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    The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain (Caldecott Honor Book)
    Unavailable
    The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain (Caldecott Honor Book)
    Unavailable
    The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain (Caldecott Honor Book)
    Ebook54 pages1 hour

    The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain (Caldecott Honor Book)

    By Peter Sís

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    A NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER

    "I was born at the beginning of it all, on the Red side—the Communist side—of the Iron Curtain." Through annotated illustrations, journals, maps, and dreamscapes, Peter Sís shows what life was like for a child who loved to draw, proudly wore the red scarf of a Young Pioneer, stood guard at the giant statue of Stalin, and believed whatever he was told to believe. But adolescence brought questions. Cracks began to appear in the Iron Curtain, and news from the West slowly filtered into the country. Sís learned about beat poetry, rock 'n' roll, blue jeans, and Coca-Cola. He let his hair grow long, secretly read banned books, and joined a rock band. Then came the Prague Spring of 1968, and for a teenager who wanted to see the world and meet the Beatles, this was a magical time. It was short-lived, however, brought to a sudden and brutal end by the Soviet-led invasion. But this brief flowering had provided a glimpse of new possibilities—creativity could be discouraged but not easily killed.

    By joining memory and history, Sís takes us on his extraordinary journey: from infant with paintbrush in hand to young man borne aloft by the wings of his art. This title has Common Core connections.

    The Wall is a 2007 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year, a 2008 Caldecott Honor Book, a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year, the winner of the 2008 Boston Globe - Horn Book Award for Nonfiction, and a nominee for the 2008 Eisner Award for Best Publication for Kids.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateJul 15, 2014
    ISBN9781466855847
    Unavailable
    The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain (Caldecott Honor Book)
    Author

    Peter Sís

    Peter Sís is an internationally acclaimed illustrator, author, and filmmaker. He was born in Brno, Czechoslovakia, and attended the Academy of Applied Arts in Prague and the Royal College of Art in London. Peter is a seven-time winner of The New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year, a two-time Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honoree, and has won the Society of Illustrators Gold Medal twice. Peter's books, Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei, Tibet through the Red Box, and The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain were all named Caldecott Honor books by the American Library Association. The Wall was also awarded the Robert F. Sibert Medal. In addition, Peter Sís is the first children’s book illustrator to win the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship. He was chosen to deliver the 2012 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture for the Association for Library Service to Children. Peter won the 2012 Hans Christian Andersen Award. This award is considered the most prestigious in international children's literature, given biennially by the International Board on Books for Young People. Peter Sís lives in the New York City area with his wife and children.

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    Reviews for The Wall

    4/5

    358 ratings63 reviews

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    • 5/5
      In my opinion this a great book to read. The illustrations in this biography helped gain a better understanding of the story. The use of color is very limited in the story because the minimal color represents the hope that Peter Sis has in becoming free. Also the author embedded real photos from his childhood that showed us how a child looked and felt during the Cold War. Also the language of the story was very clear and precise. For example, “He dreamed of being free. Wild dreams…Sometimes dreams come true.” Peter Sis wanted the freedom to draw whatever he liked without the government controlling him. This story shows the reader how the Cold War was a very tough time for children and their families that were governed by Communism.
    • 1/5
      This has ALOT of information, almost too much for a short sitting
    • 4/5
      The Wall is author and illustrator Peter Sis's memoir describing growing up 'behind the Iron Curtain' in Prague, Czechoslovakia during the Cold War. Told through illustrations, journals, photographs, childhood drawings, literal and figurative maps, Sis recounts a happy childhood and adolescence, realization of the oppressive regime, and dreaming of freedom until the fall of the Berlin Wall followed by Czechoslovakia's freedom in 1989. Stark illustrations of black ink on white paper is sparsely and impactfully accented with only red until "bits and pieces of the West begin to slip through the Iron Curtain." The illustrations reflect the increasing access to Western culture with bits of bright color and return to restrictions with a return black, white and red. **Sibert Award, Caldecott Honor Book
    • 4/5
      I didn't know until I started reading that this book was autobiographical. I really liked his biographies of Galileo and Darwin, so I've been looking up all his other works. His use of illustrations to describe what life was like behind the Iron Curtain is really fantastic.
    • 3/5
      A memoir in which the author (an artist) reflects on his life (from birth to adulthood) "behind the Iron Curtain." It's in the format of a simple children's picture book in the way it's narrated at the bottom of the pages, illustrated with his own drawings, plus pages that are scrapbook style, highlighting his own journal entries or giving a brief explanation of the socio-economic situation.

