Finding Zasha

Plot

After a harrowing escape from his home in Leningrad during the 1941 German siege, twelve year old ivan thinks he'll be safe from the war in the countryside. But Hitler's troops are marching across Russia, and Ivan's new town soon falls under occupation. Determined to do his part for the war effort, he quickly joins a group of partisans, ordinary people who are secretly fighting against the Nazis. When Ivan is ordered by Nazi commander major axel recht to play his concertina for the soldiers at headquarters, ivan sees his chance to help the rebel cause. While there, he meets zasha and thor, recht's two adorable german shepherd puppies, who are being trained to hunt russians. Ivan can't imagine a worse fate for the dogs, and secretly dreams of stealing them from retch. However retch is an especially monstrous commander and doing anything to undermine him is a deadly idea. But when a dangerous opportunity arises, Ivan seizes the chance. Yet he underestimates recht's attachment to zasha and thor, and suddenly ivan finds himself being stalked by a ruthless man who will stop at nothing to get his dogs back. As World War II rages around him, Ivan sets out to hide from recht and save both dogs. But when zasha disappears, ivan must decide what is more important finding zasha and risking everything the partisans have worked for or saving himself and thor?