Picture book #8

Title-The Wall-Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain

Author-Peter Sis

Illustrator-Peter Sis

Genre-Picture story book

Subgenre-Historical Fiction

Theme-History, Cold War, poverty, freedom

Primary and secondary characters-Peter Sis-Autobiography as a child

Award(s)-Caldecott Honor; Robert F. Siebert Medal

Date of publication-2007

Publishing company-Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Brief summary-This is a wonderfully articulated book about the true story of Peter Sis’ childhood in Czechoslovakia during the Cold War.  The government controls every aspect of its citizen's lives.  The ability to draw, listen to music, or even read books was determined by the government.  His dreams of being free are shown distinctly in his drawings as a young boy.  The book also includes captions and journal entries.  Most of the book is illustrated in black and white, with some communist red, probably to show the lack of freedom. 

How would you use the book with students-I would use this book to teach older students the history of the Berlin Wall and the Cold War.  This book is a great recollection of a personal experience but is very real and can be a bit extreme for a younger reader to understand.