It can be hard to make WWII accessible to younger readers, but I do think the author succeeds here. The illustrations don't really stand out but they do enhance the accessibility.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

This was a short, quick read that pulled at my heartstrings. I liked the fact that the author tried to show the perspective of the German children in WWII and the impact the it had on them. Bruno has to quickly fend for himself once his mother is killed by the Russians, and you get to see him grow quickly as the story progresses. I think this would be a great connection to use when talking to younger children about refugees and war.

The digital version I was sent by Barrington Stoke was beautifully illustrated and well-written as a fictional story, although, as another NetGalley reviewer has commented, the emotive storyline follows the current trend of West good, Russia bad. I'm a little unsure about the believability of the plot, mainly because anti-tank dogs fitted with explosive belts were almost entirely used between 1941 to 1943 as the programme was a failure; most dogs were scared on battlefields and ran back towards the Soviets; they were used to the smell of diesel which Soviets used, whereas the German tanks ran on gas. So many were shot by soldiers before they could inflict damage on their masters' tanks. Also, if Frida was there the Soviets would not be far behind, so they chances of a young boy walking a great distance to Kiel was hard to understand. And as for removing such a sensitive explosive belt with no training, and without it going off and killing boy and dog, well...
I'm from Wales originally, but have been living and working in the military city of Murmansk in Russia for the last 7 years (the people here are generally highly complimentary and appreciative of the part played by the Allied Arctic Convoys in delivering vital aid during the Great Patriotic War. A grandma has retold stories of her life as a small child when the Germans invaded and slaughtered whole villages in the most horrific ways imaginable, and she escaped with her mum and two siblings to the forest and lived off berries, wild mushrooms, water from puddles, and raw grass to survive. Inevitably, these attrocities caused resentment and when Russia gained the upper hand the troops were hell-bent on eeking out revenge. As has been said, it's always ordinary folk who suffer most.

The companions

It is 1945 and the Russians are fast closing in on war torn Germany. Bruno and his mother must flee the Russian's if they are to survive the war. In the process of fleeing to his grandparents in Kiev he finds himself alone and scared.

Bruno runs into a huge black dog . The dog is a Russian suicide dog strapped with explosives. At first Bruno is scared of the dog but then he realizes she is just as scared as he is. Bruno is scared of the Russians and he realizes that the dog is just as scared and they become companions as they flee across Germany.

This book is a short children's book on the war. It is written so that children can understand it but in language that blunts the worse part of the war and only the fear felt of the unknown, and the faith that Bruno and Frida have for each other.

It is a well written children's book on the dark subject of war which I think would be appropriate to teach the history of this time period. It has lovely black and white photos.

Thanks to Tony Bradman for writing a great story, to Barrington Stoke for publishing it and to NetGalley for making it available to me.

This is a wonderful book for children. It has beautiful illustrations that help bring the story to life. It's a very moving story that helps bring history to life for children.
I received a complimentary copy from Barrington Stoke via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is such a moving story and a great book for showing a side of World War II that not a lot of people learn. It’s 1945 and Bruno and his mother live in a small village in east Germany. After years of the country being at war, the Russian army is moving westward. Bruno and his mother join many other Germans fleeing their homes from the invading Russians, but when planes fire bombs onto the villagers, Bruno’s mum is killed. Bruno runs away into the forest to hide and is soon joined by a terrified Russian dog with bombs strapped to its body. The pair soon become inseparable and begin a dangerous journey west. But will Bruno and the dog manage to flee the area in time and what happens when Russian soldiers invade the local villages?

This is quite a dark story for older children to read and one which teaches a lot about what happened to many German people towards the end of World War II. As Bruno and his mother make their way towards a train station, we learn a little about what has happened in the war and the way in which many German people supported and believed in Hitler. I like the way this story shows some of the history through the eyes of Bruno, a child, and how he doesn’t know about the bad side of Hitler, except from rumours he’s heard. As the story moves on and his mother is unfortunately killed, Bruno runs away into the forest. Once this happens his jouney continues with Frida the dog. I have to say this really made the story so much more lovely and easier to read. I love the bond Bruno develops with Frida and how the two of them help each other on the trek west.

