Soldaat Wojtek

by Bibi Dumon Tak

Based on a real series of events that happened during World War II, Soldier Bear tells the story of an orphaned bear cub adopted by a group of Polish soldiers in Iran. The soldiers raise the bear and eventually enlist him as a soldier to ensure that he stays with the company. He travels with them from Iran to Italy, and then on to Scotland. Voytek's mischief gets him into trouble along with way, but he also provides some unexpected encouragement for the soldiers amidst the reality of war: Voytek learns to carry bombs for the company, saves the camp from a spy, and keeps them constantly entertained with his antics.
Always powerful and surprising, Bibi Dumon Tak's story offers readers a glimpse at this fascinating piece of history.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Animals, Childrens, Middle Grade, Historical, War, Fiction

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many writers have made it clear just how hellish war is, and how hard it is to hold onto the shreds of humanity that exist in the hearts of soldiers during conflict. Based on actual events that occurred during WWII, this story describes how a group of Polish soldiers stationed in Iran adopt a Syrian brown bear cub who becomes the mascot and symbol of the transport company of the 2nd Polish Corps. As the cub grows to become more than six feet tall, he and the other animals that accompany the troops, two dogs and a monkey, provide entertainment, affection, and distraction from the relentless war. Private Voytek, as the bear comes to be known, even sleeps in the bed with one of the soldiers, Peter, and goes with the men to Egypt, Scotland, and Italy. Of course, the mischievous bear causes lots of trouble--after all, he's a bear--but he also regards himself as one of the troops, even carrying bombs for the company and flushing out a spy. But there's something comforting about having him around, and the five men who spend so much time with him--as well as the 120 soldiers in the company--were able to forget the horrors of war briefly as the result of having him around as well as draw courage from his example. The book includes photographs of Voytek, and a brief afterword explains what happened to him after the war had ended. Middle grade readers will find this gentle story appealing, describing so vividly how one animal really did make a difference in the lives of those he met. The ravages of war lurk just around the next page in this book, but readers also have a chance to smile and laugh at the idea of grown men trying to keep a hungry bear away from the peaches reserved for the men's dessert. What an intriguing aspect of unknown--to me!--WWII history!

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing true story! And you just couldn’t ask for a better read-aloud book to share with your 3rd or 4th grader who is ready for that transition to stories with a little difficult material. Mostly, this book is pure fun. But one chapter (ch. 14) addresses--very tactfully and responsibly--the realities of war. Another (ch. 19) deals with the sad fate of one of the book’s four animal characters. My daughter went from sheer delight, to convincing herself not to cry, and then to declaring this her "favorite book ever."

[Kailyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cool story! And based on real events!

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this unusual novel, though it hardly seemed like a children's book, as the characters were all Polish soldiers and animals. Translated from the Dutch, this story based on true events is about a group of Polish soldiers captured by the Russians in World War II and sent to join the British in Iran. While in the desert one day, the group encounters a young boy with a baby bear in a sack, which they obtain by trading food for the bear. They keep it as a pet and mascot, and the bear travels with them from Iran to Iraq to Egypt and across the Mediterranean to Italy, where the fighting is occurring, and, after the war, all the way to Scotland. It's an absolutely delightful tale, despite the wartime setting. Young readers will enjoy the antics of the bear and his other animal friends--two dogs and a monkey. The author thoughtfully provides a few photos at the end of the book of the real Voytek the bear and one of the Polish soldiers. This book won the 2012 Mildred L. Batchelder Award for best translation into English, and rightfully so. Highly recommended for adults and kids.

[Marijt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dit boek wilde ik jaren geleden al lezen. Vanwege 'Heel de klas leest' lag hij klaar op mijn bureau en las ik het zó weg. Een waargebeurd dierenverhaal in een historische setting. Als dat geen bruikbaar leermateriaal is?! En dan ook nog door Bibi Dumon Tak. Fijn dat de illustraties van Philip Hopman behouden zijn, ook in de goedkope campagne uitgave.
Tof om dit verhaal met een klas te lezen en de zwakke en of ongemotiveerde lezers samen (voorlezen, samenlezen, laten luisteren) de beer Wojtek en het verhaal in het hart te sluiten.
En dan natuurlijk een prikbord vullen met kaarten, een tijdlijn en eventueel aanvullende informatie en foto's. En ok, je mag wat mij betreft dit boek ook lezen in mei rondom het thema WO2. Als je het maar samen leest en beleeft;-)

Reflectieve dimensie - Groep 6/7/8 & VO OB VMBO

[Biebjuf Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat een goede keuze voor “Heel de klas leest 2025” ! Met dit boek kun je als leerkracht zoveel! Kom maar op met die mooie gesprekken, fact-check-opdrachten en het uitstippelen van de routekaart en tijdlijn!

