everyone living ...
Randi Barrow is back with another gripping heroic World War II story about a boy and his best friend, a German shepherd! In 1941, the Germans began the long, bloody siege on Leningrad. During the chaos, twelve-year-old Ivan is sent to live with relatives when his mother's job is moved to the mountains. But it is a long and dangerous journey to get out of Leningrad. After settling into a new ...
Finding Zasha. Randi Barrow. 4.6 • 34 Ratings; $3.99; $3.99; ... Customer Reviews. Tyler-0-5-1-5 , 05/04/2017. The best book ever Yes the book make more zasha books. Matthew James L , 04/14/2016. Amazing! I think everyone should read this amazing book! More Books Like This My Brother's Secret. 2015 My Friend the Enemy. 2014 Rescue. 2021 MiNRS.
In a prequel to Saving Zasha (2011), Barrow provides a mildly harrowing depiction of life in Russia during World War II. Speaking in a plausible first-person voice, 12-year-old Ivan, a talented concertina player, begins the war living in Leningrad. Conditions swiftly deteriorate as the Germans both bomb and lay siege to the city.
Share Cite. Finding Zasha is a historical young adult novel written by Randi Barrow. Set in 1941, the novel's setting is Russia in the midst of World War II. Leningrad is under siege by German ...
In 1941, the Germans began the long, bloody siege on Leningrad. During the chaos, twelve-year-old Ivan is sent to live with relatives when his mother's job is moved to the mountains. But it is a long and dangerous journey to get out of Leningrad. After settling into a new town it falls under Nazi occupation and Ivan is picked by Axel Recht, an ...
Randi Barrow. 4.41. 39 ratings1 review. One Boy's courageous plan to rescue two dogs from becoming weapons of war..... As WWII rages around him, Ivan sets out to hide from Recht and save both dogs. But when Zasha disappears, Ivan must decide what is more important --- finding Zasha and ricking everything the partisans have worked for, or saving ...
I was therefore excited to read her newest novel, Finding Zasha, a prequel to Saving Zasha. Set in the middle of World War II Russia, Finding Zasha is another page-turner, filled with adventure, danger, and yes, adorable German shepherd puppies being raised by the Nazis for nefarious purposes.
Finding Zasha. This is the prequel to Saving Zasha and is set in 1941 during the German invasion of Russia. The main character is twelve year old Ivan. After an intense bombing of his home city of Leningrad, Ivan and his mother are forced to leave their home. The company Ivan's mother works for is moving operations to the Ural mountains for ...
English. Item Size. 863031179. 343 p. : 22 cm. Twelve-year-old Ivan has escaped from the siege of Leningrad, but when the town he has taken refuge in is occupied by Hitler's troops, he sees his chance to help the partisans he has met--and to rescue two German shepherd puppies, Zasha and Thor, from the cruel Commander Recht. Twelve-year-old Ivan ...
Finding Zasha. Kindle Edition. A heroic and daring WWII story perfect for fans of Alan Gratz and Jennifer A. Nielsen! In 1941, the Germans began the long, bloody siege on Leningrad. During the chaos, twelve-year-old Ivan is sent to live with relatives when his mother's job is moved to the mountains. But it is a long and dangerous journey to get ...
Chigozie Obioma loves to destabilize the way his readers experience the novel as a genre. The Nigerian writer is arguably most daring on this front in his latest novel, in which he delves farther back in time than in The Fishermen (2015) and An Orchestra of Minorities (2019). The Road to the Country is set in Nigeria in the 1960s, the era of the Biafran War, but it is not simply a historical ...
Finding Zasha + Saving Zasha (2-book set) [Randi Barrow] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Finding Zasha + Saving Zasha (2-book set) ... There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Aliyah Thomas. 1.0 out of 5 stars Don't Buy. Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2024. Verified Purchase.