I don’t want to give away what happens in the story, but I do like where Bruno and Frida end up and how they learn the others’ side of the war. The book does focus on a darker side of the end of World War II and I like how this story didn’t shy away from showing the horrible and sad truth of how many German people were treated as the war was ending. It’s a side that’s never really taught in this country, at least it’s not something I ever learned when studying the Second World War at school, but unpleasant things happened to many regular German people as the war was coming to an end, and I like how this book shows the sadness, but ultimately shows a happy ending for Bruno and Frida.

The illustrations really make this book so much more interesting and emotional to read. I adore the images of Frida and Bruno together, especially when they are huddled in the woods when they first meet. Each picture is in black, white and grey and has a lot of detail in it but also has a nice feel to it, not too realistic so it doesn’t make the story feel too dark, but also shows the true emotions of the people and Bruno and Frida during some emotional moments.

The book has a good ending although I’m not sure about the last chapter. I understand how the author wants to link the last chapter to a particular similar crisis of today, and it does a good job of that, but I couldn’t help but want to have focused more on what happened to Bruno not long after the ending of the book, it just took me out of the story, though it was nice to have some information on what happened to him and all the other characters mentioned. The ending of the book has some author’s notes about what happened and I like how this explains what happened to the German people and how Germany has changed since that time. I’ve only read a digital version of this book so I can’t comment on the quality of the paper used, but being a Barrington Stoke book for children, this physical copy will likely have yellowed pages that are very thick. The text is a good larger size with paragraphs separated and a special font which makes it easier for dyslexics to read. The book is also just short of 90 pages long which means that it’s also a good read for reluctant readers too.

Overall I have enjoyed this book. Some of the descriptions of what happens to some people, some deaths and especially a few mentions of what happened to some people in concentration camps is a little dark. Even my adult self who is used to reading darker books about the war couldn’t help but feel uneasy and a bit shocked at some of the descriptions of things. So I’d say that although this is aimed at children, they should be ready to hear something a little darker as some of the things that happened during that war are difficult to hear. But apart from that this is a good story. I would have preferred a story that focuses entirely on the past, rather than splitting off and being more about a recent issue in history at the end, but it’s still a good book and I like how this is a lovely story of Bruno and Frida which ends happily despite all the horrors of the war.

A pleasant read for children interested in history. I have liked the fact that the author tried here to show the perspective of the German children and the impact the war had on them. This story is not seldom encountered in WWII novels. The friendship between Bruno and the Russian suicide dog is very impressive, as well as the evolution of Bruno at only 11 years old, travelling in an universe without his mother and trying to figure out the truth and the meaning of life within a war.

Lovely little read for youngsters.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read a digital arc in exchange for my feedback.

Bruno and his mother must evacuate their home as fighting between Germans and Russians encroaches on their village in East Germany. As his village becomes a warzone, Bruno encounters Frida, a loving and protective dog, together they search for escape and safety. Bruno soon discovers that the war is not the boon for Germany that his mother always believed it to be.

Bruno’s journey through Eastern Germany at the end of World War 2 illuminates the harrowing experiences of ordinary German citizens left homeless as the war came to an end. Bruno ruminates on the truth and fiction he has known through the opinions and beliefs of his family. As a short story it works well to start conversations in a group setting to discuss the plight of refugees and what happens to ordinary citizens during war. The only thing I didn’t like was the way the story brushed past events, Bruno’s journey was rarely descriptively shown, but rather told as a list of a few things that happened. The brief narrative depth means this story lacks sticking power, but I can imagine it having the most impact when used for discussion and critical thought exercises in classrooms.

Bruno and Frida was an intriguing examination of World War 2 from the eyes of a German child. I would recommend it to teachers for a classroom setting, either for group discussions or for individual assignments.

I love that Barrington Stoke is creating accessible books for kids that land on many different reading spectrums.

This was such a beautiful book, it wa sso well written with a lovely story and heart warming characters that i was instantly endeared too. This would be a great read for children that have a keen interest in history as it deals with some of the issues that came about during Hitlers reign of terror without being graphic or insensitive. This book brought so many thoughts to my mind, it was so thought provoking so I can imagine it would be so inspirational for childre, I also thought it was very clever how the author drew on examples from thw world we are loiving in currently too. A really well thought out and executed piece of fiction. I loved it.

