THE WALL: GROWING UP BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sis, Peter. 2007. THE WALL: GROWING UP BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN. New York: Frances Foster Books. ISBN 9780374347017

PLOT SUMMARY
Peter Sis grew up in Czechoslovakia during the time in which it was ruled by the Soviets. As a child he loved to draw and sketch. As he grew in age and ability, so did the strong hold of the communists. “Children are encouraged to report on their families and fellow students” at this stage he only draws what he is told to draw. The Berlin wall is built in 1961, dividing the city in half. As he grew older he began to question what he had been taught. Painting in secret and joining a rock band. Censorship is slowly lifted and he is able to experience the Beatles, Coca Cola and blue jeans it was the summer of 1968.

Over time the censorship returned and he realized that his dreams were safe, yet his drawings could be used against him. He discovered peace in painting the interior of his home, including his refrigerator. The Berlin wall fell in 1989. He now lives in America with his family, yet returns to Czechoslovakia to visit his extended family. Peter Sis finds it challenging to put into words what the beautiful country was like when he was growing up. Full of suspicion, fear, and lies, a world he preferred to see through his drawings, a comfort in uncertain times.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Peter Sis uses crosshatched black-and-white drawings of parades and what life was like growing up in Prague. The additions of color add another dimension to this representation of what life was like through his eyes. Even with the obvious color, the black ink allows the reader to feel and experience the oppression of the time. When oppression is lifted, colors and experiences abound. This story of Peter Sis’s experience of growing up gives us a rare glimpse into the world behind the iron curtain.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Reviewed in BOOKLIST: “terrific design dramatizes the conflict between conformity and creative freedom”
Starred Review in Publishers Weekly:”the author pairs his remarkable artistry with journal entries, historical context and period photography to create a powerful account of his childhood.”
Caldecott Honor Book: 2008
Sibert Award Winner: 2008

CONNECTIONS
*Have students read several books by Peter Sis, and have students write a story about their own childhood, and create their own black and white sketch drawing.
*Other books by Peter Sis:
Sis, Peter. MADELENKA. ISBN 0374399697
Sis, Peter. THE THREE GOLDEN KEYS. ISBN 0374375259