A True World War II Story of Wojtek the Bear and the Soldiers Who Loved Him
Written by Susan Hood, Illustrated by Jamie Green
I had never heard of this WWII story and found it fascinating! In 1942, a group of weary Polish troops and civilian travelers met a young boy in the mountains of Persia. He was holding a sack with a very squirmy companion. It was a little orphan bear cub and the boy gave him away for a few coins. This Syrian brown bear quickly grew into a morale builder for all the war-weary troops who had suffered loss. A general agreed to adopt the bear and the troops named him Wojtek (VOY-tek), a short Polish name that means “happy warrior.” Wojtek slept in a tent right next to the soldiers and quickly grew while eating the same diet as the Allied troops. He even liked to spar playfully with two teenage soldiers named Henryk and Dymitr.
After two years of training in the Middle East, the Polish soldiers were ready to go back to the front lines, this time with Private Wojtek in tow. It took special approval, but the bear made the trip to Italy with the soldiers. There’s even a legend about how Wojtek helped the Allied troops at the battle of Monte Cassino by lifting crates of ammunition into a truck!
Kids who love books about animals, history, and WWII will love this story. There is excellent material at the back of the book adding much more information, a timeline, and archival photos of Wojtek. This would be a fun book to put out during Veteran’s day or to tie in with any discussion about animals in the armed forces.
Reviewed by Andrea LeBaron, Librarian, Upland Terrace Elementary
Review shared in November 2022
Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 2-6
Brothers in Arms: A True World War II Story of Wojtek the Bear and the Soldiers Who Loved Him
Written by Susan Hood, Illustrated by Jamie Green
Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers
48 pages
Release Date: October 4, 2022
ISBN: 9780063064768
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