Bruno and Frida is a gentle and quiet story of one boy's survival through the post-war trauma in Germany. As a German, Bruno and his mother have been sheltered from the horrors of war since his father left to serve in the military five years earlier. When the tide of war turns, however, Russians invade their region, driving people out of their homes and turning vicious and violent if residents protest. Bruno and his mother are fleeing ahead of the troops' arrival, but they are fired upon by Russian fighter planes, and Mother is killed. Hiding in the woods in fear, eleven-year-old Bruno is discovered by the best possible sleuth, a Russian suicide dog who escaped with the explosives packs still attached to her vest. Bruno frees her, and she and Bruno begin a journey to safety. They meet a kind old woman who shelters them and feeds them and sends them on when Russians reach her village. They meet British troops and are fed by aid workers, all the while hoping and praying that Bruno's grandparents are alive and where he hopes they will be, but the flattened cities and rubble-strewn land suggests Bruno may not find what he hopes.

Tony Bradman has written a touching story from the perspective of an eleven-year-old. Bradman captures the simplistic, sheltered voice of Bruno, as well as Bruno's confusion and growth when he realizes that Germany's leader has been terribly wrong and Bruno's fellow Germans have followed him willingly. To me, Bruno reads even younger than the eleven years he is, and more younger MG readers may be attracted to this story than older MG tweens, who may see Bruno as too young or too naive.

The story ends seventy years after Bruno's journey. Bruno, as an old man, is helping his granddaughter work on a project about war refugees. She compares Bruno's story to the plight of the Syrian refugees flooding Europe, tying the historical story into a contemporary framework. Some younger readers may trip over this linear leap, and many will want or need more information about the Syrian war and it refugees, but the story acts as a good launch point for those discussions and others about war, the reasons for war and the cost.

A fantastic middle grade book around WWII and the about the (at least to me) lesser known role dogs played as suicide bombers. The story is handled with grace and a simple and effective writing style that helps inform younger readers on our past.

East Prussia, Germany, 1945.

War is raging across Europe, and as Russian soldiers close in across eastern Germany, Bruno and his mother must flee if they hope to survive.

In the chaos of the attack, Bruno finds himself face to face with a huge black dog. He knows what she is: a weapon, strapped with explosives by the Russian army and sent into battle as a suicide bomber. But as Bruno's world begins to crumble around him, he soon realises that she is just as scared and alone as he is.

Faced with a perilous journey across war-torn Germany, will their bond be enough to keep them alive?

Such a wonderful tale of such a terrible time in our history. Bradman offers a distinctly human and innocent view of the war through the eyes of young Bruno.

Heartfelt and poignant this is a story that every young person should read from all walks of life and countries to truly understand the pain and devastation that war brings everyone and anyone unlucky enough to find themselves caught up in it.

#bookreviewsbymrsc #brunoandfrida #tonybradman #childrensfiction #worldwar2childrensfiction #bookreviews #bookstagram #instabooks #warstories #historicalfiction

In a Nutshell: A poignant story that is relevant historically as well as contemporarily. But it might be too dark for younger children. (Official target age group is 8+)
**Please note that this review contains spoilers. I don’t like to reveal plot spoilers any time but in this case, parents/teachers need to know certain information before they can take a call about the book. I have marked the spoilers section.**

Story:
1945, East Prussia. At the final stages of WWII, Russian soldiers are making their way from the East through German villages and ruthlessly killing locals as a kind of retaliation. Eleven year old Bruno and his mother realise that the only way to survive is to flee their village. They decide to walk towards Kiel (near the Northern border with Denmark) where his grandparents reside. But after some gruesome attacks, Bruno finds himself alone. While moping, he comes across a dog, who is strapped with explosives and sent into battle as a suicide bomber. But Bruno realises that rather than being a weapon, she is just as scared as him. Will their new friendship help them survive the travails of war?

