Wassiljewa's is an unusual World War II account in that as a child in Russia she was conscripted by the Germans for their work force. She did factory and farm work alongside adults. Her recollections of the many times she was close to starvation will be memorable for readers, as will her descriptions of the forced labor. The occasional humane acts and coincidences that saved her offer respite from an account that is often difficult to read - not to mention believe. Her chronologically organized memoir was written in Russian, translated into German; it was then translated from German into English for publication in Great Britain. She now lives in St. Petersburg, Russia. A short historical summary ends the book. (Age 12-adult)