This haunting, heart-stopping middle grade novel follows three of the Wolfskinder, German children left to fend for themselves in the final days of World War II, as they struggle to hold onto themselves and each other while surviving in the wild.
Sometimes it’s good to be wild. Sometimes, you have to be.
When the Russian Army marches into East Prussia at the end of World War II, the Wolf family must flee. Being caught by the Russians or Americans would be the end for them. Liesl, Otto, and baby Mia’s father has already been captured, and they get separated from their mother in a blizzard after only a few days on the run.
Liesl promised Mama that she’d keep her brother and sister safe, no matter what. They’ll forage in the forests if they have to. Little do they know at the start that there are hundreds of other parentless children doing the same thing. And they far too quickly learn that, sometimes, to survive, you have to do bad things.
Dangerous things. Wild things. Sometimes you must become a wolf.
Topics Brothers and sisters. Lost children. Survival. Refugees. World War II (1939–1945). Germans. Lithuania. East Prussia (Poland and Russia). Family. Orphans and foster homes. Wolfskinder.
Lexile 720L
Trim Size 8 3/10" x 5 1/2"
JLG Span Fall
Language English
Rights type Print
Publication date 2022-03-07
JLG Release Date Sep 2022
Minimum grade 5
Maximum grade 8
Reading level Middle
Format Print
Realistic Fiction Middle Plus (Grades 5-8)
Realistic Fiction Middle Plus
Realistic Fiction Middle Plus (Grades 5-8)
For Grades 5-8
This 14-book category features stories with relatable characters that portray believable contemporary or historical real-life experiences.