Wolves at the Door

Tween Asta, her younger sister Pieta, and their mother flee their East Prussian home of Konigsberg in the final months of WWII, before Konigsberg is raided by Soviet forces. They arrive at their grandparents’ farm in the countryside, hoping they will be safe there. But when the order comes for the rural sectors to evacuate, and their grandparents are killed before they can escape, the family of three are forced to evade capture, traveling through the woods, battling harsh winter conditions, and eventually joining thousands of others jockeying for passage across the Baltic Sea. When their vessel is torpedoed, their mother ensures their survival by getting them into a lifeboat before going down with the ship. This glimpse into what it was like for those living in and fleeing from war—based on the real-life history of the thousands of orphans left to fend for themselves during WWII, as addressed by Watkins (The Mine Wars) in a historical note—is finely detailed and beautifully told. While depictions of Asta and Pieta’s struggles are heart-wrenching, their fierce sibling bond and inherent kindness toward others is an inspiring through line to this powerful tale. Ages 8–12. (Dec.)