Carly Schabowski
It takes courage to tell your story...Kraków, 1994. When an elderly woman named Lena meets a young girl,the child is carrying a toy bear, who she has named Wojtek. She quietlytells Lena it’s named after a bear who was famous in the second worldwar. This is a name Lena hasn’t heard in many years. And so she beginsher story... Kraków, 1940. When Lena was young, she loved to tell stories - aboutthe places she would go, the battles she would fight, the great lovesshe might have - imagining herself the heroine in every tale. But whenthe Soviet forces invade her town, and take her to a Siberian gulag,leaving her with no family, no home, no strength to fight... her dreamsfeel further away than ever.Until the Soviets change sides in the war, and Lena finds herself beingrescued, and on an unexpected journey - one that runs in parallel with atame bear named Wojtek. As their journey takes them across the MiddleEast, to Africa, and finally to war-torn Italy, she realized there mightbe a chance for her to live the life she always told stories about -fighting the hated Nazis.But there is one thing missing... a great love. Lena knows she doesn’tneed saving by a man. But when Wojtek the bear leads her to an injuredstranger, she realises perhaps it’s not her who needs rescue. The onlyproblem is that the man she’s led to is a German soldier, on the otherside of the war from her...Readers love Carly Schabowski’s powerful historical novels:'A stunningly, different WW2 story... Emotional and raw... Will staywith me for a long time.' Helen Parusel, author'A powerful and moving story... I was both intrigued and touched...Highly recommended.' Kate Hewitt, author
