Katrina Nannestad’s Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief is our book of the month

Award-winning writer Katrina Nannestad transports us to Russia and the Great Patriotic War in her latest novel, Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief.

Our Book Club book of the month for November tells the story of Sasha, a soldier at just six years old.

Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief by Katrina Nannestad
Wood splinters and Mama screams and the nearest soldier seizes her roughly by the arms. My sister pokes her bruised face out from beneath the table and shouts, ‘Run, Sasha! Run!’
So I run. I run like a rabbit.

It’s spring, 1942. The sky is blue, the air is warm and sweet with the scent of flowers.

And then everything is gone.

The flowers, the proud geese, the pretty wooden houses, the friendly neighbours. Only Sasha remains.

But one small boy, alone in war-torn Russia, cannot survive.

One small boy without a family cannot survive.

One small boy without his home cannot survive.

What that small boy needs is an army.

From the award-winning author of We Are Wolves comes the story of a young boy who becomes a soldier at six, fighting in the only way he can – with love. But is love ever enough when the world is at war?

Start reading Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief
We have a special sample for Kids News readers – you can start reading here.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Judge a book by its cover
Examine the front cover of the book and the title, Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief.

How do the author and illustrator draw in the reader with this cover and title?

a) Identify as many visual techniques as you can, particularly:

• symbols
• colours
• placement and framing

b) What elements of the cover and title seem to clash?

• an angel and a thief?
• a soldier’s uniform and flowers and a young boy?
• war and flowers?

c) Do these clashing elements make the book seem book interesting/make you want to read it? d) How are time and place demonstrated on the cover?

DISCOUNT BOOK OFFER — BECOME A MEMBER NOW

Members of the Kids News Book Club can purchase Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief for $5 less than you can buy it in shops.

Only members will be sent a link to the discount via email.

To join for the discount get your parent or guardian to sign the consent form HERE and send it to kidsnewsbookclub@news.com.au. Then we will sign you up.