      I did learn a lot more about life in Czeckloslovakia during this time than I had previously considered or understood, and I liked it. While it did not move me in the way some memoirs do, it was an easy and egaging way to learn a bit of history, the factual part of it as well as how political events actually impacted the lives of citizens. It did strike me as amazing and ironic that the Soviet Union was part of the force that helped stop Nazi Germany's growth, but then did the exact same thing to their own people. I hadn't really understood that before!

      It's interesting to imagine the Beatles as heroes.

      I'm not sure how much my kids will understand this book--the vocabulary can be challenging for the average middle-schooler, and they really have to care about and understand the concepts of socialism and indoctrination.

      The drawings that depict the teenagers "painting their dreams" on the wall, the guards painting white over it, and the teens repeating over and over again, getting more sneaky every time, was empowering.

    • 5/5
      The genre of this book is biography. Sis tells the story of his life, how he had always loved drawing, but growing up behind the Iron Curtain proved to be a daunting way of life. This book takes the reader through a detailed timeline and diary entries of what was going on during the Cold War, and how living in Czechoslovakia during this time was like. Even at times when the government told Peter that he couldn't draw and paint what he wanted, he did it in secret anyway. After many long years, the Wall was taken down in 1989, and freed the people. I would use this book in a 5th grade classroom to discuss the Cold War, the Berlin Wall, and how it came down.
    • 5/5
      This autobiographical picture book by Peter Sis portrays through beautiful illustrations his growing up in Czechoslovakia during Soviet rule. Although each page is pretty busy, I never felt overwhelmed, and I could see how perfect this book would be for sharing with a child (while you're reading out loud, their eyes are following your words through the pictures). I liked the recurring image of himself throughout holding a work of art along with the piggy policemen, though I hope the adult reading this book to a child would stress that not all officers are bad guys. I also really liked his use of color (and lack thereof) to stress the conflict between conformity and creative freedom.The pages from his journals help provide more historical context to the book, along with providing drawings and photos that we assume come from around the time period the journal entries were written. Not only that, but the entries allow the reader more insight into the author, Sis, and make him more relatable. While, at first, this book may seem intended for younger audiences, I don't think they'd quite comprehend the aspects discussed in the book as well as older children that may have had contact with these ideas (e.g. WWII, Berlin Wall, Soviet Union) through history or social studies classes. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, but it had me wishing that there was more to it, like a Soviet-ruled Persepolis.
    • 1/5
      I did not enjoy “The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain”, the central message of which was that creativity can be discouraged, but not destroyed. I did not like the convoluted language of the book, which left me feeling confused and unclear on the premise of the book. I felt that the language of this story was inconsistent and choppy. I also did not like the story’s plot, which told the story of the author, Peter Sis, growing up on the Communist side of the Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia, and the gradual process by which he became aware of the indoctrination of which he was a victim. I did not think this plot was appropriate for young readers, and I felt uncomfortable reading about it myself. I also did not like the illustrations of this book. Being that the book was a combination of a graphic novel and a picture book, it contained many illustrations that I felt crowded the pages and were distracting to the text. Overall, this book is not one that I would want to share with my students, as I do not feel its content is appropriate for young children.
    • 5/5
      This is the true story of Peter Sis who grew up behind the Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia during the Communist regime. He tells what life was like for him and illustrates the book marvelously to show what it was like. This is a wonderfully done book about the Cold War period in Europe.
    • 3/5
       I thoroughly enjoyed reading Peter's perspective and the historical facts included alongside the illustrations. I am not very familiar with the events during this time so reading this book was an enjoyable history lesson for me!
    • 5/5
      This is a wonderful autobiography by Peter Sis. It talks about his time growing up behind the iron curtain in Czechoslovakia and his love for drawing and art and how that eventually took him out of the dreary land behind the iron curtain. It follows his life after the iron curtain and how he now has to explain to people what it was like to live in such a dark time. The book uses narration, dated journal entries and illustrations to tell his story of life after WWII in Soviet Union controlled territory.
    • 5/5
