The Story of Bodri
The Hungarian-born Holocaust survivor describes what it was like to listen to Hitler’s threats on the radio and experience their consequences when his army invaded her unnamed country. She is Jewish, her best friend, Marika, is Catholic, and their dogs, Bodri and Bandi, are also best friends. When the Nazis come for Hédi and her family, they must leave Bodri behind. At that point, the narrative switches to Bodri’s point of view as he awaits the return of his family through the changing seasons. Thinking about Bodri gives Hédi and her sister the will to live.
Observing these horrific events through the eyes of both the young child and her dog will connect elementary-age readers to this powerful and necessary story. Both are powerless to stop the cruelty of a man and his millions of followers; all they can do is survive and be there for each other. Wirsén’s watercolors effectively convey the characters’ emotions and the evil that hovers, as well as the enduring love of a girl and her pet.
