As the end of World War II looms the Red Army are marching in to East Prussia. Liesl, Otto, Mia, Mama, Oma and Opa watch as Papa puts on a uniform and walks away to be solider. It is October 1944 and Papa has a bad leg which was crushed when he was a boy. Joining his father is a neighbour who is missing three fingers and young Jacob who is only sixteen. Up until this time the family have expressed their loyalty to Hitler and to Germany but this is about to change. By December twenty-third food is chronically short and Mama is forced to trade her beautiful pearls in exchange for their Christmas lunch goose. The next day there is a knock at their door. Papa is missing in action. On the twelfth of January school is cancelled and within days the family are forced to flee.
Mama packs dinner plates, a silver sugar bowl, the mantel clock, the family photo album and clothes including her best dress. Some of this seems odd but it also shows the panic and uncertainly of this terrifying situation. Wisely, though, Mama sews her jewellery into the linings of the children's clothes.
The small group set off on their dangerous journey. They do have a horse but Oma is old, it is freezing cold and there is no food or shelter. Eventually they are forced to dispose of almost everything they have bought. Opa takes two photos from the album and he explains to Liesl that she must not forget her name and the names of her family. Liesl Anna Wolf; Otto Friedrich Wolf; Mia Hilda Wolf; Erich - her father; Anna - her mother. When the group move on this time they leave Oma and Opa behind and later they loose Mama too. Now the three young children must find a way to survive and continue their journey to the promised safety of Lithuania. While the children do encounter kindness they also meet people who betray and terrify them.
Katrina Nannestad read the story of Wolfskinder and she was intrigued by the story from World War II of the thousands of displaced children who were "orphaned, abandoned or simply lost". Children who were forced to live in the forests and abandoned houses stealing and foraging for food.
Background reading:
- Wolfskinder Project Blog
- DW German Broadcaster 2013 Article Lost and forgotten: German Wolf children in Lithuania by Monika Griebeler (Teachers only - not suitable to share with young children)
- Wikipedia - Wolf Children
Here are some teaching notes from Harper Collins. Huge thanks to Beachside Bookshop for my advance reader copy of We are Wolves. You can read some review comments by other Australia authors here. This book is due for publication on 29th October this year. I am certain We are Wolves will be short listed by the CBCA in 2021. I highly recommend this book for mature readers aged 10+.
I would follow We are Wolves with:
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