BROTHERS IN ARMS

A true and colorful account of how an orphaned bear and a unit of Polish soldiers—many of them also orphaned or missing family members—adopted one another.

Drawing from interviews with one living veteran and descendants of others, as well as published sources, Hood tells an affecting tale of how Wojtek (Polish for happy warrior), a Syrian brown bear, came as a cub to the soldiers of the 22nd Artillery Supply Company, a unit training in Persia (now Iran)—and not only served as a morale booster, but actually caught a spy and later provided materiel aid in the battle for Monte Cassino. That he was also, along with a Dalmatian named Kirkuk who was his “polka-dotted partner in crime,” something of a force for chaos in camp adds to his charm, and before the war’s end, he was not only formally enlisted, paybook and all, but promoted to corporal. While many war stories have sad endings, backmatter explains that Wojtek went on to spend a long retirement in the Edinburgh Zoo. Green’s charming, humorous depictions of a sociable, teddy bear–ish cub growing to shaggy adulthood surrounded by uniformed admirers (all White) are echoed in a set of photos in the backmatter, which includes maps, a timeline, and other useful additions. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A sweet, sometimes funny tale, context and setting notwithstanding.