The book begins with a poignant quote by Heinrich Bôll:
“If the dead could speak, there would be no more war.”
Just as this quote makes one think, the entire book will provide many situations where one feels the need to pause and ponder. This isn’t an easy story to read as it is much darker than a typical children’s book. A part of me feels that children need to be aware of historical mistakes. That’s how we all improve as a unified global race and hopefully won’t repeat the same mistakes in future. But, how soon is too soon to learn of such atrocities? There’s no right answer to this.
Mentioning some points from the book that might help you decide if you want your children to go for this.

*************SPOILERS BEGIN HERE***************
<spoiler>
• Bruno’s mom dies in an attack when a Russian fighter plane shoots at German civilians. Another old man who is helping Bruno after his mother’s death gets caught in a bomb explosion and the book says: “he just seemed to vanish”.
• I hadn’t heard of the Russians using dogs as suicide bombers, so that was a big shocker. I don’t know how children will feel reading about dogs being used as weapons. The scene where Frida (the dog) is strapped with explosives could be scary. (Nothing happens to her, so there’s no gruesome animal death thankfully.) She does die of old age towards the end of the book.
• Towards the second half, the story goes much into detail about German refugees and their troubles. No one talks of German refugees from Eastern Germany. Hardly anyone is even aware of their struggles. So this part was eye-opening and hard-hitting. Could be emotionally intense.
• There are many war-related atrocities mentioned. Some are just hinted at but some are quite forthright. (eg.”Millions of men, women and children had been brutally murdered and their bodies burned in ovens.”)
• Bruno’s dad is a soldier with the German army and Bruno frequently suffers from guilt pangs over what cruelties his father might have committed under Hitler’s dominion. As his father never returns home, this angle isn’t resolved.
• Bruno does find his grandparents so it’s not exactly a sad ending. But the difficulties he faced while locating them are a bit traumatic.
• At the end, the story moves into the contemporary time period and links the experiences of the German refugees with that of Syrian refugees today. While I love how the link was established in such a logical way, I feel that the book imposes its opinion on readers rather than allowing them to make an educated call. This is a gray topic that will generate varied responses depending on how you feel about your country opening its borders to refugees.
</spoiler>
*************END OF SPOILERS***************


The impact of the story is enhanced by the black-and-white illustrations peppered throughout the book. (No illustration depicts any horrifying scene.)

The historical note at the end is insightful and provides even more brain fodder to ruminate upon.

I must say this. Regardless of what I feel about the dark nature of this book, my respect to Barrington Stoke continues to increase. They don't shy away from emotionally-intense topics in children's fiction. Their books are thought-provoking and discussion-worthy. Furthermore, their content is always hi-lo (high interest, low ability), meaning the text is edited to suit a lower reading age though the content might be for a higher age group.
I still recommend this book because it contains a story that deserves to be told from an angle that deserves to be known. I would just disagree with the official reading age. As a parent, I would advocate it to teens and above, not middle graders.

4.25 stars.

My thanks to Barrington Stoke and NetGalley for the ARC of “Bruno and Frida”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

The story of 11 year-old Bruno Beck and his dog, Frida, stopped me in my tracks. Honest and powerful, it is an emotional portrayal of life in East Germany in 1945. Russian troops are moving in and people are being forced from their homes. Essentially, millions of people become refugees in an instant.

Bruno and his mother are just two of these people. As they try to escape the fighting and make their way west to Bruno’s grandparents home near the Danish border, Bruno’s mother is killed. Heartbroken, he has no choice but to leave her and try to save himself. All alone with nothing and no one, Bruno is very close to giving up – until he meets Frida.

Frida is no ordinary dog. When Bruno meets her, she has bombs strapped to her body – it’s a suicide vest intended to kill the German troops. Carefully, Bruno frees her from certain death and they become the best of friends.

On their long journey west, Bruno and Frida meet Oma, a kind old woman who seems to live in an enchanted clearing in the forest. The Russian army don’t know she’s there and her home is safe for the time being. There Bruno can rest, regain his strength and begin to make sense of his mother’s death. He starts to heal and prepare for the journey he must make to a new life.

This is a story of compassion and kindness. Told from the point of view of a German boy, it is also a reminder that the majority of the Germans in World War Two were just ordinary people caught in the cross fire. Oma and Bruno’s sense of guilt for what their country had done hits hard. Although they were not personally responsible for the horrendous acts of Hitler and his followers, Oma discusses the responsibility of the people who voted for him and allowed him to impose his values on the country. It’s a lesson for everyone who lives in a democratic society and a reminder that we absolutely must learn from the past so it doesn’t repeat itself.

