Tug of War

Peterson Family #1

by Joan Lingard

Forced to flee Latvia with their family in 1944, twins Astra and Hugo journey to Germany in carts, on foot and by boat. But at a crowded station, Hugo is injured and separated from his family. In their subsequent search for each other, Hugo and Astra fear for each other's safety.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, War, Historical, Childrens

186 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Joan Lingard was born in Edinburgh, in the Old Town, but grew up in Belfast where she lived until she was 18. She attended Strandtown Primary and then got a scholarship into Bloomfied Collegiate. She has three daughters and five grandchildren, and now lives in Edinburgh with her Canadian husband.

Lingard has written novels for both adults and children. She is probably most famous for the teenage-aimed Kevin and Sadie series, which have sold over one million copies and have been reprinted many times since.

Her first novel Liam's Daughter was an adult-orientated novel published in 1963. Her first children's novel was The Twelfth Day of July (the first of the five Kevin and Sadie books) in 1970.

Lingard received the prestigious West German award the "Buxtehuder Bulle" in 1986 for Across the Barricades. Tug of War has also received great success: shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal 1989, The Federation of Children's Book Group Award 1989, runner up in the Lancashire Children's Book Club of the year 1990 and shortlisted for the Sheffield Book Award. In 1998, her book Tom and the Tree House won the Scottish Arts Council Children's Book Award. Her most recent novel, What to Do About Holly was released in August 2009.

Lingard was awarded an MBE in 1998 for services to children's literature.

Reviews

[Abigail Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how this book was not about Jews escaping from Germans, but Latvians escaping from Russians. It was great!

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I've read many books set during World War II but never one with Latvian protagonists. Unfortunately it is a trifle clunky and exposition heavy; "The Russians were in Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south." You are aware of the author educating the reader about Latvia instead of feeling yourself in the mind of the characters. Later in the book we have; "They were in the camp for John's Day, a very special day for Latvians, when they celebrate the summer solstice." Again, the reader is having a very special learning experience, not being immeresed in the action.

[Nancy Lockett · Rating 3 out of 5]

WW II in Latvia

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book that I surprisingly enjoyed.

[Miss Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

gr 7-9 194 pgs


1944 Latvia/Germany. !4 year old Astra Peterson and her twin brother Hugo are forced to flee their home when the Russian push out the Nazis who had been occupying Latvia. Under the Nazis, her family had been relatively safe, but under the Russians, her father, an educated man, would most likely be sent to Siberia. As refugees, the Petersons find that they no longer have any control over their daily lives. When they become separated from Hugo, they have no choice, but to continue on. The story shifts between Hugo and Astra as they struggle to survive and hope to find a way to be reunited.

I found the story a little slow, but felt it provided an interesting perspective of the war.

[Magda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I remember enjoying this when I was younger, but now it doesn't impress.