A dramatic story about how a young boy manages to survive on the streets of Moscow cared for only by dogs. Mishka is only five when his world falls apart. When his mother mysteriously vanishes, Mishka learns how to survive in the hard life of the streets. Here, gangs of children run wild, begging and stealing to stay alive. Dirty, cold and hungry, they are easy targets for everyone including the older, bullying boys who promise to take care of them. Mishka finds a novel way out when he decides to stay with a pack of feral dogs instead. Despite the gruelling hardship at its core, Mishka’s story is touchingly told capturing the innocence which the small boy never looses.
Ivan and his mother and grandmother are happy together. Then Grandmother dies, and he comes along making Ivan share his mother. When Mother disappears, he insists he doesn't know what has happened, and Ivan finds himself alone, cold and abandoned on the streets of Moscow, with little chance to make it through the harsh winter. Help comes in an unexpected form: Ivan is adopted by a pack of dogs. The creatures quickly become more than just his street companions, they are his family. But Ivan can't stay hidden from the world for ever...
If you enjoyed this story of survival against the odds, you might also like Into ThatForest by Louis Nowra - click here to download the opening extract.
[A] first-person narrative in beautifully composed writing enhanced by Ivan's visual acuity and depth of emotion. Terrifying, life-affirming and memorable. - Kirkus (Starred Review)
The book's emotional impact is immense. - Publisher's Weekly
Selected for Kirkus Reviews' 100 best children’s books of 2012 - Kirkus
Author
About Bobbie Pyron
Bobbie Pyron has a degree in Psychology and Anthropology and a Master's Degree in Library Science. Bobbie is the author of THE RING and A DOG'S WAY HOME. Active in the librarian community both on the Utah State and national levels, she is a lifelong proponent of children's books across all genres. She lives in Park City, Utah, with her husband.