Leeftijd 10+

[Mariefenneke van der Sluis - de Vries · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gelezen dankzij de actie van Heel De Klas Leest. Bibi Dumon Tak houdt van verhalen waarin dieren een hoofdrol spelen en kijkt hierbij naar het waargebeurde verhaal. Ook dit verhaal van beer Wojtek tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog weet ze heel mooi, spannend en ontroerend op papier te zetten. Er zitten vele lagen in het verhaal waarbij je over onderwerpen als WO2, Rusland, Polen en de emoties die er naar boven komen, in het bespreken van het verhaal. Je voelt hoe de soldaten zich destijds gevoeld moeten hebben. Mooi verhaal over een bijzondere beer.

[Frederieke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wat een fijn oorlogsverhaal dankzij die grote knuffelbeer Wojtek. Door alle gekke acties miste ik soms wel wat diepgang.

[Margo Tanenbaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

n this charming novel for children, Dutch author Bibi Dumon Tak fictionalizes the true story of an orphaned Syrian brown bear cub who's adopted by a group of Polish soldiers during World War II, eventually becoming the unit's beloved mascot. The mischievous bear cub was named Voytek (smiling warrior) by the soldiers. As the soldiers journeyed through Iran and Iraq on their way to their assignment in Palestine to join their Brtish allies, even the officers softened at the adorable teddy bear of a cub. But of course, cute little cubs soon grow big, and Voytek soon is getting into plenty of trouble, especially with the resident monkey, Kaska, who loved to throw stones, sand, or whatever she could find at poor Voytek's head. But that wasn't the whole menagerie that followed the soldiers around; there was also a dog named Stalin, who Kaska liked to hitch rides on, and a dalmatian who loved to romp around with the bear.

Tak writes about the soldiers and their animal friends with such good humor that I found myself laughing out loud at their antics, especially touching in the middle of a war. When the soldiers are sent to supply Allied troops in Italy, Voytek takes his place helping to move live artillery shells, when he's not stealing food from the cook or sliding up and down cranes like an acrobat, stopping traffic as soldiers stopped to cheer him on.

While a story of a tamed bear who's goodnaturedly given chocolate, beer, and cigarettes isn't quite "politically correct" for today's American audience, I was charmed by the story of Voytek, his animal friends, and the soldiers who loved them in the middle of wartime. The book is greatly enriched by the pencil drawings of Dutch illustrator Philip Hopman, which perfectly capture the humor and pathos of the story. Any animal lover will be delighted by the story of lonely soldiers, little more than boys themselves, cuddling up at night with a furry bear, who liked to suck on their fingers at night as a sort of human pacifier.

The conclusion of the book includes some photographs of Voytek with his soldier buddies, as well as an afterword about Voytek's true story.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book through the ALSC Website. This book was the 2012 winner of the Batchelder Award. The story takes place during World War II and is about a group of Polish soldiers who decide to take in a Syrian brown bear cub they find in Iran. The bear soon becomes a mascot for the company and helps the soldiers keep their minds off of the war taking place around them. Voytek, as they name him, is always getting into trouble but serves as entertainment for the soldiers. He is then enlisted as a soldier and helps catch a spy and carry ammunition. The story uses historical elements to tell the point of view of the soldiers that were traveling for battle in World War II. This story is based on true events and has photographs at the end of the book of the real Voytek.

I think this book is able to explain some of the hardships of war but keeps it upbeat through Voytek and his adventures. There are simple maps throughout the story to help the reader understand the path the soldiers are taking on their journey. I would recommend this book for grades 3-6 because of the elements of war that might be harder to understand for younger students. This book could be used to help explain one aspect of World War II to students in a simple and fun way.

[Dolly]

Based on true events, this story takes the reader on a wartime journey with a group of Polish soldiers and the bear they adopt.

interesting quotes:

"'It's like a nightmare. A really bad one, Peter said.
'But this dream's only too real,' Stanislav replied, staring out of the window with a stunned look on his face." (p. 77)

" ." (p. )

" ." (p. )

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heel de klas leest 2025

Wat genieten mijn klas en ik van dit boek! Doelen van de begrijpend lezen lessen erbij en lezen maar!

