This was a very well-written story about a heavy subject that didn't feel heavy in the telling. Ivan is a young boy who is abandoned in the years following the collapse of the Soviet Union. He survives due to his relationship with a pack of stray dogs. Just from the synopsis and knowing that this is based on true events, it should feel a lot more bleak but it doesn't. The relationship between Ivan (or Malchik, as he thinks of himself) and the dogs feels like any kind of family relationship - very sweet and loving. It's a great adventure story and one that I quite enjoyed reading (even the sad parts).