      Although this book seemed a little dark at first I really loved reading it. I originally had mixed feelings about the book because of the negativity that was gradually portrayed but it became more apparent to me as to why the author set it up in this specific manner. The language and writing that the author used was extremely well thought out and intentional. The main storyline at the bottom of all of the pages guides the reader along in the book however the subtle comments on the sides of the pictures tell the author the reality of it all. For example, the storyline at the bottom of one of the pages read, "After drawing whatever he wanted to at home, he drew whatever he was told to at school." One of the comments beside the pictures read, "The Communists take control of the schools." This subtly implies that changes that began in the schools and the restrictions of freedom, including drawing certain images. Another reason why I liked this book was because of the illustrations. The bold red on each page solidified and engraved the communism depicted in the pictures. A third reason why I liked this book was because of the accuracy of it. I loved how Peter was the one telling of these real-life events. Although this is considered a children's book it was also an enjoyable read for me because of the reality of it. I believe that the main message of this book was to inform readers about the life of someone who lived on the inside during the Cold War and the "norms" that they faced.
    • 4/5
      This is a beautiful autobiography of life behind the iron curtain for Peter Sis, who lived in Communist-ruled Czechoslovakia after World War II. The stunning black and white illustrations capture the mood of life during that time, with splashes of "Communist Red." Great text to pair with Social Studies lesson.
    • 5/5
      The Wall is a wonderful memoir of Peter Sis' life growing up in Czechoslovakia during Communist rule after World War II. The illustrations are beautifully crafted and document his life behind the Iron Curtain. I found the book informative and enlightening. The few words on each page are carefully chosen and the illustrations do more to tell the story than the words. This is a wonderful book to be shared with students from upper elementary through high school.
    • 4/5
      Although this is a picture book intended for, and successfully allows, young readers to comprehend the topic easier, the content would be more intended for an older audience. The story takes communism and the cold war to a different level, as it is told from a child's perspective; the author and illustrator, Peter Sis', perspective that is. I appreciate how the author is able to captivate a difficult time in such a way for young readers to understand by his writing and use of pictures throughout the book. This would be a book to read during a history lesson with students in third grade and up.
    • 5/5
      This book was fabulous. It was a perfect way to teach kids about the former Soviet Union and really about being oppressed. How to recognize oppression. The drawings were perfect. They weren't realistic, which was good because these were his memories. The black and white with the threatening red was a great way to emphasize fear. The splashes of bright color represented his freedom. A very well thought out and executed book. The writing was well done as well. The words weren't too easy or too hard. The journal entries were the perfect way to tie everything together and to get a true sense of his feelings of such a horrible era in Eastern Europe. I would absolutely present this to my class, but maybe 3-5th grades. It would also be a great book to teach art, The symbolism in color and how they work together to create emotions.
    • 5/5
      Using simple pictures with little color to great effect, Peter Sis tells his story of growing up in Czechoslovakia when the country was behind the Iron Curtain. Ostensibly for children, the book doesn't hold back from exploring the complexities of living under a Communist regime. The author shows how he was brainwashed as a child and told what to draw, and follows him through his teenage years when he awakened to much of the censorship and control going on around him.This book is an excellent example of the way in which a story can be powerfully told in graphic form. The Introduction and Afterword serve as the text that grounds the story in history - both the general history of the Cold War, and Peter's personal history as he eventually leaves his home country behind. The images make up the bulk of the story, giving a bird's eye view as we very quickly go through twenty or so years of Peter's life and in how small the elements of the illustrations are. Most of the illustrations are black and white, except for the red of Communist flags and the colors of Peter's art. Clips from his journals serve both to move the story along through time and to give readers a fuller view of what's going on in Peter's life, including such things as the music that influenced him and photographs from his childhood. This is a really excellent, rich story that I highly recommend.
    • 3/5
      Peter Sis tells about his childhood and adolescence growing up in communist Czechoslovakia. It was interesting to read, but I'm not sure I enjoyed his small drawings and somewhat scattered way of telling his story. It was a little difficult to follow, and I was glad for the foreword and afterword.
    • 4/5
      Sis uses color, or a lack thereof, masterfully in this graphics heavy memoir of his life in Prague behind the Iron Curtain. Text along the bottom could work for a picture book read-aloud with the more explicatory notes above left for the independent reader. The journal entries provide specific information on Sis's life and how it was shaped by his environment. Having been to Prague this was an eye-opening look at its past that I couldn't stop reading. The only thing is, I'm afraid most kids will look at this and see a broccoli book - something that's good for you but not particularly fun.
    • 5/5