Ik vertel de klas: 'Belangrijk! Je mag deze week niet zelf verder lezen!' 'Ahhhh nee!' Roept de klas. Heerlijk!

Volgende dag: 'Juf? Gaan we vandaag weer Begrijpend lezen doen?' Dat heb ik nog nooit gehoord :).

[Ksenia]

I love this story (the real life story, and as it is described in this book). This is the book I recommend to people when I tell them about this unknown piece of Polish and WWII history. Beautifully retold!

[Sanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dit jaar heb ik het doel meer jeugdboeken te lezen. Bibi Dumon Tak kan hierbij natuurlijk niet ontbreken.

Soldaat Wojtek is een teder verhaal over Poolse soldaten die een beer vinden en opvoeden. Wojtek wordt een vriend, een rokende, drinkende knuffel- en stoeivriend. Aandoenlijk!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on real events is this imagined account of a bear that accompanied five Polish soldiers who traveled from their beloved Poland to the British Isles then to the middle east, where they found a bear cub in the middle of a desert, finally to Italy, then to Scotland, and home. The adventures also involve two dogs and a monkey-a total menagerie that traveled with these men. In the earlier parts of the story, they had to gain permission to keep the animals, but soon, they endeared themselves to whole camps, providing comic relief and love in this time of such hardship. It’s a fascinating story of love and patience along with the sadness of war. At the end are pictures of the bear and one of the soldiers along with a little bit more information. I found the book a little slow at times, although I always wanted to know what was going to happen next. Some of the students at school, middle grades, have read and enjoyed the book.

[Ria]

Eenmaal Soldaat Wojtek gelezen blijft dit bijzondere verhaal over een bruine beer en vijf Poolse soldaten je bij. De beer is soldaat der eerste klasse Wojtek. De vijf Polen waren gevlucht naar Iran nadat ze uit Russisch gevangenschap waren vrijgelaten. Naar huis gaan is niet mogelijk. Als ze onderweg zijn naar Palestina om een legerkamp te bevoorraden ontmoeten ze een jongen met een berenjong. In ruil voor wat voedsel gaat het beertje met hen mee in de jeep. Het is dan 1942.

Voor meer hierover: https://lezersgoud.nl/bibi-dumon-tak-...
en aantal boekentips waarin dieren en WOII voorkomen.

[Kimberly Wees]

Audience: 4th to 8th grade students study WWII history.

Appeal: This is a great and easy read for students interested in WWII. The story is about a bear who gets bought and is used for work. There is talk about the history of WWII but not in too much detail that it's overbearing. It focuses more on the importance of having a friend and companion in times of trouble and strife. It talks about getting through things together and that having somebody with you is all you need in life.

Batchelder Award winners: 2012

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Voytek is the kind of pet any child would love to imagine. He is so much more delightful because this is based on a true story --he really was a member of an allied military division and he truly made the war more "bearable," even enjoyable for the soldiers who befriended him and all others who encountered him. This book evokes a lot more laughter than tears. It also includes interesting historical context, including maps of WWII regions and a simple, "kid-speak" version of Poland's unique predicaments at the beginning and end of the war.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soldier Bear does what the Voytek does for the soldiers - lightens, appropriately, a hard time in our history. The voice of the story is slightly younger than the story itself perhaps, but I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will recommend it for purchase for our library. It also provides a non-American, tho pro-American, look at WWII balancing the harshness of war with the lightness of a bear's unusual role in wartime.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank goodness for the Batchelder Award, without which I probably would have never heard of this book, much less picked it up. This is a fabulous story, and based on the true story of the bear who was enlisted in the Polish army. I thought it showed how hard war can be but how something to care for and love (the adorable and rambunctious bear) helped these soldiers make it from day to day. It is a beautiful story.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Dutch import tells a great story based on real events from World War II. Readers will be charmed by the playful antics of Private Voytek.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the perfect kind of book for introducing kids to unbelievably tragic world history events -- animal(s), humorous moments, and an ending that's not too unbearable (I had to).

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soldier Bear won the Batchelder Award in 2012. It is written by Bibi Dumon Tak and translated by Laura Watkinson. I found this book on Epic! and enjoyed reading it. There was no read aloud option, so I read the story myself.

