Emily Hynes's Reviews > The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain

Peter Sis's The Wall is a moving story of his experience growing up in Czechoslovakia during the Cold War. It is a multi-layered story, where with each glance you notice something new that adds new depth to your reading. The picture book is both informative and narrative. Each page includes simplistic text that could be followed by young readers--mapping the author's life as a child and artist influenced by communist "brainwashing."

Also included are symbolic illustrations that act as a historical reference to events that unfolded during the Cold War. For example, most illustrations were black and white with a dash of red here and there to draw attention to the looming communist influence present throughout the author's life. Other pages, referencing America and the freedom associated with it were full of color and absolutely vibrant, showing stark contrast between the worlds on either side of the Berlin Wall. Captions for each picture presented history in a highly engaging manner. Not having studied the Cold War in quite some time, I finished the book with clearer memory of significant events, and the effects they had on individuals and families such as Sis's.

I feel that this text is a great way to motivate reluctant readers of history/non-fiction, by presenting knowledge through illustration and narrative. I also believe that this book could be used over many age groups-from upper elementary through middle school age children.