Soldier Bear

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Tak, Bibi Dumon. 2011. Soldier bear.  Ill. by Philip Hopman. Translated by Laura Watkinson. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. ISBN 9780802853752

PLOT SUMMARY

World War II required immense amounts of manpower. But bear power? Yes, indeed! Soldier Bear by Bibi Dumon Tak is the true tale of Voytek, the Syrian Brown Bear who aided the transport company of the 2^nd Polish Corps as an ammunition transporter.  

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The story of Voytek, the soldier bear, is an endearing one; however, Tak fails to reveal cultural details that give deeper meaning to the story.

Tak avoids stereotyping by neglecting to fully develop the five main human characters. In fact, as I was reading, I paid little attention to who was speaking because I felt no connection to the characters. Their background—released prisoners of war fighting along side the British—is briefly explained, but their personalities are not detailed enough to distinguish between the five main soldiers. Their situation is believable as it was common in that period for former Polish POWs to join ranks with the Allied forces.

To the author’s advantage, the soldiers’ names fit their Polish nationality. (I wonder if these may be the names of the original soldiers. In my search for answers, I have not discovered the soldiers’ actual names.)

The interaction of the five soldiers with other cultures includes troops from the British and American Armies as well as the citizens in war zones and camps of Italy, Iran, Egypt, and Scotland. Most of these interactions are in regards to strangers’ amazement at Voytek and do not detail how the differences in culture effect their communications. One exception is when the soldiers meet with a higher-ranking officer from the British Army. Stanislav uses heated words toward the officer in his native Polish, which the officer did not understand.

The narrative could be enhanced with the use of Polish dialect accompanied by translations. The choice of slang in one instance raises question about its authenticity. On page 134, Peter addressed Voytek as “old mate”, which has Australian origins rather than Polish.

Because the majority of the book takes place at Army camps, only a few particulars are provided about the land outside the camp. When in Iran, Tak describes the mountainous terrain and desert conditions. Once the soldiers ship off to Italy, they have the opportunity to visit the coast and farmlands filled with fresh fruit. Culturally distinguishing information about the various countries are left out.

The troops are unified in their fight against Germany, but their cultural diversity is not celebrated or clearly defined. Cultural dress, customs, and language is not described with any detail.

As an award-winning piece of literature, Soldier Bear tells a touching story about a pet turned troop in the war effort during World War II. The illustrations provide visuals to accompany the text. The maps included prove useful when keeping up with the soldiers’ voyages. The language used is ideal for younger readers, as it is simple with very little figurative language.

The nature of the story invites readers to think and research further about daily life with a bear as part of a regimented Army camp. This curious situation causes reflection about how the soldiers’ dreary situation may have differed without the animals in the camp.

REVIEWS AND AWARDS

Batchelder Award Winner, 2012

American Library Association Notable Children's Books, 2012

Paterson Prize for Books for Young People Honor Book, 2012

“Tak offers an engaging story of grown-up protagonists and situations, focusing on Voytek’s exploits and his interactions with a menagerie of other animals. Hopman’s expressive grease-pencil illustrations add to the story’s accessibility, grounding the proceedings with charm. An afterword featuring archival photographs of the real Voytek closes this uplifting, welcome addition to WWII studies.” –Booklist, October 2011

“Funny, fresh and heartwarming, it doesn't ignore the horrors of war but concentrates on the joy of having an animal friend, albeit a difficult one. Readers of any age do not need to know anything about the complicated history of the Polish free forces or even World War II to enjoy this tale of "a friend and a mascot who made the war easier to bear.” –Kirkus, August 2011

CONNECTIONS

Related Books (as cited at the end of Soldier Bear)

Soldier Bear by Geoffrey Morgan and W.A. Lasocki

Silent Heroes by Evelyn le Chene

Europe at War by Norman Davies

Voytek’s Resume

Using a resume template, write Voytek’s resume at the end of his career in the Army. As an added bonus, write a cover letter for Voytek as if he were applying for a job.

Detailed Map

Using a map of Europe and the Middle East, route Voytek and the soldiers’ passage. Include a detailed description of the events that took place at each location—especially the skills, tricks, or troubles Voytek participated in.

Radio Broadcast

During this time period, many people got their news through radio broadcasts. In your group, create and record a broadcast script detailing one day’s events from the book. Be sure to include Voytek’s contributions in the war efforts.