Soldier Bear is based on a real story of a bear cub that was found and adopted by Polish soldiers during World War II. A soldier, Peter, finds Voytek (which means "smiling warrior" in Polish) and instantly falls in love. Voytek travels to many different countries with the soldiers as they complete their transport duties. This includes traveling through dangerous war zones. Although the bear causes lots of mischief in the camps, the soldiers love him and could not imagine their time serving without him. Voytek not only keeps the spirits' of the soldiers high during stressful times, he also helps them in war. He helps the soldiers capture a spy in their camp and also transport deadly weapons. As Peter states, the bear helps "Make the war easier to bear" (Tak, 2011, p. 63). The soldiers can talk with Voytek and also count on him to make them laugh. The bear captures every soldier's heart, while also helping them get through their dangerous jobs and take their minds off of war and death. It is hard not to fall in love with Voytek while reading this beautiful story!

Bibi Dumon Tak does an excellent job of weaving historical elements into this story. The story definitely had me giggling at times, but then when the war elements arose, my mood completely changed. I also loved the conversations between soldiers and Voytek. All of the soldiers were trying to act strong, but would talk to the bear and tell him their true feelings. For example, in chapter 11 Stanislav compares the rain storm that occurred on the boat to the war that was taking place all around them. I think that using the storm as a sign or symbol to foreshadow the war ahead of them was a beautiful literary element that Tak used. These conversations allowed readers to truly understand how much the bear meant to all the soldiers and what their relationship was like. It also demonstrated the toll the war took on the soldiers.

Another historical element that was helpful to have while reading was the map text feature. The author included maps showing where the soldiers were traveling throughout the story. This helps the readers better understand the setting and where the soldiers would be transporting their goods.

This would be a great book for fifth grade or middle school students to read! When World War II is covered in social studies, this would be a perfect read aloud. This story offers goofy moments that will have the whole class laughing while also having some students hold back tears in other parts (especially if you are an animal lover like me!). It demonstrates true feelings and events of World War II as well, so it would be a great connection to the content being learned.

As mentioned in chapter 5 our course text, "Children's Books in Children's Hands: A Brief Introduction to Their Literature", while reading international children's literature there may be content or events that occur that are not usually in books written in English (Temple, 2018). With that in mind, there were multiple points in this book where the soldiers and the bear were drinking vodka and beer and also smoking. If you read this with older students, surely they will know what this is, but it is definitely worth noting that a conversation needs to be had regarding this. This would be a great discussion to have with students about drinking and smoking.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I think it has a great mix of humor, history, and emotions. I definitely recommend this book for educators of middle school!

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable book that conveys just how beneficial animal friends can be in the darkest of times. Yes, this book is based on a true story! I love how Voytek was able to be trained to carry ammo and serve in the Polish army, it goes to show how smart animals are. As a wizened wizard once said, "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if only one remembers to turn on the light." In the context of this book, the dark times are war and "to turn on the light" is caring for and raising the bear. But in my opinion, the book wasn't quite as good as I would have preferred. The following listed are the 4 main things that I didn't really like about this book: 1.Lack of female characters. I know that the story takes place during WWII and that few women served in the Polish army, but still, the lack of strong female characters annoys me. And the ONE FEMALE CHARACTER,(a monkey, by the way) who was even a bit important, died! Sad. :( 2.Uninteresting main characters. Peter and Stanislav were the human main characters...I think?? Their three best friends are dull to read about and don't have any significant character traits. Even Peter and Stanislav were kind of boring at times. I know that Voytek is the center of attention in the book, but I would prefer to have slightly more interesting human characters. 3.Kaska's death. She was such a cute little monkey and had conflict with Voytek at first, but then they made up and shortly after, Kaska died! I get that this book is based on a true story, but I would have liked to see Kaska and Voytek's friendship grow after they stopped fighting. 4. Little obvious plot structure, conflict, or character roles. The beginning was the soldiers getting to know and raise Voytek, but after that it mostly felt like a bunch of random events and crazy antics done by Voytek until the war was over, with a few truly important plot points scattered throughout the story. Characters and conflict: The protagonist is Peter, who's taking care of Voytek, right? Right...? The antagonist? The war itself? Society? It's hard to figure out. But anyway, there you have it, my thoughts and complaints on the book Soldier Bear. I enjoyed it, but I've reviewed better books. But remember, these are my opinions, and some readers may have noticed details about the book that I might have overlooked. If any of you did, please write them in the comments. If you really like heartwarming animal stories and the WWII time period, then you would probably enjoy this book.

