By Jennifer A Nielsen

World War Two has ended and Gerta thinks that everything will finally be alright. But living in East Berlin, she finds her world cut in two when the Berlin Wall goes up, splitting the city – and her family – in two.

She is left on the east side with her mother and one of her brothers. For a while, they survive, but as she gets older, the situation worsens. Soon, it becomes clear that in order to live, they have to leave. But how?

Then Gerta receives a mysterious message. Her father and brother are alive on the other side of the wall, and they want her to do something. She recruits her older brother for help and seeks to find a way to the west.

Why should you read this book?

If you like reading WWII stories but you’re looking for something a little different, read this book. It takes place during the cold war so you’ll get to experience that side of history as well. It’s a very classic Jennifer A Nielsen historical fiction in that it is told in first person from the perspective of a 12ish year old girl. No matter how similar her books can be to each other, this is one of my favorite books that she has written. I really liked how it has her family playing a large role – somehow, that’s become unusual.

Who should read this book?

While generally being pretty tame, this book does deal with Soviet East Germany during the Cold War, which was not a happy place. There are many references to the soldiers and punishment and what happens to people who break the rules. It’s not necessarily something to worry about if you’re used to historical fiction from this era, but it’s something to be aware of.

General Stats:

• Genre: historical fiction – cold war
• Standalone
• Age: 7th grade and above
• My rating: ★★★★★