Read the true story of a war hero bear from his earliest beginnings as an orphaned bear cub through to his time helping soldiers on the front line in World War Two and onwards to after the war as he settles in Scotland with the veteran soldiers he was brought up with. Bestselling children's author Jenny Robertson explores the themes of friendship and trust between human and bear in this moving and inspirational story, based on the true events of one of the most amazing stories of animal heroism ever.
When a tiny orphaned bear cub is adopted by Polish soldiers during World War II, little does anyone know that little Wojtek will become one of the bravest fighters of them all. As the soldiers train to take part in some of the fiercest fighting of the war, Wojtek grows up, providing headaches and laughter in equal measure as he learns to drink beer, chase horses and wrestle with his human friends. But at Monte Cassino, as the Allies try and dislodge German troops from their mountain-top eyrie, Wojtek, now a fully signed-up soldier with his own rank and number, comes into his own, dodging the bullets to carry ammunition to his comrades as they inch their way to victory. After the war, the Polish solders move to Scotland. Wojtek comes too and soon becomes the centre of attention in a new country. But with hostilities ended, how long can he keep his freedom?
Jenny Robertson has written numerous books for children and adults – fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Her children’s novels and Bible stories have been widely translated and also read on Yorkshire Television and STV. She is currently working on a series of adventure stories for children set in a land on the edge of Europe.