[Gail Sacharski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing story I'd never heard about. In the beginnings of WWII, two Polish boys who were best friends lost track of each other during the fighting between Germans & Russians over their country. Eventually, they both joined the army &, as they were preparing to be shipped out of Poland, they ran into each other again. In their unit, they soon met three others & became close friends who stuck together. They became a part of the transport troops who provided supplies to other army units who were fighting on the front lines. While traveling in Syria, they met a young boy with a sack who offered to sell it to them for food & the money they had so they bought it. They could see there was a livng creature inside, but they were surprised to discover they'd purchased a Syrian brown bear cub who was very young & nearly dead. Being softhearted, they couldn't leave it to die, so they took it back to camp & named it Voytek. They nursed it back to health & made a pet of him. Voytek loved his soldier friends, especially Peter, with whom he slept every night. He was a curious cub & liked exploring, riding in the front seat of their truck cab, playing in the water in the showering tent, eating snacks provided from the cook's tent, & making friends with other animals in the camp--a dalmatian dog named Dottie, a parrot, a big wolfhound named Stalin & a monkey named Kaska who didn't like him. As Voytek grew, he loved helping his soldier friends, but mostly getting into trouble. When a commanding officer came for an inspection, he was surprised to see Voytek in the work line passing mortar shells & ammunition from one soldier to another as they unloaded supplies. The soldiers explained that Voytek was their mascot, had been made a Private in their Polish Transport Corps, boosted their morale, & had singlehandedly captured a German spy. The C.O. allowed him to stay. Voytek spent several years with the troop traveling through Syria, TransJordan, Egypt, & Italy providing supplies & transport to those fighting on the front lines. He was known throughout the British & American troops & had many adventures. When the war ended, he was sent to Scotland with his Polish unit while they waited for their country to be cleared of occupying troops & he became just as popular there. This is a true story & there are pictures at the end of the book. It was so fascinating & I loved it.

[Kiki · Rating 4 out of 5]

- 4 stars -

Wie gelooft er dat een Syrische bruine beer meevocht in de Tweede Wereldoorlog? Dat hij sigaretten rookte, stiekem de keuken plunderde en 's nachts in de slaapzak kroop bij zijn lievelingssoldaat.

Soldaat Wojtek vertelt het waargebeurde verhaal van een Syrische bruine beer die tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog door Poolse soldaten werd geadopteerd. Wojtek groeit uit van een jonge, speelse welp tot een volwaardig lid van het leger. Hij helpt de soldaten met zware taken, zoals het dragen van munitiekisten, en wordt een symbool van kameraadschap, hoop en doorzettingsvermogen in donkere tijden.

»»——⍟——««

Soldaat Wojtek verteld het waargebeurde verhaal over een bijzondere vriendschap tussen soldaten en een Syrische bruine beer tijdens de tweede wereldoorlog. Gedurende het verhaal wordt je steeds verder meegenomen in de oorlog, en het gene wat de soldaten meemaken. Je leert de verschillende taken die Soldaat Wojtek binnen het corps heeft; zo helpt de beer met het tillen van munitiekisten. Maar hij zorgt ook voor veel afleiding tijdens de donkere tijden.

Soldaat Wojtek is een echt verhaal over vriendschap, die zelfs in de meest donkere tijden wint. Het is onwijs mooi geschreven en makkelijk te lezen. In het verhaal zit veel humor verwerkt, met name ontremd Wojtek. Maar ook heftigere en serieuze onderwerpen komen aan bod.

»»——⍟——««

Quotes:
''Wij zijn vrienden en we laten elkaar niet in de steek.''

''Dit schip gaat ons afzetten op de oevers van hel. Wie vaart er nu rechtstreeks op de hel af? Iedereen wil toch de andere kant op?''

''Dat hoorde toch bij oorlog? Niemand zanikte over een soldaat meer of minder. Het draaide allemaal om overleven, en wie stierf telde niet mee, die had voorgoed verloren.''

''Hoe kon het toch dat er overal rode klaprozen bloeide? Sommige velden kleurde helemaal rood.''
''Van ons bloed.''
''Voor elke soldaat één.''

''Misschien is het buiten oorlog, dacht hij, maar hier in mijn tent is het eindelijk vrede.''

''Zolang we vooruit blijven rijden winnen we. En zolang we winnen gaan we vooruit.''

''Wojtek gaf de 120 soldaten van zijn compagnie tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog iedere dag de moed op pad te gaan om Europa te bevrijden. En niet alleen de soldaten van de bevoorrading gaf hij moed, maar iedereen die hem zag sjouwen vergat even de ellende om zich heen, of het nu een hoog geplaatste kolonel was of en Italiaans jochie van tien. Wojtek hielp de oorlog te verzachten.''

