

Zoja and Lea spend their days running wild in the forest, squabbling charmingly, making potions from wildflowers, and whispering spells into the wind. Published in 1922, the well-known Polish book King Matt the First—a story about a boy who takes over as king after the death of his parents and soon after goes to war—inspires the girls to wonder about current world affairs. With the war looming across the Polish-Ukrainian border, the story once again resonates today.