The refugee crisis is not a new issue. The story of Bruno shows readers that it has always happened and people who find themselves in this situation need empathy and as much help as we can give them.

Bruno and Frida is another triumph for Barrington Stoke. This is a valuable story for Year Upper Key Stage Two and Key Stage Three classrooms. With their super-readable, accessible style, all readers have the chance to get lost in this powerful story of war, life, loyalty and survival.

Thank you to Barrington Stoke for this memorable book!

Bruno and Frida is heart wrenching, full of adventure and hope, and is a gripping historical story where you will follow Bruno as he tries to escape war throughout war-torn Germany with his mother… But sadly tragedy strikes… Not many books make me nervous but I was on the edge of my seat with this one, especially when Bruno finds a dog strapped with explosives to it…. I nearly cried! But the bond they form is so special and they try and keep each other alive as they find shelter and the start of a new life.
I love how the story carries on with Bruno’s life journey after the war and the historical note included at the end of the story gives an insight into what happened to millions of Germans living in the eastern areas of the war-torn country – I found this really interesting.
Accompanied with stunning illustrations by Tania Rex, this is a beautiful story where you will experience every emotion going whilst reading it. Bruno and Frida will stay with you for a long time!
This book is perfect for fans of war stories including, Goodnight Mr Tom and stories by Michael Morpurgo.

I love Barrington Stoke books and this does not disappoint. Set in Germany in the war, it follows Bruno as he sets off to find safety. Rather brutally (and not for the over sensitive children) he loses his mum along the way but then finds solace with 'Oma'. Once the Russians again get too close he has to leave the comfort of her house and set off once more to find his family.
A real warts and all story that is hard hitting yet shows a different side to the war. A great read for uKS2 to encourage empathy and looking at life from different perspective.

Sometimes friendship flourishes under the most unusual and tragic circumstances. This is exactly what happens in the story of Bruno and Frida. Caught in war torn Germany during World War II, Bruno befriends Frida, a Russian bomber-dog. Together they set out on a journey to escape the country and in the process, save each other.

This was a nicely written piece of historical fiction, presented at a lower reading level with a higher interest level. Bruno and Frida takes a honest look at the horrors of World War II, sometimes outside the realms of an age appropriate manner (the mother was brutally killed early on). Despite some of the more graphic scenes, I quite enjoyed this book until we hit the final chapter. The author attempts to correlate Nazi Germany with some refugee situations today. There's also mention of survivor guilt and how to "pay back" as way of restoration. It was all a bit heavy handed and felt contrived in today's world. The title would have received a more resounding approval had it stuck to the subject at hand.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I can't say enough good things about this heartwarming and deeply moving book. I received the ARC through NetGalley and the publisher, Barrington Stoke, in exchange for an honest review. The books that this publisher offers are considered hi-lo (High Interest, but aimed at a lower reading level). Bruno and Frida is just such a book that I will wholeheartedly recommend that our library purchase and that our patrons read.

The story centers on a German boy and his mother who are attempting to escape Eastern Germany as Hitler's army is overpowered, and a dog who has been utilized by Russian forces during WWII as a suicide bomber. While I have a keen interest in the history of WWII, I had not heard much about German refugees, nor anything about dogs used as suicide bombers. This was such an eye-opening read, and truly inspirational. At the end, the author tied in the current refugee situation and drew important parallels to those of the past.

This would be an excellent book for older readers who need a lower reading level, or anyone in general who is interested in delving deeper into this chapter of our history.

The story of Bruno, who becomes an orphan, very early in the story, but who is saved from being killed himself by a dog that was sent to blow up people.

The story is set at the end of World War II, and the Russians are coming through Eastern Germany, and being very brutal. So, with the help of Frida, he makes his way towards where his grandparents live, but it is not easy going.

Very easy to read, quick book. Shows the brutality of war, while keeping an arms length away as well.

Written at a lower level then the age this is meant for, so that children who normally would not find anything interesting to read, find something, well, interesting to read.

<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. </em>