      "The Wall" is an incredible picture book that tells the story of a boy growing on the communist side of the Iron Curtain. While the details closely resemble the events of author Peter Sis' life, the voice that speaks represents the experience of the millions of people who resided in the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War. The book itself is comprised of illustrations, descriptive text, and excerpts from Sis' journal entries (spanning from 1954 to 1977). The usage of color in the "The Wall" is highly effective. The illustrations are completely black and white, with the exception of a vivid red, which is used to represent the communist influence. As the story progresses, small bursts of other colors begin to appear, representing the western influence. At first, these colors only appear in the boys drawings, but as figurative holes are punched through the wall, the colors begin to shine more frequently and more vividly. Aside from simply providing a first person narrative of life on the "other side" of the wall, the author's journals give us a window into the amount of hope that was provided to him via western popular culture. The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Harlem Globetrotters, Allen Ginsberg, Louis Armstrong, long hair, tie-dye -- all of these western symbols were a vehicle to another existence; an existence filled with expression, inspiration, equality, and truth. It was also fascinating to read about Sis' work as an animator/illustrator and the "science" he employed to navigate the censors. The strategy, as he describes, was to give them something obvious that needed to be changed (a big church, etc.) and hope that they would not notice the "smaller, important things." At the end of the book, the boy dreams of combining all of his drawings to create colorful wings that he will use to fly over the wall. It is a striking image, and one that beautifully ties the entire book together. I was 7 years old when the Berlin Wall came down, and I remember my parents watching a television broadcast of the event. I certainly did not understand the dynamics of the situation then, and sadly, 25 years later my understanding is still relatively limited. Books like "The Wall" are important because they spark interest. The Cold War is something that had completely dropped off my radar, but thanks to this little book, it is back on. I would love to read more, or even simply have a conversation with somebody about the events. Books like "The Wall" give you that little nudge you need to find out more, and that path can lead to a whole new world of understanding.
    • 4/5
      This unorthodox and completely original informational picture book tells of the life of the author in Communist Czechoslovakia. The Communist overtaking of his homeland began when he was a child, but it did not seem to phase him except that he felt the need to draw and do things that were not part of the compulsory education. He eventually becomes aware of the stifling atmosphere of the Communist regime and talks about all the rules he had to follow. He grows to resent the totalitarian government, and he is introduced to Western culture particularity rock 'n' roll, blue jeans, long hair, and beat poetry. Czechoslovakia has a period of openness known as the "Prague Spring." But a new order is restored, and their rules are even more oppressive. Sis eventually escapes to America and writes how the Berlin Wall finally came down and the end of the Cold War. The book has short sentences and phrases that are accompanied by an image which further explains his point. Sis also includes excerpts from his journals to show the oppressive atmosphere of his youth. The images are truly breathtaking and the artwork is both inventive and emotional. He uses bright colors to emphasize moments of rebellion to contrast with the bleak black and white world of Communist oppression. The book's target audience is fourth through eighth grade, but I feel it could easily be used in high school classes when discussing Communism, the Eastern Bloc, and the Cold War. I would even suggest that adults and people interested in this period and the artwork of Peter Sis would thoroughly enjoy this book. I look forward to using it in my classes, and I find myself rereading the book and finding new details in the artwork with every read.
    • 4/5
      As the title suggests, this is a memoir of Sís's childhood growing up in Prague. His path is fairly typical for the time. He is indoctrinated at school and joins the Pioneers. As he begins to question the regime, he joins the underground movement, which is reflected in his art and music (he joins a rock band). Everyone jubilantly embraces the Prague Spring and then succumbing to malaise and dreaming about freedom. Although Sís doesn't go into details in this book about his defection to the West, his visualizations of freedom thwarted and finally gained are poignant. I liked this book because I enjoy reading memoirs of life in Eastern Europe. Once again, although it is listed as a juvenile book, I can't see many children of picture book age getting much from it. It tries to straddle the divide between being a children's book and an adult book by having simple sentences run across the bottom of the pages and smaller print with more detail on the sides of the illustrations, but I'm not sure how effective it is.
    • 4/5
