"Soldier X" by Don Wulffson is a fictionalized account of actual events that occurred during World War Two. In 1944, 16 year old Erik Brandt is drafted into a desperate German army that is losing ground on all fronts.
Along with several other boy soldiers, Erik is sent to the Russian Front to defend a German outpost that is under siege by the Russian army. Erik's position is overrun by the Russians and he finds himself trapped behind enemy lines. Erik learns that the Russians are not taking any prisoners so he switches uniforms with a dead Russian soldier. In the Red army uniform, Erik is wounded by a German officer and is then sent to a Russian army hospital. Erik uses a knowledge of the Russian language to continue to pretend to be a Russian soldier.
After the hospital is attacked by the Germans, Erik and a Russian nurse named "Tamara" are pushed by the tides of war into numerous dangerous situations while they attempt to get to Switzerland.
Soldier X is an exciting story of a little known chapter of World War Two. Since there are graphic descriptions of combat and wounded soldiers , It might be helpful for a teacher or other adult to explain some of the events in the book to younger readers.
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