[Juf Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Soldaat Wojtek van Bibi Dumon Tak is een waargebeurd en bijzonder jeugdboek over vriendschap, moed en menselijkheid in een tijd van oorlog. Het verhaal volgt een groep Poolse soldaten die hun land moeten ontvluchten en via een lange, gevaarlijke route terechtkomen bij het geallieerde leger.

Onderweg kruist een onverwachte reisgenoot hun pad: een jonge Siberische bruine beer die al snel uitgroeit tot een vast onderdeel van de groep. Wojtek reist mee in de trucks, leeft tussen de soldaten en speelt een opvallende rol binnen het bataljon. Zijn aanwezigheid laat zien hoe zorg voor elkaar en vertrouwen kunnen ontstaan, zelfs in de meest onzekere omstandigheden. De beer is vaak ondeugend, wat het lezen luchtig en grappig maakt, en daarnaast komen er meerdere dierenpersonages in het verhaal voor, zoals het aapje Kaska en de hond Stalin, die het verhaal levendig en speels maken.

Bibi Dumon Tak vertelt dit indrukwekkende verhaal in heldere, toegankelijke taal, zonder de zwaarte van de oorlog uit de weg te gaan. Ik kan me voorstellen dat het soms lastig kan zijn voor jonge lezers om het stukje van de oorlog helemaal goed te volgen, maar de illustraties van Philip Hopman helpen hierbij en maken de personages en gebeurtenissen extra duidelijk.

Soldaat Wojtek is een indrukwekkend boek dat geschiedenis tastbaar maakt voor jonge lezers, en laat zien dat menselijkheid en verbondenheid soms op de meest onverwachte plekken te vinden zijn. Een verhaal dat je bijblijft en nieuwsgierig maakt om verder te lezen.

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soldier Bear is based on the true little-known (to me anyway) story of a bear cub that was adopted by a group of Polish soldiers during World War II in Iran.  This story was translated from Dutch and was the winner of the 2012 Batchelder award. They name the bear Voytek, and he quickly becomes the mascot and symbol of the transport company of the 2nd Polish Corps. He and the other animals that accompany the troops, two dogs and a mischievous monkey, provide entertainment, affection, and a much needed distraction from the relentless war.  Voytek provides a sense of comfort for not only the five men who spend so much time with him but for the 120 other soldiers in the company as well.  As it does take place during World War II the realities of war do weigh heavy on this book, Voytek carries bombs and even outs a spy. The authors are able to incorporate the way that Voytek served as an important source of encouragement and entertainment against the backdrop of the death and destruction of war.  Animal lovers will enjoy this book, as well as middle grade readers who may be interested in expanding their knowledge of World War II.  The book includes some black and white illustrations, photographs of Voytek, and an afterword that explains what happened to him after the war had ended. 

[Victoria Strong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plot summary: The war for a group of Polish soldiers turns on its head when they take in a bear cub from the mountains of Iran. The bear, Voytek, grows in size and mischief with every day, and despite the ridiculous situations he puts the soldiers through, he becomes a beloved member of the Polish army and a mascot of hope.

Personal reaction: I loved this book! It was so fun to read about Voytek- especially because most if not all of the stories are true. It was a simplistic book, but I loved it all the more for it. Perhaps the best review, however, is my little brother giggling as he read it to himself.

Critical insight: Yes, this book is simplistic and overall very lighthearted, but it does manage to give you a taste of what the war was like, and what the average soldier's day would look like (minus the mischievous bear). It also played with themes that are always valuable, such as true friendship.

Suggested audience: Anyone old enough to understand. It really is enjoyable to all ages, and it'd probably be great as a read-aloud.

[Katey Magill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Children's authors who write about difficult historical moments and manage to convey the depth of the sadness or horror without burdening children beyond their ability have my admiration. I thought Bibi Dumon Tak did a good job striking this balance in this WW2 book. There is one chapter with some details I skipped in my reading aloud to my 7 and 4 year old, but it might be fine for an older child.

My 7 year old said it was her favorite read aloud ever. She certainly laughed more than I've ever heard her laugh at a book. She loved the antics of Voytek the bear, but she also felt real sympathy for the humans in their grief and fear.

Also as a heads up- there is a lot of drinking and smoking in the story (not unrealistically for an army camp) that can't easily be edited out if you are reading it aloud to kids because it enters into the story quite a bit