      This book is given a grade level of 4.5 but I find it way more complex than that! It is a memoir of Peter Sis' youth growing up in the Eastern Bloc and is written through diary entries, pictures, captions, and a written story. Without reading the extra commentary that is provided outside of the basic story line, this book would be appropriate for younger students and lightly describes growing up under heavy military control and the excitement of it ending. WIth the diary entries and captions under the illustrations, the book is transformed into a complex portrayal of living under a "Big Brother" and the ups and downs off imagining a life of freedom. This book would be a great mentor text for students beginning to write their own graphic novels. A conversation about why graphic novels can be so powerful would be a good starter. Students could take note of Sis' combination of illustrations, story line, captions, and diary entries to learn how to write a graphic novel that is rich with a deep storyline.
    • 5/5
      This is a great book, especially to use with older readers when trying to explain the ramifications of the Cold War. Sis illustrates what life was like on the other side of the Iron Curtain in a way that is accessible and understandable to young adult readers. This would not necessarily be an appropriate book for younger readers because of the background knowledge needed to fully understand the historical significance. I would recommend it for middle school and up.
    • 5/5
      This is a story about a boy growing up in-love with art, but trapped behind a wall of control. The art of the book is done as in the style of a child drawing pictures about what he’s talking about. The story almost breaks your heart, and as a person with a background in history, helps me see the pain these people went through while under the control of the Soviet Union. This is a book that many younger kids many not fully grasp, but one that can be used over and over again from second grade through twelfth grade.
    • 5/5
      Wow. I learned so much in reading this book. I felt that it was so well done and educational that I had to add it to my bibliography of recommended social justice books, even if it is a picture book. It has so much information that a middle schooler would get overwhelmed if he/she tried to just read through it. I had to look up a number of things, particularly the drawings of Lenin, et al. Really. Wow.
    • 4/5
      In this autobiographical graphic novel, artist Peter Sís describes growing up as a budding artist in Czechoslovakia after it was invaded by the communists. As a toddler, there is the freedom of drawing from his imagination, but with school enrolment comes indoctrination to communist ideals, youth groups, state-sanctioned art and countless other obligations all promoting these ideals, including the pressure to inform on family, neighbour and friends who speak or act contrary to state edicts. Then comes the Spring of 1968 in his teenage years with a loosening of rules and regulations and the discovery of Western music including The Beatles, long hair, counter-culture fashion and art. In his inimitable intricate style, Sís tells the story mostly through images, but also supplies diary entries from his youth. A must for fans of his work and a great introduction for those who have yet to discover him.
    • 5/5
      This was truly EXCELLENT. It is a thorough examination of life in soviet occupied countries during the cold war. It is told through facts, the boy's personal story (a characterization of the author himself, I believe), and illustrations. The illustrations are done in a comic book style, but are detailed and extremely unique. The black-white-red color scheme reflects the emotions and rigidity of life in communist countries, and the full color "western" illustrations depict a feeling of hope. I would love to share this book with older elementary or middle school students studying this era, or perhaps even students interested in creating comic books. It would be a great pre-cursor to Maus.
    • 5/5
      I’ve heard talk about this gifted artist, for sometime now, but I finally had a chance to experience his amazing talent, with this short but riveting illustrated memoir. Sis was born in Brno, Czechoslovakia, in the late 40s. So he grew up under a communist regime and was a teenager in the tumultuous 60s, sneaking Beatles records, trying to form a band, growing out his hair, wearing jeans, all under the steady gaze of a menacing government, who would toss you in prison for any of these minor infractions. This is an excellent book and if you’re still hesitant to try a graphic novel, give this one a try.
    • 5/5
      The Wall:Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain written by Peter Sis is a work of fiction and a picture book. The book is about Peter Sis's life as he was born at the beginning of the Cold War and how he survived its restrictions. This book centers around Sis's love of drawing and self expression. It contains great pictures by Sis depicting the important political and social movements of the era in Europe. Sis provides a great account of life in Socialist Czchoslovakia.I loved this book because of its powerful images in words and through pictures. In a short amount of pages, a thrilling and true account of Sis's life is portrayed. I think this book is memorable due to the impression it has left upon me. I felt the fear, excitement, and joy that is in the storyline. When a book really makes a reader feel all the same feelings, then it is obviously a good book, and this is a good book. The book contains the larger issues of Socialism, Communism, and war. This book as effectively clarified the turmoil of the Cold War, and I feel more sympathetic towards the people who endured the worst of the war.Teaching ideas:- Read and compare to Animal Farm- Read at the same time the students are learning about the Cold War in history classThis book powerful and will amaze any reader. With the issues of survival, war, and growing up, this novel is a diverse set of experiences in one small book. Also, having the Cold War as the event instigator this novel is a great period piece for the classroom.